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2023 Map of Ranchos De Taos

Name: 2023 Topographic Map of Ranchos De Taos
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2023
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2023

About this map

The community of Ranchos de Taos serves as the focal point for this survey of the high-desert landscape where the northern New Mexico settlements meet the slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The map reveals a dense network of local-history landmarks, particularly several family and community graveyards including the Old Llano Quemado Cem, Jesus Nazareno Cem, and Saint Francis Cem. These sites, along with the Acequia Madre de Rio Chiquito, illustrate the long-standing water management and settlement patterns essential to life in this arid valley.

Moving south from the developed areas of Llano Quemado and Talpa, the terrain rises into the Carson National Forest, characterized by prominent ridges like Talpa Ridge and McGaffey Ridge. High-elevation features such as Tetillas Peak and the Miranda Trick Tank provide specific points of reference for those studying the livestock and forest management history of the region. The transition from the alluvial floor of the Rio Grande del Rancho to the high peaks of the Santa Fe Mountains is clearly delineated.