Vermejo: A Half-Million Acres of Luxury and Conservation in New Mexico

Spanning 550,000 acres across northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, Vermejo is the flagship of Ted Turner Reserves, a collection of properties where luxury hospitality directly supports large-scale conservation. Larger than many national parks, Vermejo has been transformed into a conservation showpiece, balancing historic ranching heritage with cutting-edge restoration.

Guests may stay in the Casa Grande, a 25,000-square-foot stone mansion built in 1909, or in historic lodges and cottages across the property. Interiors blend Gilded Age architecture with modern comforts, while outside, naturalist-guides lead safaris through high valleys, golden forests, and trout-rich lakes. Despite its vast scale, guest numbers remain intentionally small, ensuring privacy and intimacy.

Autumn is when Vermejo reveals its most dramatic face. Guests rise at dawn for elk rut safaris, when thousands of bull elk fill the air with their bugling. Private hikes weave through aspen groves shimmering gold, and fall waters make for peak fly-fishing. Foraging walks reveal the edible bounty of the season. For the adventurous, cattle drives are available as a premium add-on, giving guests the rare chance to ride with ranch hands as herds are moved to winter pasture. Because capacity is extremely limited, this experience must be reserved a year in advance.

Dining at Vermejo is all-inclusive, spotlighting New Mexico produce, wild game, and regional wines. Private, chef-curated dinners can be arranged for groups, with evenings spent fireside under vast Southern Rocky Mountain skies.

Vermejo’s purpose goes far beyond luxury. As part of Ted Turner Reserves, it is a cornerstone of conservation in the American West. Stays directly support ongoing restoration projects, including Rio Grande cutthroat trout reintroduction, bison herd management, grassland recovery, and forest preservation. Its prairies and woodlands act as significant carbon sinks, and guest revenue contributes to sustaining these initiatives. This blend of ecological impact and refined hospitality makes Vermejo a living model of modern ecotourism.

Another of my luxury clients has chosen Vermejo this fall, seeking a grander scale and a larger group experience than The Green O, with the rare opportunity to witness conservation and wildlife on a half-million-acre stage.