2023 Map of Penasco

About this map

Picuris Pueblo and a series of historic mountain settlements define this high-altitude landscape within the Carson National Forest. The geography is shaped by the complex network of irrigation ditches and water rights, including the Acequia Madre, Acequia del Sur, and Chamisal Ditch, which sustain the communities of Rio Lucio, Peñasco, and Llano. These valleys at the edge of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are notable for their density of community landmarks, particularly spiritual sites such as the Saint Anthony Catholic Cem and the Capilla de Llano de San Juan y Campo Santo Cem. Traditional land use patterns are evident in the alignment of roads like the El Camino Publico de Picuris and numerous Indian Service Routes that connect the pueblo to the surrounding canyons and peaks.