1976 Map of Tres Hermanos NW

About this map

White Sands Ranch sits within this desert landscape of Otero County, captured in the mid-1970s via orthophotography. The terrain is defined by the stark transition between the shifting dunes at Point of Sands and the more stable, brush-covered flats characteristic of the Tularosa Basin. This 1976 aerial survey provides a clear view of the sparse human footprint in this part of New Mexico, where large-scale ranching operations like the White Sands Ranch were the primary fixtures. The map also highlights natural landmarks such as Twin Buttes, which serve as navigational markers across the relatively flat basin floor. This specific orthophotoquad format offers researchers a more realistic visual of ground cover and vegetation patterns than traditional line-drawn topographic maps of the era.