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1954 Map of Pine River

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Pine River
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

The Pine River, also labeled as the Los Pinos River, carves through the high plateau country of the northern New Mexico borderlands. This mid-1950s survey captures an era of intensive energy extraction across the San Juan and Rio Arriba county line, where an extensive network of pipelines and numerous gas wells overlay the natural drainage systems. The settlement of Pine River serves as a lone hub in a landscape dominated by deep arroyos and canyons.

Water remains the primary architect of the terrain, with Gobernador Canyon and Frances Creek feeding into the larger river valley. Distinctive landmarks such as Smith Pass and Burnt Mesa provide topographic context for the industrial infrastructure, which includes service features like Water Tanks located near the canyon floors. The map offers a clear record of the early development of the San Juan Basin gas fields before later 20th-century expansions.