2016 Map of Negro Canyon

About this map

Hovenweep National Monument anchors this 2016 survey of the high desert landscape in Montezuma County. The map details a complex drainage system where Hovenweep Canyon, Bridge Canyon, and Negro Canyon carve through the prominent elevations of Cajon Mesa and Mockingbird Mesa. This territory reflects the characteristic land use patterns of the Four Corners region, where modern county roads like Co Rd Y and Rd 10 follow the straight lines of the Public Land Survey System, often contrasting with the winding natural topography of McLean Basin. In the southeast, the confluence of Yellow Jacket Canyon and Burro Canyon provides a clear view of the deep erosional patterns that have historically defined human settlement and movement across this arid plateau. Researchers will find precise locations for water sources like Cross Canyon Spring amidst a network of canyons including Sandstone Canyon and Risley Canyon.