B E A R C R EEK R ANC H Walsenburg, Huerfano County, Colorado $3,979,000 | 2,100± Acres
Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
INTRODUCTION Bear Creek Ranch in Southern Colorado is 2,100± acres of incredible terrain and stunning views. This longtime family ranch holding is coming on the market for the first time since it was first assembled in the late 1940s and early 1950s. When first homesteaded in the late 1890s, the area was known as Laguna, the Spanish word for lake, because of the numerous depressions scattered across the ranch that hold water. Historically the ranch has been used for cattle grazing with an ample supply of well water piped to six stock tanks on the property. Bear Creek flows seasonally through the ranch, and vegetation zones vary from creek bottom cottonwoods, classic piñon juniper forest, and towering ponderosas. Volcanic dike walls and dramatic sandstone rock formations can be found in many parts of the ranch accentuating the scenic vistas. Perhaps the biggest secret about the ranch is its prolific wildlife and the exceptional hunting opportunities that it affords. Virtually un-hunted for decades, the ranch shows evidence of numerous trophy bull elk wandering the meadows and forests and visiting the scattered watering holes. Black bear, bobcats, turkeys, and mule deer are frequently seen on the ranch and offer excellent hunting with a rifle or camera. Mountain lions are known to be on the ranch as well. There are no public access easements within the ranch. The entire ranch is perimeter fenced with 2.5 miles of new fence added and 8.5 miles of fence rehabilitated in 2016. The current owner leases the grazing to a local rancher who typically runs 35 pairs for four or five months in spring and summer. Like this spring, that number could easily be increased without a negative impact on the ranch in wet years. Bear Creek Ranch is situated below the East Spanish Peak, approximately halfway between Walsenburg and the quaint small town of La Veta, Colorado.
www.fayranches.com | (800) 238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
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QUICK FACTS • • • • • • • • • •
2,100± Acres Bear Creek runs through the property Excellent elk, mule deer, turkey, bear hunting Located in over-the-couner elk GMU 85 Water piped to six stock tanks Diverse terrain of forest and meadows Some mineral rights included No public access easements Numerous catch ponds Cattle grazing
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
www.fayranches.com | (800) 238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
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LOCATION Bear Creek Ranch is located 7 miles southwest of Walsenburg, Colorado, and 10 miles east of La Veta, Colorado and is easily accessed year-round via well-maintained county roads. The iconic Spanish Peaks rise prominently to the west of the ranch. The ranch is within 15 minutes of I-25 and does not require crossing a mountain pass. The trip from south Denver is an easy 2.5-hour drive. Many locals appreciate the equidistance of Denver and Santa Fe, New Mexico, and that of Taos, New Mexico, and Colorado Springs. The Great Sand Dunes are a short drive, and there are numerous lakes in the area.
GETTING THERE Driving from the north or south on I-25 exit at Walsenburg and join Highway 160 going west. On the west edge of Walsenburg County Road, 340 leaves Highway 160 to the south. The first gate of the ranch is six miles down the road with the main gate another half mile.
AIRPORT SERVICES There is commercial air service into Denver International, Colorado Springs and Pueblo Memorial Airports. Depending on the type of aircraft, there are also other alternatives to land private planes.
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AREA HISTORY Bear Creek Ranch is located in the Spanish Peaks region of southern Colorado. The area has a deep and diverse history beginning with the unique geology of the area. The East and West Spanish Peaks dominate the scenic panorama with their beauty and symmetry. The unique dike walls and volcanic stocks are stunning. Over the centuries, the prominence of the peaks has been important as a landmark for nomadic Native Americans, Spanish explorers, and pioneer settlers. Hispanic homesteaders lived, ranched, and farmed in this area of southern Colorado, which was once known as “the notch,” an area carved from New Mexico out of latitudinal convenience. Coal mining was a significant economic driver of the area for many years. Bear Creek Ranch itself is located in an area once called “Laguna” by the settlers because of the numerous depressions that hold runoff water, which still exists on the ranch providing a seasonal water source for livestock and wildlife. Spend a few days on the ranch, and you will see evidence of Native Americans, Hispanic homesteaders, and decades of cattle ranching. This can be evidenced in part by a tiny historic cemetery on one corner of the ranch and a small, abandoned church on another edge of the property.
Penitente Church
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
ACREAGE 2,100± deeded acres The ranch is diverse with beautiful grass meadows and abundant piñon, juniper, cottonwood, ponderosa and a few scattered spruce and fir trees. Interesting sandstone rock formations and a couple of volcanic ridgebacks further define the ranch.
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SCENIC VISTAS The beautifully symmetrical Spanish Peaks are dominant fixtures to the west and southwest of the ranch. Views of the Sangre de Cristos, Greenhorn Mountain, Silver Mountain, and the top of Blanca Peak give the impression that one is sitting on top of the world. Volcano dike walls and unusual sandstone formations contrast with the bigger mountain views to make for a very interesting ranch.
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
www.fayranches.com | (800) 238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
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CLIMATE Climate information for La Veta, Colorado Courtesy of City-data.com/city/la-veta-colorado.html
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
www.fayranches.com | (800) 238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
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RECREATION Recreation on the ranch consists of quintessential Colorado activities like hiking, mountain bike riding, ATVs, horseback trail riding, cross-country skiing, hunting, and snowmobiling.
