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1963 Map of Ruidoso Downs

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Ruidoso Downs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

The Rio Ruidoso flows through a landscape defined by sharp elevation shifts and the meeting of managed federal lands. In the early 1960s, the community of Ruidoso Downs serves as a focal point for settlement, featuring a Trailer Park, a Gaging Sta, and a Drive-in Theater just north of the Herrera Lane corridor. This era shows the local water management infrastructure in detail, from the Ruidoso Ditch to numerous high-elevation water sources like Seeping Springs Lakes and Baston Spring.

South of the canyon floor, the terrain rises sharply into the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation and the Lincoln National Forest. The map documents a network of rugged canyons—including Salsbury, Hale, and Grapevine—that channel seasonal runoff toward the valley. Markers of ranching and land use are visible throughout the higher elevations, such as the Pine Tank, the aptly named No Water Tank, and a Gravel Pit near the river, reflecting the intersection of natural resources and early development in Lincoln County.