Rio Bravo was a constituent region of southern New Mexico during the Wild West era. It bordered Cholla Springs to the northeast and Gaptooth Ridge in Arizona to the northwest, and a large portion of its southern border was defined by the Rio Grande border with Mexico. The area was dangerous for travelers due to frequent cougar and wolf attacks, particularly in the higher altitudes, and the area was also sparsely populated, lacking major settlements or towns. It was home to Benedict Point, Fort Mercer, Plainview, and Repentance Rock, as well as large swathes of desert.