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1987 Map of Skull Canyon

Name: 1987 Topographic Map of Skull Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

Coronado National Forest dominates the eastern landscape of this arid borderlands region, where the terrain rises sharply from the basin floor into the jagged heights of Skull Canyon. Water management is the primary signature of human activity in this corner of the Peloncillo Mountains, evidenced by numerous man-made catchments like Kimble Tank, Bower Tank, and Allen Tank. These features, alongside Natural Tanks, underscore the vital importance of livestock ranching and water security in a territory defined by seasonal drainages such as Deer Creek and Owl Creek.

Evidence of historical transit and industry appears along the western plains. An Old Railroad Grade cuts a linear path across the desert, marking a former corridor of the southern rails. Near this route, a lone Gravel Pit suggests the localized extraction of materials used for road building or rail maintenance. The map also captures the jurisdictional intersection of the Arizona-New Mexico state line and the boundary between Cochise and Hidalgo counties, illustrating how administrative lines bisect the open range.