Cañon del Muerto (Sierra County, New Mexico) facts for kids

Cañon del Muerto is a long, deep valley, also known as a canyon, found in Sierra County, New Mexico.

This canyon is an important natural landmark. The lower part of Cañon del Muerto is now called McRae Canyon. The mouth of Cañon del Muerto, where it joins McRae Canyon, is about 4,460 feet (1,359 meters) above sea level. The canyon starts higher up, at its source, which is about 4,770 feet (1,454 meters) above sea level.

History of the Canyon

The Ojo del Muerto Spring

A very important water source called the Ojo del Muerto (which means "Spring of the Dead Man") was once located near the canyon. This was a special kind of spring where water flowed naturally from deep underground. It was one of the few places to find reliable water along a difficult travel route called the Jornada del Muerto.

Travelers on the Jornada del Muerto had to go several miles off their path to reach this spring. It was a risky journey because Apache people also used this water source.

A Path for Raiders

Cañon del Muerto was also an easy path through the mountains. It connected the Jornada del Muerto trail with the Rio Grande river crossing. Because of this, Apache and Navajo groups often used the canyon to travel and raid settlements in New Mexico.

Fort McRae

To protect travelers and stop the raiders, a military post called Fort McRae was built in 1863. It was located in McRae Canyon, about a mile and a half below the Ojo del Muerto spring. The fort helped keep people safe on the Jornada del Muerto and made it harder for raiders to move between the Jornada basin and the Rio Grande valley.