Beckwith Ranch Westcliffe, Colorado
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BECKWITH RANCH WESTCLIFFE, COLORADO $2,975,000 | 2,085± ACRES LISTING AGENT: JEFF BUERGER 2000 S. COLORADO BLVD., T1, STE. 3100 DENVER, COLORADO 80222 P: 303.861.8282 M: 303.229.9932 [email protected] BECKWITH RANCH WESTCLIFFE, COLORADO $2,975,000 | 2,085± ACRES LISTING AGENT: JEFF BUERGER 2000 S. COLORADO BLVD., T1, STE. 3100 DENVER, COLORADO 80222 P: 303.861.8282 M: 303.229.9932 [email protected] Land… that’s where it all begins. Whether it is ranch land or family retreats, working cattle ranches, plantations, farms, estancias, timber or recreational ranches for sale, it all starts with the land. Since 1946, Hall and Hall has specialized in serving the owners and prospective owners of quality rural real estate by providing mortgage loans, appraisals, land management, auction and brokerage services within a unique, integrated partnership structure. Our business began by cultivating long-term relationships built upon personal service and expert counsel. We have continued to grow today by being client-focused and results-oriented—because while it all starts with the land, we know it ends with you. WITH OFFICES IN: DENVER, COLORADO BOZEMAN, MONTANA EATON, COLORADO MISSOULA, MONTANA STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO VALENTINE, NEBRASKA SUN VALLEY, IDAHO COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS TETON VALLEY, IDAHO LAREDO, TEXAS HUTCHINSON, KANSAS LUBBOCK, TEXAS BUFFALO, WYOMING MELISSA, TEXAS BILLINGS, MONTANA SOUTHEASTERN US SALES | AUCTIONS | FINANCE | APPRAISALS | MANAGEMENT © 2020 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 2 — EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Beckwith Ranch offers 2,085± acres of rare extensive wetland in the Wet Mountain Valley of southern Colorado. The ranch is a true agricultural property in its lush valley location set against colorful wildflowers and foliage, rolling meadows, and sweeping views of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. The property is ready for high-functioning operations, boasting senior water rights, hay production, and quality grazing lands. Artesian wells and a network of waterways and ponds enrich the land and support a diversity of wildlife from fish and ducks to migrating herds of elk and deer. It is both accessible and rustic, located conveniently along State Highway 69 just minutes from the neighboring town of Westcliffe and within an hour and a half’s drive to Colorado Springs Municipal Airport. Beckwith plays a central role in the Wet Mountain Valley’s long ranching history and conservation legacy, holding the center of a more than 12,000-acre swath of protected land, making the area a destination for its breathtaking valley viewshed. Two conservation easements within the property contain 500± acres each. The remaining 1,000± acres of the ranch presents an opportunity for future owners to complete the conservation project that has been underway for 25 years. Joining with the tradition of the community’s grand ranching legacy, Beckwith is known as a shining centerpiece among its neighbors and offers a legacy of carrying on its fine agricultural operations and conservation values within the picturesque valley for years to come. © 2020 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 3 — LOCATION Beckwith Ranch is ideally situated within the Wet Mountain Valley, surrounded by hundreds of miles of San Isabel National Forest and BLM lands and the friendly rural communities of Custer County off State Highway 69. The charming ranching town of Westcliffe, Colorado, population 500+, is just a five-minute drive away for goods, groceries, and local shops. The larger nearby cities of Canyon City and Pueblo both have hospitals and larger retailers, hotels, and restaurants within an hour’s drive from the ranch. The Colorado Springs Municipal Airport is an hour and a half drive and offers nonstop service to more than 11 major US cities. Salida, known for its old-west character, is an easy hour-long trip northwest for quality dining and shopping. The majestic Sangre de Cristo mountain range and its legendary 14,000+ foot peaks rise up just a mile from the ranch’s western border. The property sits adjacent to the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, and the famed Great Sand Dunes National Preserve is just south of the ranch on the western side of Sangre de Cristos. © 2020 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 4 — LOCALE The Wet Mountain Valley is nestled between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the west and the Wet Mountain range to the east. This makes the area a destination not only for its preservation of a stunning valley viewshed, but also for its freedom from light-pollution, highlighting its exemplary stargazing as the home of Colorado’s first designated International Dark-Sky Community. Having been a ranching territory since the late 1800s, the community celebrates its agricultural heritage with popular events, rodeos, and parades. The area is also known for the San Isabel National