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2022 Map of Purgatoire Canyon

Name: 2022 Topographic Map of Purgatoire Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2022
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2022

About this map

The Purgatoire River carves a deep, winding path through this portion of Las Animas County, shaping the local geography into a series of dramatic breaks and side drainages like Miller Canyon and Perea Canyon. This landscape is marked by its isolation and the specialized ways water is accessed, evidenced by names like the Million Dollar Water Hole and scattered water sources such as Rail O Spring and Eastside Spring.

Cultural history is preserved in the presence of the Los Hermanos Penitentes Cem, a name reflecting the unique Hispanic religious traditions of the region. The map also records early ranching and family legacies through landmarks like Mestas Cem and Surratt Spring. Water features such as Trinchera Falls and the confluence of Salt Cr further highlight the river-centric nature of this arid high-plains terrain.