2013 Map of Tin Pan Canyon

About this map

Brilliant stands at the heart of this complex landscape where the Colorado New Mexico border meets the high country of Colfax County. The terrain is defined by a dense network of drainages and named canyons, including Tin Pan Canyon and Potato Canyon, which carve through the plateau toward the Canadian River as it winds through the southern portion of the quadrangle. This area, historically significant for its coal mining and transit routes, shows the northern reaches of the Raton Basin. Traces of regional infrastructure are evident in the naming of Railroad Canyon and the path of the Old Raton Pass Rd in the northeast. The geography here is a intricate system of branching valleys like Seeley Canyon and Gardiner Canyon, illustrating the rugged topography that historically challenged and eventually facilitated movement between the two states.