Ghost Ranch Strip

While no single official reason is documented, the closure is presumed to be due to a combination of economic factors and liability concerns. For a private airstrip serving a non-profit retreat center, the high costs of maintenance, insurance, and potential liability likely became prohibitive and outweighed the benefit of its limited use by a small number of guests and staff.

The site of the former airstrip is completely decommissioned and has been reclaimed by the high desert landscape. Satellite imagery clearly shows the faint, overgrown outline of the former runway just north of the main ranch complex. The land is now part of the 21,000-acre Ghost Ranch property and is used for its various outdoor and educational programs, which may include hiking, horseback riding, or simply being left as natural open space. There are no remaining aviation facilities or markings.

Ghost Ranch Strip was a private, unpaved airfield that served the Ghost Ranch Education & Retreat Center, a location famous for its association with the artist Georgia O'Keeffe and its significant paleontological discoveries. The airstrip was likely established between 1967 and 1981 and featured a single dirt/gravel runway approximately 3,600 feet long. Its primary function was to provide direct, private air access for guests, benefactors, and staff flying light general aviation aircraft (like Cessnas and Pipers) to the otherwise remote ranch, enhancing its accessibility.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Ghost Ranch Strip. Given the significant time it has been closed, its deteriorated state, and the substantial cost that would be required to restore it to a safe, insurable, and operational condition, a reopening is considered extremely unlikely.