Elephant Butte Canyon, also called Lawhorn Canyon, lies in the Animas Mountains of southwestern New Mexico. Its stream feeds Walnut Creek as the canyon runs from the southwest slope of Elephant Butte to its mouth at the confluence with Walnut Creek just below Lawhorn Tank. The source is about 3.5 miles north-northeast of the mouth at an elevation near 6,050 feet, while the mouth stands at roughly 5,535 feet. This short descent reflects the rugged mountain-and-drainage terrain of the Animas range, where small tributary canyons carry runoff into larger creek systems.