1979 Map of Negro Canyon

About this map

Hovenweep Nat Mon and the Cutthroat Castle Group Ruins anchor this 1970s survey of the high desert landscape in Montezuma County. The map details a complex network of drainage systems including Hovenweep Canyon, Negro Canyon, and Yellow Jacket Canyon, which carve through the prominent Cajon Mesa and McLean Basin. This area, significant for its archaeological heritage, shows a landscape primarily utilized for ranching and resource extraction. Evidence of local land use is seen in the numerous Corrals and a Gas Well situated among the mesas. A web of Jeep Trails provides the only access through the canyons of the San Juan River basin, connecting various Drill Holes and isolated Spring locations that were critical for survival and industry in this arid environment.