Moose Willow Ranch

Flowing through the heart of the Moose Willow Ranch, Horse Creek is the crown jewel of this extraordinary 160-acre wilderness retreat. This classic freestone fishery winds 1 ¾ +/- miles through the property, offering walk-and-wade fly fishing for wild rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout averaging 12–14 inches all within one of Wyoming’s most breathtaking settings. Set beneath the towering Breccia formations and the dramatic silhouettes of Boedeker, Cathedral Peak, and the rugged Five Pockets, the creek runs cold, clear, and productive through every season. Surrounded by millions of acres of Shoshone National Forest, the ranch provides a rare combination of private water and true wilderness solitude, with the sweeping panorama of the Absaroka Range as your constant backdrop. Whether as a full-time residence or a seasonal fly fishing sanctuary, Moose Willow Ranch is a rare opportunity to own your own stretch of wild Wyoming water in an untouched mountain retreat.

Overview

• At 7,721 feet, this 160-acre inholding within Shoshone National Forest offers a setting that feels both private and expansive. Just 12 miles north of Dubois, the ranch sits in a quiet valley with broad, north-facing views of the Absaroka Range. Much of the ground is naturally subirrigated and lined with willows, creating prime habitat for moose and supporting strong insect hatches along Horse Creek—an ideal combination for a healthy trout fishery.
• With an owner’s home, a caretaker’s residence, and a guest cabin, the improvements are well-suited for extended family use, hosting, or a shared retreat. Whether envisioned as a legacy holding or enjoyed as it is today, the ranch is set up to comfortably accommodate multiple households while maintaining a sense of space and privacy.

Improvements

• Owner’s Residence: 3 Beds – 3 Baths – 2,727 Sq Ft
• Caretaker’s Residence: House 1: 4 Beds – 2 Baths – 2,646 Sq Ft
• Guest Cabin: 1 bed – 1 bath – 322 Sq Ft
• Detached Garage: 576 Sq Ft
• Multiple outbuildings

Location

• 12 miles N from Dubois, WY
• 15 miles NE from Dubois Municipal Airport (KDUB)
• 85 miles NW from Central Wyoming Airport (Riverton, closest commercial service)
• 97 miles from SE Jackson, WY
• 207 miles W from Casper, WY

Locale

• Tucked into the Wind River Valley, Dubois is a small, remote community in Fremont County with a year-round population of just over 900. In summer, that number swells as seasonal residents and visitors arrive, drawn by the area’s open space, wildlife, and direct access to the surrounding mountains.
• What makes Dubois feel even more expansive is the scale of the land around it. The town itself covers only a few square miles, but the broader 82513 ZIP Code stretches across more than 1,500 square miles of ranchland, river valleys, and public lands. That works out to roughly one person per square mile, giving the area a sense of privacy and room that’s hard to find elsewhere.
• Outdoor recreation is a big part of why people come. Just to the south, the Wind River Range offers everything from casual camping and day hikes to multi-day backcountry trips, horseback riding, and technical rock climbing. Anglers are drawn to the area as well, with the Wind River providing well-known fly fishing opportunities right outside of town.
• With its mix of working ranches, dude ranches, and small lodges, Dubois has long served as a natural stopping point for travelers exploring northwest Wyoming including the Wind River mountains, Jackson and Yellowstone National Park. Today, it remains a place where wide-open landscapes and a slower pace still define the experience.

History

• Long before fences, roads, or ranches, the valleys and mountains around Dubois were home to the Sheepeaters, a band of Mountain Shoshone. They moved seasonally through the Wind River country, traveling between the plains and the high country of Yellowstone. Their presence here stretches back hundreds of years, and traces of that life remain today in the form of petroglyphs, stone circles, and carefully placed hunting sites scattered across the landscape. Members of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe are descendants of these early inhabitants.
• European exploration came much later. In the mid-1700s, French trappers François Vérendrye and Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye passed through the region, opening the way for decades of fur trapping. By the early 1800s, the Wind River Valley had become a known route for traders, hunters, and expeditions moving through the Rocky Mountain West.
• Permanent settlement began in the late 19th century, when homesteaders established small ranches in the valley. Life here was shaped by isolation, weather, and the rhythms of the land. Among the more colorful figures tied to the area was Butch Cassidy, who operated a ranch just outside of town in the 1890s and was known to frequent the local general store, which still stands today.
• Dubois began to take on the shape of a town in the early 1900s. In 1913, new buildings went up in anticipation of a growing timber industry, including a hotel, saloon, and general store. The following year, workers arrived to support tie and lumber operations in the surrounding forests, and Dubois was officially incorporated in 1914.

Recreation

• Moose Willow Ranch serves as a natural basecamp for exploring the vast expanse of Shoshone National Forest, where opportunities for recreation stretch in every direction. From the ranch, access to hiking, horseback riding, backcountry camping, and multi-day wilderness travel comes easily, with terrain that ranges from open valleys to rugged alpine country. The same expansive views of the Absaroka Range that define the ranch also shape the experience beyond it—wide, dramatic, and constantly changing with light and weather.
• On the property itself, the focus turns to the water. Horse Creek flows cold and clear through the ranch, offering a freestone fishery that can be summed up simply: scenic, freestone, and wild. It’s the kind of creek that invites you to slow down—working through riffles, bends, and pocket water with no pressure and no rush, all set against one of the most striking backdrops in the region.

Livewater

• 1.67 +/- miles of Horse Creek (deeded, both sides)
• 1.25 +/- acre pond

Fishing

• Horse Creek is a classic freestone stream that originates high in the Absaroka Range near Raggedtop Mountain. From there, it flows south through the property, continues through Dubois, and ultimately empties into the Wind River within town limits.
• Brook Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Brown Trout
• Typically 8-18″,  average of 12-14″
• Normal year runoff in May – June
• No irrigation use on the property or upstream

Hunting

• Bordering the Shoshone National Forest, this property serves as your basecamp for world-class big game hunting across some of the most wild and rugged terrain in the Lower 48. The adjacent public land offers exceptional opportunities for both elk and mule deer, while the property’s lush willow stands and wetland habitat create a natural wildlife corridor that draws game right to your doorstep. Access the surrounding Absaroka Range on foot, by horseback, or by UTV — each opening up new country within the National Forest. This legendary mountain range is true wilderness, where grizzly and black bear, mountain goat, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, and mountain lion sightings are a regular reminder of just how wild this corner of Wyoming remains.
• WY Elk Unit: 67
• WY Deer Unit: 128

Wildlife

• On property, it is common for  1-3 moose cows/calves per winter and to see ducks, mountain lions, fox, mule deer, occasional whitetail, and the rare sheep.

Overview

• The visual presence of Moose Willow Ranch is one of its defining qualities. The view of the Absaroka Range unfolds wide and unobstructed, stretching across a dramatic skyline of jagged peaks and layered ridgelines. There is only one upstream, non-contiguous neighbor who shares a similar vantage point, and even there, the perspective is tighter and more confined. From Moose Willow, the view opens up—broader, deeper, and more expansive—capturing the full scale and character of the range. It’s a rare combination of proximity and perspective that creates a setting few properties can match.

Water Rights

• 1 domestic well

Mineral Rights

• Sellers will convey any and all minerals owned, if any (note that any of these associated rights have restrictions associated with the conservation easement held by the Nature Conservancy, copy provided upon request). 

Leases

• Access, utilities, and fencing for the property are authorized via a special use permit from the Forest Service. 

Taxes

• 2025 – $6,560.28

Conservation

• The entirety of the property is encumbered by a conservation easement held by The Nature Conservancy- a copy will be provided