Queen, NM 88220 - Otero County

Recognized as a Heritage Ranch by the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Foundation, Griffin Ranch is a sprawling 26,198 +/- acre property. Comprised of 6,560 +/- deeded, 11,475+/- BLM and 8,163 +/- New Mexico State Land Trust acres, the ranch supports a cow/calf operation of 300 head year-round.

The homestead house, which still operates as the main residence, was built in 1906. The well was drilled earlier than that in 1903 and the rock barn was completed in 1909. The Griffin ranch is easily accessed and conveniently located 20 miles Northwest of Dell City, TX and 70 miles Northeast of El Paso.

Topography and Vegetation

The ranch is located on the Otero Mesa, a unique formation in the desert region of south-central New Mexico. The mesa lies between the lower desert and the Guadalupe Mountains. Elevation is between 4,300 and 5,100

The topography is considered basically level with only a few areas of low hills or mountain foothills. Wide, long draws and large, flat flood plains are common; these provide beneficial areas of forage production from run-off rains, which are common in the growing season. Rainfall at the ranch varies from 10 to 12 inches per year; but with the run-off rains, large areas of grasslands receive a tremendous amount of moisture creating an abundance of feed for the livestock. The long growing season of over 210 days and favorable variety of cool and warm season grasses, along with annual weeds, provide an unusually large amount of forage production.

Forage includes a wide range of grasses and browses along with several annual weeds. Grass varieties found include black grama, blue grama, side oats grama, six weeks grama, sand dropseed, bush muhly, three-awns, tobosa, sacaton, etc. Browses and shrubs include: yucca, Morman tea, chamiza, mesquite, creosote brush, cactus, and more.

Water

Livestock is watered with the use 2 working wells located on the North and South end of the ranch complimented by a series of earthen tanks strategically placed throughout the ranch.

Wildlife and Hunting

The ranch offers a wide variety of wildlife with Antelope, Mule Deer, Oryx, Coyote, Bobcats, Quail and many other high desert game.