About Us

Hidalgo County borders Mexico along 86 miles of its boundary. Grant County sits north and east, Arizona runs along the west. The area is known as the “bootheel” because of its location and shape. The county elevation runs from 4000′ to Gray Mountain’s peak at 6928′. The county includes 20 mountain ranges. Its lowest elevation is 3710′ and highest is 8444′. The Peloncillo Mountains that run through the county house 91 mammal species. The Gray Ranch in southern Hidalgo County has 75 recorded mammal species, more than are found in  Yellowstone Park! Of those, almost half are comprised of bats- about 29 species, of which 18 are found in the Animas Mountains  alone.
The mountain ranges in southern Hidalgo County and Arizona are referred to as “Sky Islands,” since in their upper, cooler and wetter  elevations they produce different plants than in the valleys below.  At lower altitudes, desert species such as cacti, mesquites, and  creosote bushes thrive, while scrub oaks, junipers, and pines grow  at higher elevations. This leads to diversity of not only plants, but also wildlife.
There are common sightings of  mountain lions, bobcats, javelina, coyotes, dozens of bird species, and many reptile, insect, and  amphibian species.  Even jaguars have been reported in areas  adjacent to Mexico. The county also claims the only white-sided jackrabbits and thick-billed kingbirds in the U.S..
Endangered species sighted or established in the county include the Mexican Gray Wolf, New Mexico ridge-nose rattlesnake, the  lesser long-nosed bat, Mexican long-nosed bat, ocelot, jaguar, coatimundi, and Mexican spotted owl.