2001 Map of Packsaddle Canyon

About this map

Lincoln National Forest encompasses this arid landscape in the southern reaches of the Guadalupe Mountains, where the survival of cattle and livestock relied heavily on an extensive network of human-made water improvements. The map documents a rugged rangeland economy through labels for numerous basins and wells, including Antelope Well, Hog Lake, and Redwater Tank. Small pockets of early settlement or ranching operations appear at Anderson Ranch and Panama, though much of the terrain is defined by deep incisions like Packsaddle Canyon and Box Canyon. A complex infrastructure of water management is visible through specialized features such as the Wildhorse Mesa Water Storage Tank and Chimney Well Corral Water Storage Tank, illustrating the essential engineering required to sustain life and industry in this high-desert environment during the late 20th century.