1960 Map of Sky Village NW

About this map

Mesa Bernalillito and Mesa Cortada define the high elevations of this Sandoval County landscape, where the seasonal hydrology of the high desert is mapped through a series of cattle tanks and small lakes. In the early 1960s, these remote water sources such as La Jara Lake, Armijo Lake, and the Emperado Tank were critical infrastructure for the local ranching economy. The map reveals a network of erosional features like Arroyo La Jara and Armijo Draw that channel water toward the southern reaches of the quadrangle. Traceable evidence of early mineral exploration is visible in several prospects located near the northern mesas, while the New Mexico Principal Meridian provides a foundational surveying line through the center of the sheet. Named features like Cerrito Redondo and Marquez Wash anchor the varied terrain of this arid region.