Forest, the Crestone Needle peak, the Royal Gorge and surrounding federally protected lands for its unforgettable scenery, hiking, hunting, horseback riding, cross- country skiing and more. © 2020 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 5 — AREA ATTRACTIONS SAN ISABEL NATIONAL FOREST Several access points into the San Isabel National Forest neighbor the ranch for convenient hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking through its vast trails across 3 million acres. The Rainbow Trail winds 100 miles from Westcliffe to Salida along the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range featuring mountain lakes and fishing streams along the way. THE CRESTONE NEEDLE The iconic Crestone Needle located in the San de Cristo’s mountain range is known as one of the most challenging fourteen-thousand-foot peaks, “14ers,” to the summit in Colorado, but also one of the most rewarding. It sits among three other “14ers,” known as the Crestones, which are highly sought after by experienced mountaineers for their stunning views. THE ROYAL GORGE AND ARKANSAS RIVER This incredible “Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River,” the Royal Gorge, is half an hour away for breathtaking canyon views from the bridge and park. The Royal Gorge is an icon of southern Colorado and its history. It features tours, ziplining, rock climbing, stunning scenery, and more. The Arkansas River cuts through the gorge for unique views of the surrounding peaks as well as whitewater rafting adventures and outstanding fishing, including a strong brown trout presence, popular with fly-fishers. MONARCH MOUNTAIN Monarch Mountain is about an hour’s drive from the ranch for a relaxed day of skiing in the winter. Monarch is known for its abundant snowfall and convenient access for slope-goers looking to skip the crowds of larger resorts. A trip along Monarch Pass is also one of the most scenic winter drives in the state. GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK Great Sand Dunes National Park is just over the west side of the Sangre de Cristo range from the ranch, an hour and a half’s drive away. The tallest dunes in North America, are popular with visitors for the rare experience of sand-sledding and sandboarding while offering plenty of exploration among its surrounding miles of mountain trails, alpine lakes, creeks, and impressive, diverse scenery. © 2020 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 6 — © 2020 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 7 — GENERAL DESCRIPTION Beckwith Ranch benefits from its well-watered valley locale between the Sangre de Cristo and the Wet Valley mountain ranges with stunning scenery and rich meadows that includes both dryland and irrigated pastures. Located minutes away from the charming town of Westcliffe just off of State Highway 69 adjacent to the San de Cristo Wilderness, the location is as convenient as it is rustic. © 2020 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 8 — Beckwith presents a rare sense of containment, sitting between two mountain ranges while maintaining expansive rolling valley views of the meadows and tree line. The property is situated on Swift Creek and has both surface and sub-surface flows, including a network of streams and channels. These deliver water throughout the ranch and allow for seasonal irrigation for grazing used in conjunction with its ranching neighbors, though Beckwith holds senior water rights. An impressive ring of man-made ponds and artesian wells also mark the property, supporting it as an important wetland habitat for fish and waterfowl and connecting corridors for resident and migrating herds of elk, deer, and pronghorn. Beckwith Ranch is a proud member of the Wet Mountain Valley Ranchland Preservation Program, along with six contiguous ranches just west of the property, committed to keeping more than 12,000 acres of contiguous open space forever in agricultural production. While the ranch’s two existing 500-acre easements protect the historic rural setting and spectacular viewshed for generations to come, the deeded 1,000± acres hold unique potential for completing the existing conservation project. © 2020 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 9 — CLIMATE AND ELEVATION Beckwith Ranch enjoys distinct Colorado seasons with around 300 days of sunshine a year. Even with its water-rich climate, the area maintains low humidity, drawing moisture instead from the mountain runoff into its valley. Each season is pleasant and temperate; in the summer, highs warm the fertile region with 85 degree-weather over the rolling green grassland just before haying season. The fall is especially spectacular as the surrounding aspen trees turn bright yellow. In the winter, lows are only around 42 degrees. The area sees about 50 inches of snowfall a year and around 14 inches of rainfall. Elevation is around 8,000 feet throughout the ranch. © 2020 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 10 — ACREAGE Beckwith Ranch offers 2,085± acres of rare extensive wetland in the Wet Mountain Valley of southern Colorado.