Celebrating 20 Years: A Look Back at the Sale of The Cottonwood

As part of our 20th anniversary celebration, we’re highlighting some of the most memorable ranch sales from the past two decades – those that represent not only incredible land and legacy but also the values we hold at Mirr Ranch Group. Next up is one of our all-time favorites: The Cottonwood, which sold in 2020.

The Cottonwood wasn’t your typical ranch listing and we didn’t call it the “Serengeti of the American West” for nothing. This working ranch had world-class hunting, fly-fishing on 40 miles of creeks, immense water and ecological resources in the shadow of 3 mountain ranges, and it was just 70 miles south of Jackson, WY. The Cottonwood was one of the most significant conservation and working ranch properties in the Wyoming.

Besides its incredible acreage of 11,138 deeded acres intermixed with 43,745 acres of BLM and State lands, The Cottonwood was a model of what’s possible when stewardship, ranching, and conservation work in tandem. Over the years, the owner invested deeply in protecting and restoring the ecological health of the land. From enhancing riparian corridors and wetlands to installing over 18 miles of wildlife-friendly fencing and instituting progressive grazing management, The Cottonwood had become a haven for native species and a stronghold for sustainable agriculture.

The ranch also served as critical habitat for elk, moose, pronghorn, mule deer, and sage grouse, and it lay directly in the path of the longest ungulate migration corridor in the lower 48 states. Its rivers and creeks supported thriving populations of native Colorado River Cutthroat Trout and other species, thanks in part to over $1 million invested in fishery restoration.

Finding the right buyer for The Cottonwood meant looking beyond traditional ranch buyers. This wasn’t just a working property – it was an ecological stronghold, a wildlife haven, and a rare chance to steward one of the most intact private landscapes in the American West.

Ultimately, The Cottonwood caught the attention of a Land Report 100 landowner and Forbes-listed billionaire with a deep appreciation for landscape-scale conservation and working lands. The sale closed successfully – securing both the long-term stewardship of the property and its continued operation as a historic ranch.

This sale wasn’t just a win for conservation or agriculture – it was a reminder that, in the right hands, these values don’t have to compete. They can thrive together. The deal included a conservation easement to ensure long-term protection and a commitment to keeping the ranch in production with a local manager at the helm.

For us, this sale was a win on every level. It honored the seller’s vision, protected an extraordinary landscape, and kept a working ranch working. It’s the kind of deal that reminds us why we do what we do – and why we’ll keep doing it for the next 20 years.

Check out video content we made for this property: