2023 Map of Polecat Tank

About this map

Spaceport America stands as a focal point in this high-desert landscape within Sierra County, representing a modern aerospace frontier positioned amidst traditional ranching and utility corridors. The terrain is defined by broad ephemeral watercourses like McLenden Draw and the more extensive Jornada Draw, which cut through the arid basin. This 2023 survey illustrates how 21st-century technology coexists with a network of rural county roads and infrastructure, including Sowell Rd and the long industrial stretches of Pipeline Rd. Named water features are rare in this environment, though Sand Tank provides a specific reference point for local land use and hydrology. The map captures the specialized development of the Jornada del Muerto region, where aerospace infrastructure meets the grid-like section lines of the Public Land Survey System.