About
Located in the Wood River Valley of central Idaho, Rinker Rock Creek Ranch was acquired by the university in 2019 and is comprised of 10,400-acres of high-quality rangeland. When combined with the surrounding 11,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management and state grazing allotments, more than 20,000 acres of the Big Wood River watershed are accounted for. Few other universities in the country have a property this size to pursue diverse opportunities for research, education, conservation, community outreach and recreation.
Research and restoration projects at Rinker Rock Creek Ranch can help land managers across the Intermountain West make informed decisions about how people live, work and recreate on rangelands. This is especially important in Idaho, where rangeland makes up over half of the landscape, about 28 million acres. The ranch helps fulfill the University of Idaho’s land-grant mission as we continue to educate Idaho citizens and connect research with our industries and communities.
Management
Rinker Rock Creek Ranch is jointly managed by the College of Natural Resources and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. An advisory board that includes representatives from The Nature Conservancy and the Wood River Land Trust, two nonprofits that were instrumental to the property’s acquisition, collaborate with the university to provide management direction.
Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee includes representatives from the following organizations:
- Idaho Cattle Association
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game
- Idaho Governor’s Office of Species Conservation
- Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission
- Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission
- The Nature Conservancy
- Trout Unlimited
- Wood River Land Trust
Supporting agencies include:
Interested in conducting research or education at the ranch? Online form. Please review site fees (pdf). Those visiting the ranch should complete a risk waiver (pdf).