2013 Map of Tanner Ranch

About this map

Tanner Ranch sits as a lonely outpost within this high-desert ranching landscape of Otero County, where the eastern boundary is defined by the steep escarpment of The Rim and the Lincoln National Forest. The topography is dominated by the north-south drainage of Piñon Creek, which snakes through the central basin, supplemented by the western Jernigan Wash. This 2013 survey illustrates the critical role of water management in an arid environment, where cattle ranching operations rely on a network of man-made catchments such as Dee Tank, Hook Tank, and Gravel Tank. A sparse grid of county roads, including Co Road E025 and Co Road E031, provides the only access across the rugged basin floors and limestone ridges typical of this portion of New Mexico.