Southwestern Research Station

Courtesy of L. Paulson

The Southwestern Research Station is a biological field station providing scientists, educators and students from around the world the opportunity to participate in research, workshops and classes in one of the most biologically rich environments in the United States.

Located in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona, the Southwestern Research Station (SWRS) is situated in the heart of the Madrean Sky Island Archipelago stretching from the tropical Sierra Madre Occidental up to the Rocky Mountains. Nearby habitats include an elevational gradient from low desert to alpine meadows, rich riparian areas, and a unique blend of Chihuahuan and Sonoran Desert species.

The Station serves scientists and advanced students who strive to conserve the world’s biodiversity and add to our knowledge of the natural world through research. Classes from colleges and universities are welcome to use the Station. Amateur naturalists, bird watchers, meetings and events are also accommodated seasonally when space is available.

Courses and Research

2025 Courses

2025 Birding and Nature Tours

Call for Proposals - SWRS Graduate Field Research Award

We will be awarding the Southwestern Research Station Graduate Field Research Award again in 2025!

This fund was endowed by an anonymous donor to support field research by graduate students at SWRS. The purpose of this competitive award is to make extensive station-based fieldwork possible for graduate students, recognizing that such fieldwork provides a uniquely immersive opportunity to explore their study system and develop a sense of place.

The recipient receives an award of up to US $5000 to be applied towards covering station fees, research equipment and supplies, and travel expenses. Supported fieldwork must be in the Chiricahuas or neighboring areas. Regional projects including those with components at neighboring field stations within Arizona will be considered, but supported research must be based in part at SWRS. Please submit completed applications to Geoff Bender, Director.

Graduate Field Research Award Announcement

SWRS Research Application

About the Southwest Research Station

Phone:
520-558-2396

Fax:
520-558-2018

Email:
[email protected]

USPS Mailing Address:
Guest Name
c/o Southwestern Research Station
PO Box 16553
Portal, AZ 85632

Deliveries and GPS:
Guest Name
c/o Southwestern Research Station
2003 West Cave Creek Road
Portal, AZ 85632

If "Portal" does not work, use "San Simon, AZ 85632."

Director: Geoff Bender

Maintenance: Mark Cooper, Mark Tremblay

Administrative Manager: Steve Paun

Reservations: Caitlin Clancy

Kitchen Supervisor: Juvy McEwan

Cook: Victoria Clancy, Corinne Lowery

Housekeeper: Caitlin True

Nature Store: Ron Kaczor

We operate on Mountain Standard Time. Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time.

Directions

From Interstate 10, exit at Road Forks, New Mexico (Exit No. 5 onto Hwy 80. Note that coming from Tucson you may be routed to Portal via a mostly unpaved route out of San Simon rather than driving on to the Road Forks exit in New Mexico. During wet weather, this route may have low water crossings that could be impassable. The paved highway described below is about 20 miles longer and takes about 10 more minutes but is recommended in adverse conditions.)

Take Hwy 80 south approximately 30 miles to route 533 (if you reach Rodeo, New Mexico, you’ve gone too far and must backtrack 2 miles).
Turn right (west) on route 533 and go approximately 7 miles to Portal, Arizona. You’ll know you’re in Portal when you see Portal Peak Lodge on your left.
Continue up the mountain, staying on pavement, for another five miles (DO NOT take the right fork to Paradise) and then approximately one final mile of dirt road. You’ll see an in-ground reservoir on your left, followed by an expanse of grass and a cluster of buildings.
Immediately after those buildings, you will turn left and cross over a wash.
Just after crossing the wash, make another left through the gates and onto our grounds.
Park in the main parking lot and walk down the dirt road to the first two-story building on your right. The office is downstairs.
If you get lost, please call us at 520-558-2396. Remember, there is no cell phone service near the SWRS. You can also stop at the Portal Peak Lodge and Store and ask for directions. They will be happy to guide you in the right direction to the station.
Printable Directions

Accommodations

We offer three types of rooms:

Standard rooms with two single beds and a private bathroom.
Apartment units which include a bedroom with a double bed, a living area with two twin beds, a private bathroom and full kitchen.
Dormitory rooms are rooms with 2 - 3 single beds and common use bathroom and shower.

