K-T Ranch

Tucked away in northwestern Colorado lies K-T Ranch, a one-of-a-kind private sporting property situated along the banks of the prolific White River. Lying just east of the town of Meeker, the K-T is an exceptional world class fly-fishing ranch, containing 3/4 mile of the White River and an additional 3/4 mile of spring creek and beaver ponds. This is the sister fly-fishing river operation to the acclaimed Orvis endorsed High Lonesome Ranch.

The White River is a classic freestone stream that offers big river style fishing, prolific hatches, and large rainbow and brown trout. In addition, the spring creek provides a smaller meandering setting for fly-fishermen that enjoy a lighter presentation and traditional creek fishing.

The 725-acre property includes an elegantly restored 4,200 sq. ft. Victorian home, historic water rights, irrigated hay fields and trophy elk hunting on the neighboring White River National Forest. The ranch owns over 23 cfs of water rights dating back to the 1880s that flood irrigate approximately 370 acres. The bucolic property sits in the midst of the White River Valley located along the Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway. It adjoins other historic ranches that straddle the river with lush irrigated hay fields dotted by vintage western barns and homesteads.

The ranch is situated along the banks of the legendary White River near the base of the Flat Tops Wilderness Area, about 5 miles from the town of Meeker. The White River Valley is the primary drainage for an expansive watershed covering almost 4,000 square miles. The ranch lies within rural Rio Blanco County, which is characterized by its agricultural economy, recreational opportunities, and scenic western vistas. While the ranch has a very private feel, it is easily accessed year-round and is within two hours of the resort towns of Steamboat Springs, Vail and Aspen. The town of Meeker is the County Seat and has numerous hotels, restaurants, shops, and a well-managed airport with a 6,500 foot runway, suitable for most aircraft. Airline service is available from the Hayden/Steamboat Airport, which is about 90 minutes from the ranch, Eagle County airport is approximately 95 miles and Grand Junction Airport is 100 miles from Meeker. Denver is 225 miles to the east.

The 725 acres lies just southeast of Meeker along the County Road 8, the Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway. CR 8 splits the ranch with two-thirds of the property situated on the west side of the highway, including the White River, main home, barn, bunk house, shop, and garage, and the remaining one-third to the east, comprised of additional sub-irrigated fields with Lone Tree Creek.

Improvements

Situated between the county road and the river lies the ranch compound that includes an elegantly restored four-bedroom, 4,200 square foot restored 1880s Victorian ranch house, one of the last remaining Meeker homesteads. Originally built in the early 1900s, the house has four guest rooms and three full baths, in addition to a large sitting room with fireplace, a media room, and a large dining room. The expansive wrap-around porches are an excellent place to enjoy after a great day on the river. Within the headquarters lies a fly shop, barns, bunkhouses, garage, and shop.

Climate

• Annual Rainfall (in.): 14
• Annual Snowfall (in.): 85
• Precipitation Days: 84
• Sunny Days: 238
• Avg. July High (F): 85°
• Avg. Jan. Low (F): 9°

Fishing

The fly-fishing at K-T Ranch offers an outstanding private fishery and is known for some of the best dry-fly fishing in the West. The ranch enjoys about 1.5 miles of private rivers and streams with two distinct fisheries providing a vast diversity of riffles, runs, deep pools, pockets, braids, and undercut banks for the fly fishing enthusiast. This includes approximately 3/4 of a mile of the main stem of the White River, that provides a diversity of water that keeps even the most discerning angler occupied for a lifetime. The property also features 3/4 of a mile of the recently enhanced Lone Tree Spring Creek, beaver ponds, wetlands, and back-water sloughs.

Lone Tree Spring Creek is a real conservation success story. The owners at K-T transformed what was basically a shallow, warm meadow stream, that was little more than irrigation runoff, and created a 3/4 of a mile natural producing stream with a series of riffles and pools that is wonderful trout habitat known to hold monster browns.

Hunting

While the fishing resources at K-T Ranch are unparalleled with its private river and spring creek, the property also offers big game hunting and access to North America’s largest elk herd, making this one of the premier sporting properties on the market today.

K-T Ranch offers an abundance of world-class big game hunting opportunities. Near the base of the Flat Tops Wilderness Area, this region is a sanctuary for North America’s largest resident elk herd, as well as mule deer, moose, bear and upland birds.

Ranch Operations

K-T is a traditional high elevation hay ranch with historic water rights that irrigate approximately 370 acres of adjoining fields. The water flows west off the Flat Tops along the White River to the ditches that cross the ranch. Ultimately the White meets the Green River further west in Utah.

Water Rights

The water rights on the ranch are extensive and include a combined total of approximately 23.6 cfs from three ditches (Old Agency, Loveland and Oak Ridge Park Ditch). Many of these ditch rights are historic and quite senior, having been appropriated in the 1880s.

Conservation Value

The ranch has such considerable conservation values including productive ranchland and farmland, wildlife habitat, riparian corridors, wetlands, and natural, scenic and open space values, that a conservation easement was donated to Yampa Valley Land Trust. There are a number of adjoining ranches that are also protected by conservation easements, highlighting the spectacular qualities of this valley. Please contact the listing broker for more information.