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1985 Map of Van Horn

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Van Horn
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1993
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1993

About this map

The high desert basins and isolated mountain ranges of West Texas define this 1985 landscape, anchored by the town of Van Horn. This critical crossroads is situated where the Southern Pacific railroad meets major transcontinental highways, serving as a gateway between the Sierra Diablo and the Wylie Mountains. The map reveals a land structured by water scarcity, marked by numerous named tanks and springs such as Sulphur Spring, Newman Spring, and the Leonore Reservoir.

Beyond the central hub, the topography rises into the massive Apache Mountains and the Beach Mountains, separated by drainage systems like Clayton Draw and Wild Horse Draw. Evidence of the region's ranching and transit history is visible in smaller points like Boracho and Maverick, while the Sacaton Plateau and Seven Heart Gap illustrate the ancient geological passages that have long dictated movement through this arid terrain.