Welcome
On this site you will find relevant information about UTEP’s Indio Mountains Research Station (IMRS), a mega natural laboratory where instructors, students and researchers have a unique opportunity to experience and learn everything about the natural environment found in this region of the Chihuahuan Desert. IMRS is the ideal place for natural science classes, particularly for courses in Geology, Environmental Science, Archeology, Astronomy, and Biology. Visitors of IMRS have a wonderful opportunity to study a wide array of topographic features and organisms including plants, and animals from microscopic creatures to large vertebrates in both terrestrial and aquatic environments of the northern Chihuahuan Desert.
Aerial View
Indio Mountains Research Station
Texas The Trans-Pecos region of Texas is well known as containing spectacular areas for scientific field research and educational field trips. Researchers are well aware of the breathtaking views to be found in Big Bend National Park. Similar attributes attract investigators to Big Bend Ranch State Park, Black Gap and Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management areas, and the Davis Mountains. Both the Hueco and Franklin mountains, in extreme West Texas, also attract considerable attention.
Most scientific investigations in the Trans-Pecos are conducted within the boundaries of the aforementioned reserves—national and state parks—due to the inaccessibility of most natural areas in the region that are privately owned. The Trans-Pecos would hold much more scientific research and educational potential if more lands were accessible to investigators.
An accessible place which is not so well known is the Indio Mountains Research Station, more commonly known as "Indio Ranch", located in southeastern Hudspeth County, about 26 miles southwest of Van Horn. Indio Ranch presently contains about 40,000+ acres owned and managed by the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).
ACCESS TO IMRS
High-clearance vehicles are required to reach the ranch house and 4X4s are a necessity for persons wanting full access to all areas of the Station. Indio Mountains Research Station holds tremendous potential as a natural laboratory for teaching, research, and as an outreach center for nature-minded organizations. Anyone who is interested in gaining access to Indio Ranch for legitimate academic reasons or for a tour should contact Dr. Vicente Mata-Silva, (e-mail: vmata@utep.edu) (915) 747-5354, Co-Director, or Dr. Jerry D. Johnson (e-mail jjohnson@utep.edu) (915) 747-6984, Co-Director.
