Cimarron River (Canadian River tributary)

For other places with the same name, see Cimarron River.
Cimarron River
A view of the Cimarron River as it leaves Eagle Nest Dam
Map
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • coordinates36°31′49″N 105°13′41″W / 36.53028°N 105.22806°W / 36.53028; -105.22806
 • elevation8,146 ft (2,483 m)[1]
Mouth 
 • location
Confluence with Canadian
 • coordinates
36°19′27″N 104°29′58″W / 36.32417°N 104.49944°W / 36.32417; -104.49944
 • elevation
5,679 ft (1,731 m)[1]
Length60 mi (97 km)
Basin features
ProgressionCanadian—Arkansas—Mississippi

The Cimarron River, flowing entirely in New Mexico, United States, was also known as La Flecha[2] or Semarone. Its headwaters are Moreno, Sixmile, and Cieneguilla creeks in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which feed into Eagle Nest Dam. From the dam, it runs for 60 miles (97 km) to below the city of Springer, New Mexico, in the Taylor Springs area, where it flows into the Canadian River,[1][3] the southwesternmost major tributary flowing into the Mississippi River via the Arkansas River sub-basin.[3][4]

This river flows within a mountainous canyon that is part of Cimarron Canyon State Park in the lower Sangre de Cristo Mountains and runs down into eastern plains of New Mexico.[5] This headwaters region is also home to the Philmont Scout Ranch.[6]

  1. ^ a b c "Cimarron River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  2. ^ David Pike (November 2003). Roadside New Mexico: A Guide to Historic Markers. UNM Press. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-8263-3118-2.
  3. ^ a b Thomson, Bruce M.; Abdul-Mehdi Ali (2010). "Water resources assessment of the Cimarron River and evaluation of water quality characteristics at the Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge". Water Resources Field Methods Reports: 10. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  4. ^ "USGS Stream Trace Summary Report for Cieneguilla Creek". USGS. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  5. ^ "Cimarron Canyon State Park". New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources. June 3, 2017.
  6. ^ "Philmont Scout Ranch - Cimarron River". SummitPost. June 3, 2017.