Encampment River Ranch

The Encampment River Ranch sports some of the finest freestone stream fishing in the Rocky Mountain region, with the reputation by many seasoned fishermen as the best dry fly fishery in the West.  The ranch totals approximately 521 deeded acres and is located adjacent to the mountain frontage communities of Riverside and Encampment in the scenic Encampment River Valley between the Medicine Bow and Sierra Madre mountain ranges.  The location of the ranch is idyllic and at the doorstep of world-class fishing, hunting, and recreational opportunities.

The Encampment River Ranch is located in south-central Wyoming, near the mountain communities of Riverside and Encampment, Wyoming. The ranch is only 20 miles from Saratoga, Wyoming, a historic western community and home of the exclusive Old Baldy Club, Brush Creek Ranch, and the A Bar A Ranch. The ranch is situated at approximately 7,100 feet and is comprised of mainly cottonwood riparian, sub-irrigated pasture, and irrigated pasture/hay ground.

The ranch is ideally situated between the prominent Sierra Madre and Medicine Bow mountain ranges, providing hundreds of thousands of acres of accessible U.S. National Forest lands for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, and other outdoor recreational activities. In addition, the North Platte River is within minutes of the ranch, providing additional world-class fishing and rafting opportunities. The distance to other prominent communities are:

• Denver, CO (191 miles),
• Steamboat Springs, CO (107 miles),
• Rawlins, WY (60 miles),
• and Cheyenne, WY (136 miles).

Saratoga is only 18 miles away and supports a publicly owned airport with an 8,800’ runway, jet fuel airplane hangars available.

Improvements

Improvements on the ranch include two modest homes, one being a 1,809 sq. ft. single-level home as well as a two story 1,584 sq. ft. home alongside a 2,253 sq. ft. equipment storage building, all located at a very scenic location overlooking a large spring-fed pond.

Fly-Fishing

Encampment River Ranch is bestowed with nearly 1 mile of the world-famous Encampment River, a Blue Ribbon wild fishery. In fact, this section of the river represents the top 3% of all Blue Ribbon designated rivers for the highest trout production in the state.

Many of the seasoned anglers and guides in the region consider the Encampment River the best dry fly fishing in the west, with incredible green drake hatches occurring during the summer months. This section of the river holds primarily big browns and rainbows with occasional cutthroats, all being caught by wade fishing and drift boat. Brown trout will range in size from 12-22” and rainbows range from 10”-17”. These are healthy and wild fish, with appropriate age classes and populations represented.

In addition, the North Platte River is only minutes away from the ranch and is also world-renowned as an outstanding wild fishery. The North Platte has several access points and is best fished from drift boats during the summer months.

Hunting

Big game hunting on the ranch is primarily limited to white-tail and mule deer, although the U.S. National Forest lands nearby provide access for big-game hunting, primarily elk, moose, and mule deer. Big-game populations in south-central Wyoming are strong with trophy quality animals harvested annually.

During the fall, waterfowl use of the ranch’s aquatic features can be substantial with great waterfowl hunting opportunities. The ranch also hosts a habitat for a variety of small game, migratory birds, raptors, and other non-game species.

Recreation

Other recreational attributes of the ranch and nearby National Forest lands include hiking, biking, photography, ATV riding, camping, and horseback riding. In addition, the Sierra Madre and Medicine Bow mountain ranges are considered outstanding snowmobiling destinations with deep snows and hundreds of miles of established and well-maintained trails. Steamboat Springs, Ski Town USA, is less than 2-hours away and provides the best of downhill skiing on its legendary champagne powder.

Water Rights

The ranch has substantial adjudicated State of Wyoming water rights, providing irrigation water for approximately 275 acres of hay ground and additional pasture.

Leases

Currently, the agricultural portion of the ranch is leased out to a neighbor who is irrigating, haying, and grazing livestock on the ranch property.