Salazar Ranches Costilla consists of 767 acres in Costilla County west of San Luis. The Salazar family completed another easement with COL in 2024 and are strong proponents of easements as tools to protect water rights in particular. Three generations of the family are currently involved in farming and ranching and intend to do so into the future.
The property consists of center pivot-irrigated crop fields currently in peas, oats, and grass production. Other crops throughout the year include alfalfa, sorghum, and seed potatoes. Surface water rights from one ditch system support irrigation. The property provides important habitat for mule deer, elk, pronghorn, mountain lion, black bear, and many raptors and other birds of prey. It also provides habitat for Golden eagle, brown-capped rosy finch, burrowing owl, greater sandhill crane, and fringed myotis, which are all designated by Colorado Parks and Wildlife as Tier 1 Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the 2015 Colorado State Wildlife Action Plan. Tier 1 species represent the species which are of highest conservation priority in the state.
The property has beautiful views of the southern Sangre de Cristo mountains to the east, San Antonio Mountain in New Mexico to the south, and the Piñon Hills Bureau of Land Management area to the west. Numerous other conservation easements are within the vicinity of the property.