Presently, the only structural facilities are the centrally located Indio Ranch house and adjacent buildings. Water is available in the ranch house via a solar pump. There is also a small, one-room building next to the ranch house that can accommodate up to three individuals on cots. In addition, an old concrete water tank is presently being converted into a dorm room. No electricity is available, although a solar panel will produce limited power to run lights in the future.
Present lighting is restricted to gas lanterns.
A large propane tank next to the ranch house has been refitted and partially filled with gas to be used for stoves and a refrigerator. Today, all cooking is done on Coleman-type stoves and refrigeration is by ice chests. Actually, the primitive environment at Indio Ranch house has a favorable ambiance, at least for persons that enjoy outdoor or crude living conditions. The terrain of the Indio Mountains Research Center is primarily a mixture of mountainous outcrops, bajadas, and arroyos that slope northeast toward the usually dry Green River and southwest to the Rio Grande. Presently, the property has no Rio Grande frontage, although river access is possible through an agreement with surrounding landowners.