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2013 Map of San Luis Pass

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of San Luis Pass
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

Deer Creek Wells sits at the heart of this high-desert landscape in the southwestern corner of New Mexico, where seasonal water sources and topographic relief define the patterns of human and animal movement. The terrain is structured by prominent peaks and ranges, including the Animas Mountains to the west and the Whitewater Mountains and San Luis Mountains to the south. Between these ranges, the San Luis Pass serves as a critical geographic waypoint.

Water management is the primary marker of human activity on this land, shown through an extensive network of named tanks and draws used for ranching. Features like Big Geronimo Tank, Little Geronimo Tank, and Pendleton Tank are clustered along drainage systems such as Deer Cr, Smuggler Cr, and Lynch Draw. These landmarks, along with the Smuggler Hills, highlight the area's history of managing scarce resources in a landscape dominated by the convergence of several mountain fronts.