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2023 Map of Vallecitos

Name: 2023 Topographic Map of Vallecitos
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2023
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2023

About this map

Santa Fe National Forest encompasses the complex topography shown here, where the high desert meets the northern mountains. The landscape is defined by deep canyons and seasonal water sources, featuring numerous family-named landmarks and historical grazing areas such as Vallecitos Corrales and Los Cerritos. These settlements and corrals, along with La Joya Tio Gregorio, suggest a long history of traditional land use and livestock movement through the high mesas.

Major drainages like the Rio del Oso and Gallina Creek carve through the terrain, separated by prominent features like Mesa del Terrero and Las Cuchillas. The presence of scattered tanks, including Lucas Tank and Augustine Tank, underscores the critical importance of water management in this arid environment. In the southern reach, the map traces the rugged descent into Santa Clara Canyon near the boundary between Rio Arriba and Sandoval Counties.