Wheatland and Mesa Redonda
Continue south on Hwy 469 to the abandoned town of Wheatland — named for the crop that is cultivated in the area. To the west, Mesa Redonda towers above the surrounding valley. "Mesa Redonda" is Spanish for "round mesa," but this is actually two mesas facing each other. One is shaped like a horseshoe and the other is slightly rounded. At one time, Mesa Redonda was the ideal hangout for a gang of outlaws and cattle thieves, which was broken up by posses in the early 1890s. The area was also used by the early settlers for ranching, and it was described as having only two cattle trails leading to the top. Wagons were brought to the mesa top by using cables to raise them to the level desired. Juniper trees were harvested for fence posts and were lowered using the same type cable system. An old stage road weaved its way in the gap between the two mesas, with a stage stop appropriately called "Mesa Redonda." In 1899 John Spikes and his family ranched in this area. Unfortunately two of the Spikes brothers were killed in a range dispute. Spikes Creek runs northwest from Mesa Redonda.
