N. Platte River Ranch

A historic and scenic working ranch with miles of trophy fly-fishing and extraordinary water rights, the N. Platte River Ranch consists of approximately 5,815 +/- deeded acres, with 10,550 +/- acres of adjoining public land leases. N. Platte River Ranch has a carrying capacity of 925 cow/calf pairs, and valuable water rights that irrigate 3,150 acres of hay ground. Fly-fishermen will enjoy private frontage on 4.3 miles of the North Platte River, 5 miles of Beaver Creek, .9 miles of the Roaring Fork, and .5 miles of Hell Creek that meander through the irrigated meadows. N. Platte River Ranch includes numerous well maintained improvements that fit the scale and needs of an operating cattle ranch, perimeter fencing with good interior roads, wells, access to utilities, and direct access to public roads.

* State Lease Disclosure

N. Platte River Ranch is a reputable cattle ranch with extraordinary water rights located in north central Colorado in Jackson County, just south of the Wyoming border.  Only 7 miles southwest from the authentic western ranching community of Walden, just a little over an hour from either Steamboat Springs or Winter Park, and only 3 hours from Denver.

This 5,815 +/- deeded acre ranch is nestled in a protected valley near the Routt National Forest and the base of Park Range with its dramatic 12,000-foot peaks. The ranch topography is generally flat with gently rolling irrigated meadows, open native grass, and sage pasture.  The ranch and cattle operations are enhanced by the adjoining 9,760 acre BLM lease and 792 acres of State lease creating a large block of over 16,000 acres of private and public lands. The elevation ranges from 7,970’ to 8,185’ above sea level.

Improvements

N. Platte River Ranch is a classic working cattle ranch with numerous improvements consisting of a mixture of modern residences, historic barns and very functional cattle handling facilities. The structures on the property strengthen the historic integrity of the ranch.

The Lazy T 4 includes a 1,900 square foot remodeled ranch house and a historic 3,800 square foot barn with hay loft built in the 1920s. Adjoining the home, there is a new 2,000 square foot modern shop, an older 720 square foot shop, and two chicken coops.

The headquarters of the ranch is comprised of the main home, guest cabin and lodge, manager’s home, numerous barns, shops, employee housing, and handling facilities. The 3,121 square foot owner’s home was built in 1939 and has been substantially upgraded recently with hardwood floors, wood clad windows, oak sawn doors and plaster walls, as well as a spacious and modern owner’s suite. Nearby is the lodge pavilion and log home for guests and entertaining; a 3,160 sq. ft. manager house constructed in 2011 with attached garage; and 3 additional manufactured homes for employees. The main yard revolves around a 4,485 sq. ft. historic red ban with gambrel roof constructed in 1918 with hay loft and numerous stalls. It is complemented by additional barns, shops and sheds, piped corrals, hydraulic chute, gathering pens, bulk and grain bins and a quontset hut. Utilities include Mountain Parks Electric, well water, septic, and propane.

Locale

The property is located in North Park, Colorado, a glacial valley between snowy mountain ranges of the Rocky Mountains in north central Colorado. The valley is home to a rich grassland climate that supports large ranches and a wide selection of big game and numerous rivers and creeks provide incredible fly-fishing opportunities.

The basin is approximately 35 miles wide and 45 miles long, encompassing approximately 1,600 square miles, more than one million acres, and the elevation ranges from 7,800 feet in the valley floor to nearly 13,000 feet on the surrounding peaks.  It is the northernmost of four such “parks” in Colorado and is known locally as North Park. North Park opens north into Wyoming and is rimmed on the west by the Park Range, on the south by the Rabbit Ears Mountains, on the southeast by the Never-Summer Range, and on the east and northeast by the Medicine Bow Range. Numerous slow, meandering streams are interspersed on the basin floor and eventually come together to form the headwaters of the North Platte River, which flows through the ranch. Most of the flood plain along the streams is irrigated meadow, while the low rises adjacent to the flood plain and the higher rises on the refuge are characterized by sagebrush grasslands.

Climate

• Average annual precipitation: 10.8 inches
• Average annual snowfall: 57.5 inches
• Average January temperatures: High 28°, Low 4°
• Average July temperatures: High 78°, Low 40°

The N. Platte River Ranch offers world-class fishing and year-round outdoor recreation. With plentiful snow-pack draining the surrounding mountains, small high-country creeks combine to create tributary streams which flow out of the foothills and into the valley floor. As the gradient reduces, the water slows and begins meandering through willow-lined hay meadows. There are over 5 miles of Beaver Creek and just under one mile of the Roaring Fork with their never-ending oxbows, overhanging bushes, and deep cut banks providing ideal habitat for wild Brown Trout and Rainbows.

Once the meadow streams combine, a world-class fishery is born; the North Platte River. The headwaters of the North Platte River flow for over 4.3 miles through the headquarters unit and just downstream from the T Lazy 4 and Beaver Creek. The North Platte offers classic wide riffles, deep runs and braids, with plentiful native Browns, Rainbows and Brookies. Outstanding water rights will enable the buyer to further enhance the already exceptional fishery habitat. On the north end of the Headquarters unit is also .5 miles of Hell Creek, further expanding the excellent private fishing found right on the property.

Still Water Fishing

In addition to the private fishing on the ranch, there is excellent still water fishing on the adjoining Delaney Butte Lakes State Wildlife Area. These three lakes provide some of the best still water fishing in the state for trophy Cutthroat, Rainbows and Browns. The North Delaney Buttes Lake is one of only two Gold Medal Lakes in Colorado.

Hunting

The area also offers big game hunting with record-class moose and antelope, plus elk and mule deer. Nearby is the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge which provides nesting and rearing habitat for migratory birds.

North Park is one of the premier ranching communities in the West with some of the finest operating ranches in Colorado.  Numerous rivers, streams and creeks flow down from the surrounding mountains providing the necessary water to irrigate the lush hayfields.  Ranches cover much of the valley floor which is ringed by forested hillsides, mountains and National Forest lands.

Ranch Operations

The N. Platte River Ranch is a historic working ranch. The property has operated as a traditional cow-calf cattle ranch for over a hundred years. Abundant with water rights, 810 deeded acres of dryland pasture and thousands of acres of BLM and State grazing land, N. Platte River Ranch is a successful working ranch and currently runs 925 cows.

While both portions of the property are used for grazing cattle, the headquarters is where the majority of the cattle operation occurs. The headquarters adjoins 9,700 acres of BLM lease and 792 acres of State land lease and holds most of the shipping/handling and feed facilities used in the cow-calf operation.

Mineral Rights

The owners will convey all the mineral interests it possesses.

Water Rights

The ranch has substantial and valuable water rights consisting of approximately 251 cfs that date back to the 1880s and 936 acre feet of storage rights. These rights irrigate 3,150 acres of hay meadows and 1,808 acres of pasture, with the balance and adjoining public land leases dry land and vital to the existing cow-calf operation. A breakdown of these water rights can be provided to qualified prospects. The ranch produces a mixture of timothy grass and clover and is renowned for its quality.

Conservation Value

The ranch has significant conservation values, particularly the montane aquatic ecosystem along the riparian areas including the North Platte River. 3,725 acres are encumbered by a conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy that allows additional building envelopes, new residences and an indoor horse arena. The remaining ranch is an ideal candidate given the numerous conservation values including scenic, wildlife and historic agricultural uses.