Triangle C Ranch

This magnificent 330-acre equestrian ranch is a pristine jewel located in the Greenhorn Valley near the quaint friendly town of Rye, Colorado.  Beautifully sited at the foot of the Greenhorn mountains, the Triangle C Ranch has raised and sold cutting horses for many years, is in wonderful working condition, and boasts a remarkable wildlife legacy for sportsmen. The property offers a unique combination of irrigated hay ground, open pastures, scrub oak cover, forested canyon, stock ponds, and endless mountain views. The diversity of habitat is home to numerous elk, mule deer, turkeys, and other wildlife.  The ranch is headquartered from a beautifully appointed 6,000 sq. ft. home which is reached by a long private driveway off Old San Isabel Road, providing the ultimate in quiet enjoyment.  Other improvements include a handsome 5,000 sq. ft. horse barn, 2,500 sq. ft. guest/manager’s home, 3,000 sq. ft. hay barn, as well as riding/roping arena and cutting pen.

Triangle C Ranch is an early leader of the conservation legacy in the Greenhorn Valley and is protected by a conservation easement held by Colorado Open Lands. A number of other properties outside Rye, including two adjacent ranches are also covered by conservation easements, forever assuring the scenic rural heritage of the Triangle C.

Improvements

The Triangle C Ranch is headquartered from a beautifully appointed 6,000 sq. ft. home that is remarkably well-sited on the property. The four bedroom house has three and a half baths, a living room with vaulted timber ceiling and a huge moss rock fireplace, a loft office, a family room with a kiva fireplace and large skylights.

The dining room has a 12 ft. bay window overlooking the beautiful pastures and prairies to the east. The country kitchen is a cook’s dream with soapstone counters, with African slate backsplash, huge custom copper sink, Viking commercial cooktop with two Viking ovens. The reclaimed fir custom cabinets are complimented by a custom bake center. KitchenAid appliances round out this beautiful kitchen.

The huge master bedroom suite includes its own kiva fireplace with a sitting area, private bath that has a slate, radiant heat floor, and a walk-in dressing room closet. The lower level family/pool room with a built in bar is next to the walk-out sun room with a glass ceiling, and a gym room just add to this fabulous home. The entire package is wrapped with a huge deck, complete with a hot tub, ideal for entertaining or just taking in the mountain views.

The greater compound includes a handsome 5,000 sq. ft. horse barn with four box stalls, three of which have outdoor runs, tack room, feed room and hay loft. There are three paddocks adjacent to the barn each with a run-in shed. There is a workshop with a covered parking shed for tractors, trucks and equipment. A 2,500 sq. ft. manager’s/guest house, a 3,000 sq. ft. hay storage barn, a riding/roping arena, and round cutting pen are other additions. The ranch is perimeter and interior cross-fenced to take advantage of controlled grazing.

Location

Triangle C Ranch is located in Pueblo County off exit 74 from I-25, ten minutes drive north of the friendly little town of Rye, and 15 minutes west of Colorado City. The beautiful Greenhorn Mountains loom just west of the ranch.

Climate

• Rainfall (in.): 18.08
• Snowfall (in.): 68.80
• Precipitation Days: 85
• Sunny Days: 310
• Avg July High: 87
• Avg. Jan High: 47

Locale

Rye, Colorado (Population: 225) is quite small and consists mostly of the local post office, church, and the area’s high school (go Thunderbolts!). The broader Greenhorn Valley community is more generally served by Colorado City, which boasts several great restaurants, grocery store, world class hardware, motels, and most other major services including year-round golf (weather permitting).  Pueblo, Colorado, with all services including a hospital, big box retail and many hotels and restaurants, is a short 45 minute drive from the ranch. Colorado Springs Municipal Airport with non-stop service to more than 11 major U.S. cities is an hour and a half drive from Rye.

Recreational opportunities abound in the Greenhorn Valley area.  With the San Isabel National Forest just west of the ranch, year-round golf down in Colorado City, a number of nearby rivers and reservoirs, and Interstate 25 only 20 minutes away, the ranch is remarkably well located for outdoor fun. There are numerous trails for hiking, horseback riding, cross country skiing, ATV and snowmobile access in the area. Hunting and fishing are abundant both on and off the property. Lake San Isabel, a quaint summer community 20 minutes up the road, offers excellent fishing. Bishops Castle, the Royal Gorge, the Arkansas River, and the Great Sand Dunes National Park,are all within an hour drive from the ranch through some of Colorado’s most scenic country.

Hunting

While the Triangle C has not actively promoted hunting in recent years, the property could be easily converted into a hunter’s private paradise. The unique combination of irrigated hay ground, open pastures, scrub oak cover, forested canyon, and distinct water features offer a remarkable diversity of habitat for a property of this size. Located in Colorado Parks and Wildlife Game Management 84, the ranch is home to numerous elk, mule deer, turkeys, upland birds and variety of other wildlife species.

Ranch Operations

Triangle C has raised and sold cutting horses for many years. The facilities are set up for a very workable equestrian property with a large, four-stall barn with outdoor runs, tack and feed rooms, and large hay loft. Four paddocks each have run-in sheds. There are several watered paddocks on the ranch and four separately pastured hay fields totaling ~125 acres of irrigated hay/pasture. There is also a workshop/tool shed, a 3,000 sq. ft. hay barn, and both riding/roping arena and cutting pen. The property is perimeter and interior fenced and generally serviced by two-track ranch roads.

Water Rights

The Triangle  Ranch holds senior rights in the Standard (aka Wright) ditch (2.6 cfs 1873 priority, and 0.45 cfs 1884 enlargement). A well-maintained network of ditches and delivery laterals throughout the property serve approximately 125 acres of irrigated hay ground and additional pasture.

Hay Production

With approximately 125 acres of irrigated hay ground, the Triangle C Ranch consistently produces 145 – 150 tons of hay on average (175 tons best ever, 72 tons worst ever) in 20+ years.  There is only one year (2002) during drought when there was not adequate water to irrigate, and even then it produced.