Playas Valley
Encyclopedia
The Playas Valley is a lengthy and narrow 60-mi (97-km) long, valley
located in Hidalgo County, New Mexico
in the Bootheel Region
; the extreme south of the valley lies in Chihuahua. Playas, NM
is located in the northeast. The valley is noteworthy for the Playas Lake, (dry lake
) in the north.
The Continental Divide of the Americas forms its western border in a series of three linear mountain range
s, and the divide forms the water divide
as the northern border of the Playas Valley. The valley disappears southward into regions of the northwest Chihuahuan Desert
of Chihuahua, Mexico
. Regions of the desert extend northward to foothills of various mountain ranges, canyons, wash
es, or other landforms.
West
East
Playas Lake is a linear dry lake, about 10 mi long, and only 4 mi west of Playas, NM. An even smaller dry lake, about a tenth the size is just adjacent southwards. Both dry lakes are in the north, with the drainage coming from the continental divide as the perimeter of the valley, going north, then due west, then south as the southern ridgeline of the Pyramid Mountains
. The divide makes up the southern region of the mountains, before it skirts lower peaks before reaching the north of the Animas Mountains
.
Playas Lake as the lowest elevation of the north valley region is 4281 feet (1,305 m) in elevation. It is located at 31.8418°N 108.5773°W.
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
located in Hidalgo County, New Mexico
Hidalgo County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.3% White*0.6% Black*0.8% Native American*0.5% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.8% Two or more races*11.0% Other races*56.6% Hispanic or Latino...
in the Bootheel Region
New Mexico Bootheel
New Mexico's Bootheel comprises the southwestern corner of New Mexico. As part of the Gadsden Purchase it is bounded on the east by the Mexican state of Chihuahua along a line at extending south to latitude 31°20′0″N at...
; the extreme south of the valley lies in Chihuahua. Playas, NM
Playas, New Mexico
Playas was a small unincorporated town in Hidalgo County, the "bootheel" of the southwestern part of the U.S. state of New Mexico.It is a former company town, named after a nearby former settlement along the Southern Pacific Railroad...
is located in the northeast. The valley is noteworthy for the Playas Lake, (dry lake
Dry lake
Dry lakes are ephemeral lakebeds, or a remnant of an endorheic lake. Such flats consist of fine-grained sediments infused with alkali salts. Dry lakes are also referred to as alkali flats, sabkhas, playas or mud flats...
) in the north.
The Continental Divide of the Americas forms its western border in a series of three linear mountain range
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
s, and the divide forms the water divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
as the northern border of the Playas Valley. The valley disappears southward into regions of the northwest Chihuahuan Desert
Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert is a desert, and an ecoregion designation, that straddles the U.S.-Mexico border in the central and northern portions of the Mexican Plateau, bordered on the west by the extensive Sierra Madre Occidental range, and overlaying northern portions of the east range, the Sierra...
of Chihuahua, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Regions of the desert extend northward to foothills of various mountain ranges, canyons, wash
Arroyo (creek)
An arroyo , a Spanish word translated as brook, and also called a wash is usually a dry creek or stream bed—gulch that temporarily or seasonally fills and flows after sufficient rain. Wadi is a similar term in Africa. In Spain, a rambla has a similar meaning to arroyo.-Types and processes:Arroyos...
es, or other landforms.
Description
The Playas Valley is linear, and north-south trending and surrounded by mountain ranges, except on the south, where the flatlands merge into the Chihuahuan Desert.West
- Pyramid MountainsPyramid MountainsThe Pyramid Mountains are a 30 mi long, mountain range in central-east Hidalgo County, New Mexico. The city of Lordsburg is at its northern border, where the range causes Interstate 10 to traverse northeast, then southeast around the range....
- New Mexico State Road 9New Mexico State Road 9State Road 9 is a long state road in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The highway spans Hidalgo, Grant, and Luna counties from to at the Doña Ana county line.-Route description:...
-Cont. Div. - Animas MountainsAnimas MountainsThe Animas Mountains are a small mountain range in Hidalgo County, within the "Boot-Heel" region of far southwestern New Mexico, in the United States. They extend north-south for about 30 miles along the Continental Divide, from near the town of Animas to a few miles north of the border with...
- San Luis Mountains (New Mexico)
- –
- Southwest
East
- New Mexico State Road 9New Mexico State Road 9State Road 9 is a long state road in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The highway spans Hidalgo, Grant, and Luna counties from to at the Doña Ana county line.-Route description:...
-Cont. Div. - Little Hatchet Mountains
- New Mexico State Road 81
- Big Hatchet MountainsBig Hatchet MountainsThe Big Hatchet Mountains are an 18 mi long, mountain range in southeast Hidalgo County, New Mexico, adjacent the northern border of Chihuahua state, Mexico....
- Alamo Hueco MountainsAlamo Hueco MountainsThe Alamo Hueco Mountains are a 15 mile long, mountain range in southeast Hidalgo County, New Mexico, adjacent the border of Chihuahua state, Mexico. The range lies near the southern end of the mountains bordering the extensive north-south Playas Valley; the Little Hatchet and Big Hatchet...
- Dog Mountains
Playas Lake and the valley
Much of the drainage into Playas Valley does not end in a playa or dry lake. In the southern half to two thirds of the valley, the valley has mostly dry washes that do not reach the valley flatlands.Playas Lake is a linear dry lake, about 10 mi long, and only 4 mi west of Playas, NM. An even smaller dry lake, about a tenth the size is just adjacent southwards. Both dry lakes are in the north, with the drainage coming from the continental divide as the perimeter of the valley, going north, then due west, then south as the southern ridgeline of the Pyramid Mountains
Pyramid Mountains
The Pyramid Mountains are a 30 mi long, mountain range in central-east Hidalgo County, New Mexico. The city of Lordsburg is at its northern border, where the range causes Interstate 10 to traverse northeast, then southeast around the range....
. The divide makes up the southern region of the mountains, before it skirts lower peaks before reaching the north of the Animas Mountains
Animas Mountains
The Animas Mountains are a small mountain range in Hidalgo County, within the "Boot-Heel" region of far southwestern New Mexico, in the United States. They extend north-south for about 30 miles along the Continental Divide, from near the town of Animas to a few miles north of the border with...
.
Playas Lake as the lowest elevation of the north valley region is 4281 feet (1,305 m) in elevation. It is located at 31.8418°N 108.5773°W.