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2020 Map of Pounds Mesa

Name: 2020 Topographic Map of Pounds Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2020
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

Apache Mesa and the elevated plateau of Pounds Mesa dominate this high-desert landscape in Northern New Mexico. The terrain is defined by a complex network of seasonal drainages, including the Arroyo del Puerto Chiquito and Arroyo Archuleta, which carve through the sandstone formations typical of the Colorado Plateau's edge. The settlement of Puerto Chiquito sits centrally, serving as a landmark in a region where water and topography dictate the movement of both historic trails and modern forest roads.

Along the western margin, the shoreline of Stinking Lake provides a stark contrast to the surrounding arid mesas, while the northeastern corner of the map reveals the reaches of the El Vado Reservoir. Much of the southern portion is managed as the Santa Fe National Forest, where features like Railroad Canyon and Horse Island offer points of interest for those tracking land use and natural landmarks in Rio Arriba County.