McRae Canyon facts for kids
McRae Canyon is a cool natural valley found in Sierra County, New Mexico. It's part of the southern Fra Cristobal Range, which is a group of mountains. This canyon was once known by another name: Cañon del Muerto.
The water from McRae Canyon flows into the famous Rio Grande river. Today, much of this water ends up in the Elephant Butte Reservoir. This reservoir is like a big lake formed by a dam. The lower part of the canyon is now underwater, becoming an inlet of the reservoir. The water here is about 4,354 feet (1,327 meters) above sea level. The canyon itself starts higher up, at about 5,070 feet (1,545 meters) in the Fra Cristobal Range.
What is a Canyon?
A canyon is a deep, narrow valley with steep sides. It's usually carved out by a river over a very long time. Think of it like a giant ditch that water has dug through the land!
Water Sources and Flow
McRae Canyon has a main stream that feeds into it. This stream is called Cañon del Muerto. A "tributary" is a smaller stream or river that flows into a larger one. The Cañon del Muerto joins McRae Canyon a little bit after another small, unnamed dry creek bed, called an "arroyo," also meets it.
Right below where these waters meet, there's a special kind of water source called an artesian spring. An artesian spring is a natural spring where water flows out of the ground without needing to be pumped. This happens because the water is under pressure from an underground layer of rock or sand that holds water, called an "aquifer." This particular spring gets its water from the Jornada del Muerto basin aquifer, and it flows all the time!
Fort McRae: A Historic Spot
McRae Canyon is also a place with history. It was once the home of Fort McRae. A "fort" is a strong building or place used by soldiers to protect an area.
This fort was active from 1863 to 1876.
- From 1863 to 1866, the fort was guarded by soldiers known as California Volunteers. These were soldiers from California who fought for the Union Army during the American Civil War. The Union Army was the army of the northern states.
- After 1866, soldiers from the regular United States Army took over the fort until 1876.
Fort McRae played an important role in protecting travelers and settlers in the area during those times.
