2023 Map of Wrye Peak

About this map

White Sands Missile Range occupies the southern half of this landscape, where the high desert terrain transitions into the rugged elevations of the Chupadera Mesa. This 2023 survey documents a remote portion of Socorro County defined by strategic military boundaries and the sparsely populated settlement of Bingham along the southwestern edge. The map captures a complex network of internal military routes, such as WSMR P Route 41, which traverse a landscape punctuated by distinctive topographical markers like Wrye Peak and Antelope Mound. Water management in this arid environment is evidenced by a series of named catchments, including Lucero Tank and McDougal Tank, while the natural drainage patterns are revealed through features like Hoot Owl Canyon and Wash Hale Canyon. These features indicate a geography shaped both by geologic erosion and the practical necessities of ranching or military operations in a high-elevation basin.