1979 Map of Pecos High Bridge

About this map

Pecos River canyonlands define this West Texas landscape, where the rising waters of the Amistad Reservoir meet the steep limestone walls of the Chihuahuan Desert. The map captures a critical transition in transportation history, showing the active Southern Pacific rail line crossing the river at the iconic Pecos High Bridge alongside an earlier Old Railroad Grade that traces the terrain's original challenges. Much of the riverfront is protected within the Amistad National Recreation Area, where deep incisions like Dead Mans Canyon and Shackelford Canyon branch out from the main waterway. Outside the reservoir's influence, the topography is marked by remote outposts like Continental Ranch and the siding at Lull, illustrating the sparse settlement and heavy reliance on the railroad and intermittent water sources like the various Tanks dotting the arid plateau.