Sunbreak Basin Ranch

A scenic, recreational paradise just outside of Saratoga, Sunbreak Basin Ranch offers excellent hunting, 3 miles of small creek fishing, and national forest adjacency, while offering the possibility of income from cattle grazing and development of the ranch’s gravel reserves. 

The deeded lands consist of two parcels totaling 779 acres characterized primarily by rolling, sage-covered hills, with roughly 70 acres of timbered ground and subirrigated meadows between the two along the North Fork of Savery Creek and Mill Creek. These waterways provide more than three miles of combined creek frontage, enhancing both aesthetic appeal and wildlife habitat. 

Notable attributes of the property include Forest Service adjacency, landowner hunting tags, reliable water resources, and a high degree of privacy, all of which contribute to its value as a recreational, agricultural, or legacy holding.

Overview

• 2,979 +/- total acres
• 779 +/- deeded acres
• BLM: 120 +/-  acres 
• State of Wyoming: 2,080 +/- acres
• Thousands of acres of adjacent public land access
• No conservation easement

Improvements

• 872 sq ft hunting cabin (awaits next owner’s improvements)

Location

The Property is situated in Carbon County, approximately 25 miles west of Saratoga and 95 miles north of Craig. It occupies a premier position at the northern end of the Sierra Madre Range, fronting Highway 401 just south of Jack Creek Road.

Locale

• Saratoga, Wyoming, is known for its relaxed, authentic western atmosphere, with ranching and agriculture being the primary employers beyond tourism. Summer rodeos, community events, and historic western bars like The Wolf Hotel and the Rustic Tavern, which may have the world’s best dive-bar taxidermy. 
• The area has grown in recognition, thanks in part to Wyoming ranches like A Bar A Ranch, a premier guest ranch on the North Platte River, and Brush Creek Ranch, a luxury ranch resort.
• The Sierra Madre Range, stretching across south-central Wyoming and north-central Colorado, is celebrated for its pristine landscapes and abundant wildlife. Bridger Peak (11,004 ft) is the highest point in Wyoming within the range, which peaks at Buck Mountain (11,396 ft) in Colorado. Wyoming Game and Fish considers the area’s populations of elk, mule deer, grouse, and other species to be “world class.”

Overview

The property is sandwiched between the northern end of the Sierra Madre Range, which is within the Medicine Bow National Forest, and the property’s 2,080 acres of state-grazing-leased land, creating a secluded buffer from the rest of the world. The low pressure on animals and fish has created a sanctuary of possibilities.

Hunting

• Antelope: Hunting Unit 15
  • 2 landowner permits, Antelope numbers in Unit 15 are solid, with a few trophy-caliber bucks harvested each year. Unit 15 is known for solid pronghorn numbers in classic Wyoming habitats, including rolling sagebrush basins, open grasslands, and rimrock benches and foothills. These landscapes provide excellent visibility and stalkable terrain, ideal for antelope hunting, all of which are within the ranch’s deeded and leased land.
• Deer: Hunting Unit 82
  • Area 82 is part of the Sierra Madre mule deer herd migration system. Typical patterns can include summer months at higher elevations of the Sierra Madre and Medicine Bow National Forest, with fall and winter months moving into sagebrush basins and ranchlands around Saratoga and Encampment.
  • Because of this migration, large numbers of deer can concentrate on private ranches in the valley during the late season.
• Elk: Hunting Unit 21
  • It is known for healthy elk populations and consistent hunting opportunities. The key reasons are large blocks of national forest habitat in the Medicine Bow National Forest, extensive summer range in high timber and parks, and elk migrating to lower private ranchlands in the Platte Valley during winter.
  • Because of this migration pattern, the unit can hold large numbers of elk during parts of the season.

Fishing

• 2.75 miles of the North Fork of Savery Creek
• 0.25 miles of Mill Creek
• 1 acre Twin Groves Reservoir
• Several ponds

With its secluded setting and little recent fishing pressure, the small creek meanders through a quiet valley of open meadows, oxbows, grass-lined banks, and cut banks that form ideal small-rod fly-fishing water—an excellent setting for fly fishing ranches. The setting lends itself to sight casting and dry flies for eager trout, with no one else around. Beaver ponds punctuate the stream corridor, adding depth, habitat, and additional variety to the fishery.

Off-Property Recreation

• High Savery Reservoir – Just a few miles down the road, the reservoir provides superb lake fishing and boating possibilities. This large body of water is a haven for anglers, featuring excellent lake fishing possibilities for various species. Beyond fishing, the reservoir is also ideal for boating, whether your interest is in watersports, leisurely cruises, or simply enjoying the peaceful, vast expanse of water under the sun. This accessible amenity significantly enhances the recreational appeal and lifestyle of Sunbreak Basin Ranch owners.
• Upper North Platte River – The Upper North Platte River basin around Saratoga and Encampment has some of the best public-access fly fishing in southern Wyoming, especially for brown trout, rainbow trout, and cutthroat. Much of the river corridor is accessible through BLM land, state access sites, and walk-in fishing areas.
• Encampment River – The Encampment River flows out of the Sierra Madre Mountains and offers classic small-stream fly fishing and widens as it flows through Encampment on its way to merge with the North Platte, south of Saratoga.
• The Medicine Bow National Forest covers about 1,090,000 acres (roughly the size of Rhode Island) and includes the Snowy Range and the Sierra Madre Range, which is adjacent to the Sunbreak Basin Ranch and includes two primary Wilderness areas: Encampment River Wilderness and Savage Run Wilderness. The National Forest land provides a playground for those who like to trout fish (fly or conventional), big game hunt, bird hunt, snowmobile, alpine hike, basecamp, cross-country ski, snowshoe, backcountry ski, backpack, and horseback ride.

Ranch Operations

• Seasonal summer or fall grazing for 1000 to 1250  AUMS 
• Grazing lease with local rancher in place

Water Rights

• 2 water wells
• 3 water rights for stock reservoirs

Mineral Rights

• Mining lease with an aggregate company with a minimum flat annual lease payment with increases due upon aggregate extraction.
• Any owned mineral rights will be conveyed upon closing

Leases

• Mining lease with an aggregate company with a minimum flat annual lease payment with increases due upon aggregate extraction.
• Hunting lease with local outfitter
• Grazing lease with local rancher in place