Where You’ll Be:
The McIntire Ranch is a historic archaeological site located in the Conejos Valley, featuring the remains of the ranch headquarters established around 1880 by Albert and Florence McIntire. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008, the McIntire Ranch holds significance in the social history of the region. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) acquired the site in 1993 to preserve its abundant wildlife habitat.
There is strong local and regional support for assisting the BLM in preserving the ranch house ruins. Several local partners, including the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, the Rio Grande del Norte Center at Adams State University, the Mortenson Family (descendants of Albert and Florence McIntire), the Western Rivers Conservancy, and the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust, have expressed their commitment to this effort.
Volunteers will camp in a dry meadow near the worksite, surrounded by views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range and just a short walk from the Conejos River, offering great fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities.
What You’ll Do:
Volunteers will contribute to a portion of this multi-stage project focused on restoring the area’s natural ecosystem and preserving the historic ranch. Working alongside BLM and CPW biologists, you’ll plant native willows and reseed stream banks to restore habitat for native fish species like the Rio Grande Chub and Rio Grande Sucker.
Temporary fencing will also be constructed to protect the restoration areas from beaver and big game while plants establish.
Another group of volunteers will focus on clearing dead and downed trees from the historic ranch house perimeter using chainsaws and loppers, aiding in the preservation of this significant site.
After the workday, BLM archaeologist Bridgette will share the history and importance of the ranch during a campfire talk. The area also offers excellent fishing opportunities, with trout and pike in the Conejos River. Wildlife such as bald eagles, crawfish, and other species have been frequently spotted near camp.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided on Saturday and Sunday, along with dinner on Saturday.
Bring your own dinner on Friday night and enough snacks for the weekend.
Free campsites are available on Friday and Saturday nights, and volunteers are encouraged to arrive at base camp before 8 pm on Friday.
Support This Project as a Crew Chef Helper!
We provide full meals on our overnight projects to ensure volunteers are well-fed and ready for a day of volunteering — and we could use your help to make it happen!
View this document to learn more about how to support and sign up!
Why It Matters:
This project addresses legacy impacts on the historic McIntire Ranch while restoring critical habitat for native wildlife species. Planting willows and reseeding stream banks will stabilize erosion and create a healthier ecosystem for the Rio Grande Chub and Rio Grande Sucker and will also improve critical habitat for the endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. Clearing debris from the historic ranch house will protect the site, ensuring its preservation for future generations.
Eligibility Requirements:
Ages 14+ for planting
Sawyers must be 18+
For overnight projects, all youth under 18 must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or older.
On this project, we need 2 B-certified Chainsaw Sawyers. A-certified Sawyers will be able to work under the supervision of B Sawyers. If you are certified, please include this in the Comments of your registration and send your certificate to the project manager. ALL SAWYERS MUST HOLD A CURRENT FIRST AID AND CPR CERTIFICATION IN ORDER TO OPERATE A SAW. Want to get certified? Visit our Training Calendar for upcoming training opportunities.
Project Difficulty:
This project has a range of tasks from easy and moderate to difficult. Please check our difficulty rating criteria here for more details.
Physical Considerations:
Be prepared for variable weather during this early season project. Tasks range in difficulty from planting and seeding to heavy chainsaw work. Chainsaw and swamping work will be more strenuous.
Access Factors:
Vehicle Access: Vehicle access will be determined by the weather. It is a 2WD road when dry but could require 4WD if it’s wet. We can sort out carpooling to the basecamp and the worksite if needed.
Other Notes: Tent camping OK. Car and Van camping OK. No large vehicles or tow-behinds. This project will be at 7500 ft. elevation. Portable toilets will be available at camp.
