1981 Map of Slaughter Mesa

About this map

The Mangas Mountains high country of Catron County is defined by a dense network of canyons and livestock infrastructure within the Apache National Forest. This 1981 edition shows a landscape managed for both timber and ranching, evidenced by the numerous isolated water sources like Jacobs Camp Tank and Slaughter Mesa Tank. The high-elevation terrain is bisected by the Continental Divide, which snakes through the southern reaches of the map near Cañon del Buey. Access across these slopes relies on a system of primitive routes such as the Leslie Spring Trail and various unpaved jeep trails. Local landmarks, including the El Caso Lookout near El Caso Lake, highlight the forest management priorities of the era. The mapping of Slaughter Mesa and its surrounding drainages, like Largo Canyon and Chimenea Canyon, provides a detailed record of the spring-fed water system essential to this high-desert environment.