Jensen Ranch

Featuring half a mile of Elkhorn Creek, a healthy population of elk, deer, moose and beaver, and comfortable, fully furnished living quarters, the Jensen Ranch is a one-of-a-kind, idyllic Colorado Rocky Mountain retreat for sale. This 174-acre National Forest inholding provides the perfect balance of privacy and solitude with convenient access to the university town of Fort Collins, Colorado, located only an hour east of the ranch.

Explore the Jensen Ranch website created by the ranch’s owner.

Improvements

• Main Home – This 1,500 square foot home was originally built in 1961, and then remodeled extensively in 1994. It is a one level structure, with one bedroom, recently renovated bath, tiled designer kitchen, and utility room. The home comes complete with all appliances and furniture, and is equipped with heavy-duty security shutters.
• Garage and Attached Bunkhouse: This fully finished, well-maintained 300 square foot dwelling could be used as an office or continue to be used as a guest house/bunkroom. It is a attached to a two-car garage with custom storage cabinetry.
• A 175 square foot storage building is also on the property.
• All furniture and appliances are included with the ranch, as well as a snowmobile.

Locale

On the ranch, one will find a staggering amount of Colorado wildlife and a scenic, varied terrain. Over the last several years, elk, mule deer, moose, mountain lions, bears, coyotes, badgers, beavers, ducks, and several species of raptors have all been spotted on the property. The combination of conserved forests, wetlands, and open spaces supports a mix of lodgepole pines, ponderosa pines, aspens, several species of willows, and native grasses.

Off of the ranch, the village of Red Feather Lakes provides basic services such as restaurants, groceries, a hardware store, and an automobile repair shop. Just an hour east of the ranch, the city of Fort Collins, Colorado provides all of the amenities of a major city, including shopping, fine dining, museums, and excellent healthcare. Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University, as well as all of the sporting and cultural events that accompany life in a university town.

Location

The Jensen Ranch is conveniently located in the heart of Colorado’s Roosevelt National Forest, just 3.5 miles south of Red Feather Lakes, Colorado and approximately one hour west of Fort Collins, Colorado. From Fort Collins, the ranch is accessed via Colorado State Highway 287 to Red Feather Lakes Road to County Road 69, all of which are maintained year-round.

The ranch is completely surrounded by the 800,000+ acres of Roosevelt National Forest, which stretches from the Wyoming border all the way to Boulder, Colorado. The adjoining public lands gives the owner immediate access to practically unlimited recreational opportunities including biking, hiking, horseback riding, hunting and fly-fishing. Just 7 miles south of the ranch is the famous Cache la Poudre River and Poudre Canyon, offering some of the most productive fly-fishing in all of Colorado.

Climate

• Average annual precipitation: 18.3 inches
• Average annual snowfall: 110.3 inches
• Average winter high temperatures: 30 – 40° F
• Average summer temperatures: High of 75° F, Low of 40° F
• Days of sunshine per year: 300+

Hunting

• The ranch provides forage and cover for elk during their seasonal migrations, and is considered a transitional elk habitat in both the fall and spring.
• The property is located in Game Management Unit 8, a lottery unit. Because the ranch is larger than 160 contiguous acres, the owner can apply for “Priority Landowner Preference” for big game hunting vouchers.
• Elkhorn Creek’s live water and healthy riparian habitat creates excellent opportunities for duck hunting.

Fishing

• Half a mile of Elkhorn Creek bisects the property, presenting opportunities for fly-fishing for brook trout.
• Colorado’s Elkhorn Creek was once a prolific area for beaver, and, if so inclined, an owner could work to reintroduce the beaver to improve and enhance the fly-fishing.
• The famous Cache la Poudre River is located just seven miles south of the ranch, offering some of the best trout fishing in all of Colorado.

Recreation

• There are plentiful opportunities for hunting, fly-fishing, horseback riding, snowmobiling, hiking, and camping on the ranch, as well as in the adjoining Roosevelt National Forest. Within miles of the ranch, one can enjoy some of the finest outdoor recreational activities in all of the Rocky Mountains.
• As mentioned above, the Poudre River offers opportunities for fly-fishing as well as a wide array of other water sports, including kayaking and whitewater rafting.
• Rocky Mountain National Park is located southwest of the ranch, presenting unlimited recreational activities including rock climbing, hiking, backcountry skiing, and wildlife watching.
• For the horse enthusiast, the surrounding Roosevelt National Forest provides hundred of miles of trails suitable for riding and multi-day horse-packing trips.

Water Rights

No water rights are included with the sale of the property, however there are six springs on the property, each of which were adjudicated by the State Water Court in 1980 and suitable for fly-fishing.

Aesthetic Value

Rarely does a property of this size have such a varied landscape combined with such a wide array of Colorado wildlife. From its pine forests to its spectacular rock outcroppings to its lush riparian habitat, the Jensen Ranch has almost all the aspects one would hope to find in a western ranch.

Conservation Value

This Colorado property for sale is permanently protected with a conservation easement held by Legacy Land Trust. The purpose of the easement is to preserve and protect the Colorado wildlife and plant habitat, wetlands, open space, and scenic qualities of the ranch.

“The Jensens’ 175 acres of riparian shrub land, beaver ponds, mountain meadow, and pine and aspen forests could easily have been divided and developed… Instead, the Jensens wanted to make sure the property would be protected forever.” -The North Forty News (September 1998)