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1990 Map of Picture Rock

Name: 1990 Topographic Map of Picture Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1990
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1990

About this map

San Marcos Pueblo occupies a central position in this high-desert landscape, reflecting the long-standing human presence in the region south of Santa Fe. The terrain is defined by the Cerrillos Hills to the northwest, a cluster of peaks including Mount Chalchihuitl and El Cerro de la Cosena that are pockmarked with dozens of prospects and specialized mining sites like the Cash Entry Mine. This concentration of extraction points, alongside the Mina del Tierra, indicates the area's significance for mineral wealth, likely spanning from indigenous turquoise mining to modern prospecting.

Water management is critical in this environment, evidenced by the Cerrillos Reservoir and a network of named water sources like San Marcos Spring and Coyote Spring. The drainage patterns of Galisteo Creek and its many arroyos, including Arroyo Gallina and Arroyo de la Vaca, dictate the placement of settlements like Cerrillos and Galisteo. Traces of earlier transportation infrastructure appear as an Old Railroad Grade traversing the eastern plains, while contemporary energy needs are marked by a Gas Well and Oil Well near the creek.