H unting & W ildlife Bear Creek is an exceptional hunting ranch. The terrain is perfect for both bowhunting and rifle hunting. The ranch has three things to retain big game: water, great grass, and good cover. Big open meadows with waterholes are connected with trails and ranch roads. There are some fantastic high points to view much of the ranch. The elk population in the immediate area and on the ranch is excellent, along with plenty of mule deer, pronghorn, black bear, turkeys, and even mountain lions. The ranch has remained minimally hunted for decades. Bull elk in the 380 class have been taken on an adjacent ranch in recent years. The ranch is located entirely in GMU 85, which is an over-the-counter elk unit for archery and Rifle Seasons 2 & 3. There is enough land to earn multiple entries in the Landowner Preference Program. If you are looking for an authentic western hunting ranch, this is a gem in the rough.
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
F ishing Numerous lakes are nearby and hold a variety of fish. Stream and river fishing is further away but there are several world class rivers that are easy day trips from the ranch.
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NEARBY ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES Bear Creek Ranch is conveniently located near I-25, the main north-south corridor along with the Rocky Mountains front range, and also very near US Highway 160, the southernmost major East-West route across Colorado. This allows easy access to several attractions within a two-hour drive. This drive-time includes The Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Taos, NM, the Royal Gorge, Manitou Springs/Garden of the Gods, NRA Whittington Center, Philmont Boy Scout Camp, Bishop’s Castle, and several other interesting destinations.
Taos Puebla courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Great Sand Dunes National Park courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
Royal Gorge Bridge courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
www.fayranches.com | (800) 238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
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INCOME OPPORTUNITY The ranch offers at least three opportunities to earn income. Minimal income can be earned through grazing leases or running your own small cattle operation. A small commercial hunting operation could also be run on the property. Perhaps the most intriguing opportunity would be to create an ecotourism destination or even simply a VRBO lodge. The property is unencumbered with any restrictions other than the standard county building regulations. There is a 100± acre piece, separated by the road from the remainder of the ranch, that could be sold as one or two homesites at a premium.
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
WATER SOURCES | WATER RIGHTS The ranch has a water right derived from a spring well adjudicated for livestock and industrial use. The water from this well is pumped to a storage tank and then gravity fed to six stock tanks dispersed across the ranch. This, of course, is great for a grazing operation and greatly enhances the wildlife habitat, and is useful in retaining good numbers of game on the ranch. In addition to this piped water, at least five other stock ponds on the ranch retain runoff water much of the year. A couple more stock ponds are just off the property.
www.fayranches.com | (800) 238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
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MINERAL RIGHTS The ranch previously had a few gas wells drilled on it. No operational wells or any equipment remain on the ranch. The old well pads have been completely remediated. There are some mineral rights that the Sellers will convey upon sale. The amount and exact description of these mineral rights will need to be negotiated with the Seller and verified by the Buyer.
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
CONSERVATION | STEWARDSHIP Each of us at Fay Ranches has a love of the land and a desire to see it remain as productive agricultural ground as well as quality fish and wildlife habitat. Through promoting the use of thoughtful land stewardship, Fay Ranches has guided owners toward a legacy of conserving wide-open spaces, enhancing and creating fisheries and wildlife habitat and implementing sustainable agricultural operations. Fay Ranches is proud to say that since our company began in 1992, the landscape on which we work has been significantly enhanced by the conservation ethic and land use practices of our clients. The ranch is NOT currently encumbered by a conservation easement, but it would be a great candidate for an easement. www.fayranches.com | (800) 238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
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SUMMARY Bear Creek Ranch has it all. Unencumbered, conveniently located, excellent hunting, good water, beautiful views, some mineral rights, and all easily accessible from I-25. Big elk cruise the meadows and hillsides, moving from one hidden water hole to another. Bear Creek itself seasonally flows across the front of the ranch and is home to flocks of turkeys in the spring. Mule deer, pronghorn, and black bear are the other residents living the good life on Bear Creek Ranch. Graze your cattle or lease to a neighboring rancher. Build your dream home or create a destination for others to enjoy. There are so many perfect uses for a ranch like this one. You are NOT limited by high elevation, HOAs, Conservation Easements, difficult access, lack of water, or high taxes and fees. You are only limited by your imagination.
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
www.fayranches.com | (800) 238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
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PRICE $3,979,000
TAXES $570
TERMS Cash, Conventional Financing, 1031 Tax Exchange
CONTACT Please contact Jim Vidamour at (719) 890-4590 | jvidamour@fayranches.com to schedule a showing. This is an exclusive listing. An agent from Fay Ranches must be present at all showings, unless otherwise noted or other arrangements are made. To view other properties, fly fishing properties, and sporting ranches that we have listed, please visit our web page at www.fayranches.com.
NOTICE Offer is subject to errors, omissions, prior sale, change or withdrawal without notice, and approval of purchase by owner. Information regarding land classification, carrying capacities, maps, etc., is intended only as a general guideline and has been provided by the owners and other sources deemed reliable, but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Prospective purchasers are encouraged to research the information to their own satisfaction.
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
www.fayranches.com | (800) 238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
www.fayranches.com | (800) 238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
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NOTES
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Bear Creek Ranch | Walsenburg, Colorado
JIM VIDAMOUR Principal Broker Licensed in: CO, NM c. 719-890-4590 jvidamour@fayranches.com
FAY RANCHES INC. (800) 238.8616 info@fayranches.com www.fayranches.com