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2013 Map of Wahalee Canyon

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of Wahalee Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

LeRoy McKnight Ranch and Gipson Ranch anchor the high desert landscape of this territory along the Lincoln and Otero County line. The terrain is defined by a series of deep drainage systems, most notably Wahalee Canyon and Pajarita Canyon, which carve through the high country. In the northern reaches, the Rio Hondo and Camaleon Draw provide critical water courses in an otherwise arid environment.

Evidence of the region's ranching heritage is scattered throughout the canyons and valleys, from Peters Ranch in the east to the remote Cow Camp Number 2 further south. The map illustrates how human settlement has adapted to the physical geography, with ranch sites strategically positioned near protected areas like Half-Moon Valley. This documentation of land use and family-named landmarks offers a detailed look at the geographic organization of Southern New Mexico ranching at the start of the twenty-first century.