Map of Thoreau CDP

Thoreau (Navajo: Dlǫ́ʼí Yázhí) is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,863 at the 2000 census. It is majority Native American, primarily of the Navajo Nation, as this community is located within its boundaries.

Practically all residents pronounce the town’s name like “thuh-ROO” (similar to “through” or “threw”) and not like “thorough” or “throw.” A history of the town was compiled by local author Roxanne Trout Heath in her book Thoreau, Where the Trails Cross!, published in 1982. The ZIP code for Thoreau is 87323.

Thoreau CDP overview:
Name:	Thoreau CDP
LSAD Code:	57
LSAD Description:	CDP (suffix)
State:	New Mexico
County:	McKinley County
Elevation:	7,200 ft (2,200 m)
Total Area:	39.47 sq mi (102.24 km²)
Land Area:	39.47 sq mi (102.23 km²)
Water Area:	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Total Population:	2,367
Population Density:	59.97/sq mi (23.15/km²)
ZIP code:	87323
Area code:	505
FIPS code:	3577530
GNISfeature ID:	0911673

Online Interactive Map

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Thoreau online map. Source: Basemap layers from Google Map, Open Street Map (OSM), Arcgisonline, Wmflabs. Boundary Data from Database of Global Administrative Areas.

Thoreau location map. Where is Thoreau CDP?

Thoreau location on the U.S. Map. Where is Thoreau CDP. — Thoreau location on the U.S. Map.

Thoreau location on the New Mexico map. Where is Thoreau CDP. — Location of Thoreau in New Mexico.

Thoreau Road Map

Thoreau city Satellite Map

Geography

Thoreau is located at 35°24′52″N 108°13′25″W / 35.414370°N 108.223594°W / 35.414370; -108.223594 (35.414370, -108.223594).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 15.9 square miles (41 km), all land.

Thoreau is located at an altitude of approximately 2,200 meters (7,200 feet) above sea level, and 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) east of the continental divide. Thoreau is located in a broad valley beneath a large escarpment of Entrada sandstone, which marks the southern boundary of the Colorado Plateau to the north. Mount Powell and Castle Rock are landmarks along this escarpment adjacent to Thoreau. The Zuñi Mountains are to the south.

Interstate40 and the historic U.S. Route 66 pass near and through the community, respectively. New Mexico State highways 122, 371, and 612 also pass through or terminate here. Additionally, two natural gas pipelines and a major railway pass through the community.

The climate in Thoreau is arid, with the sparse vegetation typical of the region. Common plants include pinyon pine and juniper trees, sagebrush, tumbleweeds, and some short, sparse grasses. The four seasons are well pronounced. Summers are relatively mild, due to Thoreau’s high elevation and persistently low humidities. Maximum temperatures do not usually exceed about 33 °C (91 °F). The Southwest monsoon brings thunderstorms with frequent lightning in July and August. Autumn is pleasant with warm days and cool nights. Winter is marked by frequent snowstorms, with minimum temperatures sometimes dropping to about −15 °C (5 °F) or colder. Cold, persistent, very high winds are common in Spring, usually through much of the month of March.