City of Rocks National Reserve contains a wide variety of natural resources in a virtually pristine area. This makes the Reserve a prime location to conduct research on a wide variety of subjects. The staff at the Reserve are collaborating with scientists from the NPS, the Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as professors and students from several universities. The rare surface exposure of two usually deep crustal granites in proximity enthralls geologists. The northern most pinyon pine forest provides a laboratory for researchers studying the migration of this species. Even catastrophic events such as wildfires provide researchers opportunities! In 2000 and 2001 two large fires swept through the southern part of the Reserve and now scientists are studying how bees recover after fires. Explore our research section for more information on the diverse scientific studies being conducted within and around the City of Rocks National Reserve.