La Escalera Ranch consists of approximately 260,000 acre (1,200 km²), located south of Fort Stockton, Texas. The ranch extends over portions of Pecos County, Brewster County, Archer County, and Baylor County, with the majority of the ranch lying in Pecos County.
The 100-year old ranch was acquired by building contractor Gerald Lyda of San Antonio, Texas and re-named La Escalera Ranch (Spanish for "The Ladder"). It is known for its reputation herd of Black Angus cattle and its abundant wildlife, including Desert Mule deer, Pronghorn antelope, elk, Barbary sheep (auodad), coyote, bobcat, Rio Grande turkey and Blue quail. The ranch is currently owned and operated by Lyda siblings, Gerald D. Lyda, Gene Lyda and Jo Lyda Granberg.
Located near the entrance to the ranch is Sierra Madera crater. La Escalera Ranch has been ranked by Texas Monthly, Worth, and The Land Report magazines as one of the largest ranches in Texas and the Southwestern United States.