For more details on pricing, occupancy, and room types, please visit Accommodations.

Environment and Weather

The Southwestern Research Station is located at around 5400 feet elevation in riparian habitat, surrounded by oak-juniper-pinyon pine woodlands. Within a short drive up or down the Chiricahua Mountains, which reach nearly 9800 feet elevation, five life-zones can be encountered: Lower Sonoran, Upper Sonoran, Transition, Canadian, and Hudsonian.

Biogeographically, the Chiricahua Mountains are located at a crossroads between distinct desert and mountain biotas. At lower elevations, species are influenced by both the Sonoran Desert to the west and the Chihuahuan Desert to the south and east. At higher elevations, there is a mixing of plants and animals from the Rocky Mountains, to the north and the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains of Mexico.

The uniqueness and diversity of the biota is well recognized by ornithologists, herpetologists, and entomologists. Cave Creek Canyon is also recognized as one of the top birding localities in the United States.

Visit the local transect network page to access data from our Chiricahua weather stations, including current conditions at SWRS, the top of the mountains (Bootlegger Saddle), the desert (Chiricahua Desert Museum), and Chiricahua National Monument.

Facilities

Laboratories and Animal Holding facilities: SWRS has laboratories where scientists may set up bench-space to conduct their work. Outdoor animal behavior enclosures are available, such as the Animal Behavior Observatory (ABO) and lizard pens. We also offer indoor animal holding facilities such as the Live Animal Holding Facility (LAHF), which contains four climate-controlled rooms and 2 screened-in, natural light/temperature porches on either end. The station property (approximately 100 acres of riparian and Madrean pine-oak forest) is available for field research.

Specialized technical equipment is available for researchers including a chemical ventilation hood, reverse osmosis water, ice machine, environmental chambers, dissecting microscopes, refrigerators, a phase contrast microscope, -80 freezer, centrifuge, pipettors, balances, drying ovens, flags, aquariums, and heat lamps. Microscopes may be limited in number when needed by large taxonomy courses. Please contact us with any questions about equipment, and to reserve items you need in advance.

Storage and Chemicals: We rent storage lockers for researchers who want to keep equipment on site for future visits. Scientific supply companies may be unwilling to ship materials like ethanol to the station, so we recommend that researchers plan for their supplies early and bring all of their required chemicals with them. Please note that we have no means of chemical disposal here, and researchers must take all chemical wastes away at the end of their visit!

Library and Collections: We have a small, specialized library on site with publications relating to all the major groups studied here. We also house several scientific collections with regionally synoptic collections of birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, and spiders, as well as an extensive herbarium.

Internet: The Conference/Social Room, Education Building, and laboratories are wired for internet. We also have a computer in the dining hall porch you may use. Wireless is available in most open areas around the Station such as the porches outside the rooms, the reservoir, and at most picnic tables scattered around the Station. We do not guarantee the wireless connection will be available at all times. Heavy rains and other adverse conditions can sometimes interfere with wireless capabilities. You are welcome to bring a laptop and use wireless when it is available (about 90% of the time) in the areas mentioned above.

Availablitity: These facilities are available to scientists staying here. Non-registered scientists may access the library/collections area, however they must sign in at the office prior to doing so.

Nature Shop

Stop in when you visit our neck of the woods!

Season:
March 1 through October 31

Hours:
Thursday—Sunday, 8:30 am–12 pm, 1 pm–4 pm

We offer a variety of gifts and treasures including t-shirts, nature books, jewelry, pottery, works by local artists, snacks and more. Swing by and grab an espresso to enjoy under our large, covered porch, or visit our wonderful hummingbird area located just a short walk down the driveway, across from the main office.

Station and local events, course and/or research seminars, unusual bird sightings, and much more can be found on the bulletin board under the shop's porch.

SWRS Newsletters

Enjoy this archive of newsletters containing articles written by the director, visiting scientists, volunteers, and staff.

SWRS is a non-profit organization under the direction of the Science Department of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York.