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1965 Map of Palo Flechado Pass

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Palo Flechado Pass
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Palo Flechado Pass sits as a critical high-altitude crossing on the line between Taos and Colfax counties, marking a transition from the dense timber of Carson National Forest into the open expanses of the Moreno Valley. The 1965 field check reveals a landscape defined by historical land tenure and transit, where the Maxwell Land Grant Boundary and the Beaubien and Miranda (Maxwell) Strip intersect with rugged pathways like the Kit Carson Trail and the Taos Pack Trail.

Water sources are vital in this high-desert terrain, with drainage systems like Rio Pueblo de Taos and Cieneguilla Creek carving through the mountains. Small settlements and specialized sites, such as the Sangre de Cristo Camp and the community at Agua Fria, indicate seasonal or specialized land use near the shores of Eagle Nest Lake. The presence of several Gravel Pits and a Substation suggests a mid-century infrastructure supporting the local mountain economy.