Big Stick Ranch

The landscape features open meadows, wooded slopes, and a diverse mix of old-and new-growth aspen, Douglas fir, spruce, Gambel oak, serviceberry, and chokecherry, with elevations ranging from 8,400’ to 9,260’. Accessed via County Road 124 and a recorded easement across a neighboring ranch, the property includes a natural spring and wildlife water tanks and remains unimproved aside from road and fencing. With no structures or conservation easements, it offers a blank canvas for a private mountain retreat or legacy estate, just 25 minutes from Durango–La Plata County Airport.

OPPORTUNITY

With no existing improvements, Big Stick Ranch serves as a true blank slate for its next owner. This land could be developed into a premier hunting property close to Durango, the new owner could complete with a cabin and corrals, transform this land into a private residence offering country living with city access, or craft this land into a cool-climate mountain retreat for those escaping hotter regions like Texas or Arizona.

HUNTING AND RECREATION

Located in Game Management Unit 74, hunting has been the primary focus on the Big Stick Ranch, along with some cattle grazing. And the location of the ranch is prime for that, being located on a reach of USFS that is very difficult to get to unless from this property! The game population in the area (the ranch, USFS, BLM and SWA) includes Bear, Deer, Dusky (blue) grouse, Elk, Rabbit, Squirrel, & Turkey. The property currently leases to a hunting outfitter on a year-to-year basis.

With almost a mile of San Juan National Forest boundary on the north, and 1-mile of boundary with BLM on the south, the property provides abundant access for hunting, horseback riding, and other recreational pursuits on the surrounding government lands. The north accesses over 165,000-acres of USFS with a two-track trail directly to the forest from the property.

The BLM, 280 acres on the south border, is itself adjacent to a 2-mile border with Perins Peak State Wildlife Area, the total acreage of that SWA is 6,450-acres, managed for hunting only. Because it is a winter range for deer & elk it is closed to the public December through April. Other times it can be accessed by the public for hunting, but only if they have a valid Hunting or fishing license or State Wildlife Area (SWA) pass.

LOCATION

The ranch is located at the base of the La Plata Mountains with clear in-your-face views of Baldy Peak (10,850’), Silver Mountain (12,388’), Deadwood Mountain (12,274’), and Hesperus Mountain (13,232’), SO you will never lack views!

ACREAGE AND DESCRIPTION

The property itself is at elevations ranging from 8,400’ to 9,260’ and is easiest described as being two different parts, each about 300 acres. The vegetation across the property consists of Gambel Oak, Serviceberry, Choke Cherry, Aspen, Douglas Fir, and Spruce. There is a north facing slope with a high plateau on top, that runs across the entire southern border, about 600 feet higher than the meadows. That north facing slope is covered with aspen and evergreens, serviceberry and chokecherry.

The aspen forests are old-growth aspen, large and tall, with many dead of age. However, the aspen growing up after them is already tall and strong and bursting out all over. The forest is very healthy, and now with the young aspen coming on it continues to be that way.

The western 300 acres is open meadows bordered by the high ridge, and the forest, largely accessi…