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1972 Map of Rayo Hills

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Rayo Hills
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Rayo Hills and the surrounding high desert terrain dominate this early 1970s survey, illustrating a landscape defined by seasonal water management and topographical landmarks. The map tracks the border between Socorro and Torrance counties, cutting through a region where life centers on isolated water sources such as Brazil Windmill, Barber Tank, and the Rancho Viejo Well.

The presence of Chupadera Gap and the distinctive U-Butte provides orientation in a territory marked by drainage patterns like Arroyo Viejo and Sand Draw. These features, along with the Base Line and various unnamed mines, suggest a history of ranching and prospecting in the arid central New Mexico interior, where every named tank or canyon, such as Red Tanks Canyon, served as a vital landmark for navigation and survival.