Soldier Creek Ranch

Spanning over 20 square miles of excellent hunting habitat rising from the valley floor up to the high country, the Soldier Creek Ranch is the perfect combination of exceptional privacy, wildlife, water, and year-round access – all within two hours of Salt Lake City! Situated in the Book Cliffs of the Wasatch Plateau in Central Utah, the Soldier Creek Ranch occupies over 51,000 acres, of which 13,233 are deeded and unencumbered by any conservation easements. Located 20 minutes from the jet-capable Carbon County Airport, approximately two hours from world class skiing at Sundance Mountain Resort, and the Resort City of Moab, the Soldier Creek Ranch stands alone as an unrivaled opportunity to own a fantastic piece of the American West!

Soldier Creek Ranch is located 20 minutes from the eclectic town of Price and is situated in the Book Cliffs of the Wasatch Plateau in Central Utah.

As the ranch climbs from 6,000 to 9,000 feet in elevation, the land transitions through a notable change in topography and vegetation. The flat to rolling topography on the lower portion of the ranch is predominantly populated with pinion, juniper, oak, sage and native grasses that support a healthy mule deer and pronghorn population. There are modest headquarters with corrals and two reservoirs located on this portion of the ranch.

As you transition upward on the ranch you enter a beautiful, secluded 7,300-acre piece of prime wildlife habitat with over 25 miles of roads and commanding majestic views of the surrounding area. The topography on this portion of the ranch is a nice mix of rolling hillsides with rock outcroppings bisected by a series of creek drainages. This section is over 50% tree covered in a mix of aspen, spruce, oak, and conifer and boasts multiple springs and ponds. Elk, mule deer, black bear, mountain lion, turkey and grouse thrive on this portion of the ranch.

Climate

Price is in an arid climate and features cold winters and relatively moderate summers. The average high in January is 37°F and it rises to 90°F in July. The low in January averages just 13°F, and even in summer, the dry climate keeps the nights cool, with an average of just 58°F. Price lies in the rain shadow of central Utah’s Wasatch Mountains so that precipitation averages only 9.24 inches annually. Late summer and early fall are the wettest times of year due to the Gulf of California monsoon that brings scattered thunderstorms to the region. The city also sees frequent snow during winter and early spring.

Locale

Price is an up and coming town of about 8,500 people located on US Highway 191 and is bisected by the Price River. It boasts great restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, hospital and the Carbon County Airport, which accommodates large corporate aircraft.

Price is located within short distances of both Nine Mile Canyon and the Manti-La Sal National Forest. Promoted as “the world’s longest art gallery” Nine Mile Canyon is forty miles in length and is a destination for archaeologists and tourists alike to view the extensive rock art created by the Fremont Culture and Ute People. The 1.2 million-acre Manti-La Sal National Forest is approximately 30 minutes away with its renowned trail system and unlimited recreational opportunities.

Hunting

The Soldier Creek Ranch offers fabulous big game and bird hunting opportunities. It is located within the Nine Mile Range Creek Hunting Unit which offers over the counter bull elk, mountain lion and black bear tags. The ranch also qualifies for landowner buck mule deer tags and cow elk depredation tags. Pronghorn tags are limited, and only available by drawing or crop depredation necessity. Turkey and grouse also call the ranch home.

The ranch qualifies to participate in Utah’s Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU) Program for Mule Deer. CWMU’s are hunt areas consisting of mostly private land that have been authorized for the specific purpose of managing and hunting certain big game species. The CWMU program is an effort by the Utah Wildlife Board and the Division of Wildlife Resources to recognize the contribution made by private landowners in providing big game habitat on their private lands. In return, several public hunters that are drawn through the Utah big game drawing can hunt specific big game on these CWMUs. The fact that Soldier Creek qualifies for the CWMU Program is a significant attribute of the ranch that places it within the highest level of elite hunting ranches in the state.

Recreation

Year-round recreational opportunities abound on the Soldier Creek Ranch. There are over 50 miles of roads and trails on the ranch that are great for snowmobiling, ATV touring, mountain biking, horseback riding and hiking.

Ranch Operations

Soldier Creek is currently leased and operated as a hunting and grazing ranch and is not encumbered by any conservation easements. The current lessee has been grazing approximately 200-250 head of cattle on the ranch. The current grazing allotments consist of 37,838 leased acres of BLM and State land and have 1,327 AUM’s of grazing associated with them. All historical water rights will convey with the sale and the current property taxes are $3,918.

Investment Value

The current ranch market has demonstrated strong demand for large recreational ranches that are well located in the Mountain West. All things considered, the Soldier Creek Ranch is indeed a unique and very compelling investment opportunity.