Empire Ranch Headquarters features ten buildings/structures built between 1870 and mid-20th century. The centerpiece is the Empire Ranch House, is a 29-room adobe and wood frame building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This website contains more information about the History of the Ranch, and its Building & Structures.
Most of the rooms of the Empire Ranch House are wheelchair accessible through the breezeway (zaguán) entrance, as are most of the other buildings/structures. The public restrooms, located north of the Ranch House, are wheelchair accessible. The terrain around the Empire Ranch headquarters is primarily dirt with uneven surfaces that can be challenging for some mobility scooters.
Self-Guided Tours
Explore Empire Ranch Headquarters on your own using interpretive information designed for public learning. Signs posted throughout the Empire Ranch House describe the history and purpose of each room. A Walking Tour brochure, available on the front porch of the Visitor Contact Station and in the Living Room of the Ranch House, guides you through the Ranch House and the other buildings at Headquarters.
Agents of Discovery helps kids explore Empire Ranch Headquarters by walking throughout Empire Ranch Headquarters to unlock location-based challenges and discover more about the history of Empire Ranch. Agents of Discovery is a learning game that can be downloaded for free and played on a mobile device. Once downloaded no WiFi or data connection is required while you’re out exploring. Click here to learn more.
Docent-led Tours of the Empire Ranch House
Free docent-led tours are held at 11am on the second and fourth Saturday of every month. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station. Tours are free, and open to the public. Reservations are required for tours. Click here to make a reservation. For more information about tours, call the Empire Ranch Foundation at 888-364-2829.
Empire Ranch House Virtual Tour
Can’t get to the ranch, or want to prepare for your visit? View the video below that provides a brief history of the Empire Ranch and takes you on a guided tour of the Empire Ranch House.
Walk the Heritage Discovery Trail!
Enjoy a half-mile interpreted walk under the majestic Cottonwood Grove, view outlying historic structures, and explore riparian areas of the Empire Gulch. Click here to learn more.