1965 Map of Surveyors Canyon

About this map

The Lincoln National Forest meets the northern boundary of the Fort Bliss Military Reservation (McGregor Missile Range) in this mid-1960s survey of Otero County. The landscape is defined by the drainage patterns of the Sacramento River, which cuts through the southern portion of the quadrangle, and the intricate network of canyons including Surveyors Canyon, East McAfee Canyon, and Wayland Canyon. This map captures a remote high-altitude transition where livestock management features like Kimmons Tank and Crest Garden Tank dot the terrain alongside more permanent water sources like Stevens Lake. The inclusion of the McGregor Missile Range underscores the mid-century expansion of military training and testing grounds into the western wilderness. Prominent elevations such as Chatfield Peak provide landmarks for navigating the steep draws and forks that characterize this part of the Sacramento Mountains.