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1964 Map of San Juan Peak

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of San Juan Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

San Juan Peak serves as the topographic anchor for this section of the Cibola National Forest, where the high ground of Piñon Mountain and White Mule Ridge drops into complex drainage systems. Water management is the primary human imprint on this arid Socorro County landscape, evidenced by an extensive network of tanks and wells such as Rattlesnake Tank, Ocotillo Tank, and the Cold Canyon Windmill. These features, alongside isolated perennial sources like San Juan Spring and Rich Spring, define the movement of people and livestock through the territory.

Transportation is limited to a singular Jeep Trail, emphasizing the area's use for ranching or forest management rather than settlement. The mapping reveals a transition from the elevated peaks to the sunken depths of The Gorge and the wide Tonto Basin. Other distinctive landmarks, including Spook Hill and Skeleton Ridge, provide researchers with specific geographic identifiers for navigating this mid-century New Mexico backcountry.