1461 Co Rd 17, Ridgway, CO 81432 (MLS# 41287)

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Horse enthusiasts can ride their horses off the property above the Dallas Trail into National Forest, giving you thousands of acres to explore and enjoy. Situated in the high peaks of the San Juans, the ranch has stunning views of Dallas Peak, Box Canyon, Sisters Peak, Abrams Mountain,Treasure Mountain, Twin Peaks, Cascade Mountain, Baldy, and Whitehouse Peak, just to name a few. Elevations on the ranch range from 8,000 feet to 9,500 feet. Included in the ranch sale are the Millersburg and Silverspur mining claims, each with its own bit of history. In a federal patent issued in 1886, President Benjamin Harrison authorized the original ranch.Founded as a working cattle ranch, the Erickson family later converted it to an alpine dairy ranch to furnish milk and dairy products to the townsfolk of Ouray and the hard rock miners searching for gold at the legendary Camp Bird Mine. In the winter, Mrs. Erickson and her children moved to Ouray so the children could attend school. Mr. Erickson and a helper attended to the dairy cows and farm. The milk was delivered to the town over the alpine road, which required plowing by the horses in the winter months. After Mrs. Erickson's passing, the family sold the historic dairy ranch. Since then, the ranch has been used for recreation, hunting, and cattle grazing. A small dovetail log cabin and the historic Erickson Dairy barn, built by a Scandinavian shipwright, stand as testaments to the past, while the stunning landscape remains a blank canvas of opportunity. Owned by a local ranching family in the Montrose Valley since 1963, the property qualifies for agricultural tax valuation. Plentiful water helps ensure the land's productivity. The ranch boasts 50 ± irrigated acres of mountain meadows that are enhanced by 4 cubic feet per second (cfs) of historic water rights as well as three ponds, one is stocked, and numerous springs, including one that is adequate for domestic use. The ranch's agricultural opportunities include a BLM grazing permit with profuse grazing in its lush forest. The ranch is bordered USFS and BLM public lands for 3± miles, ensuring that the ranch's enviable privacy will be protected from encroaching development far into the future. While the"neighborhood" is protected, the ranch itself is not under a conservation easement, leaving all options on the table for the next owners and their heirs. Because the ranch borders more than a million acres of National Forest Lands, many species of wildlife including elk, Mule deer, and bear can be found on the ranch. Historically, High Meadow Ranch qualifies for big game landowner tags. Located in GMU 65, which has over-the-counter bull tags, and 85.6% success for first choice draw requests in the overall unit, the ranch is positioned to deliver memorable hunting year after year. The Uncompahgre and Mount Sneffels Wilderness Areas at the south end of GMU 65 offer challenging terrain, but good hunting potential. With unparalleled privacy, grass-filled mountain meadows, unimaginably beautiful peak views, big timber, and aspen-filled benches, and abundant wildlife, no other mountain property offers what the High Meadow Ranch does. In an area known for yielding gold to those who dared to dream big, High Meadow Ranch is the undeniable gold standard.