Needle Creek Ranch

The Needle Creek Ranch is a 1,150 deeded acre farm/ranch/recreation hunting and fishing property is located in Saguache County on the Gunnison County line just twenty-five minutes from Gunnison. It is truly a rare opportunity with no conservation easement in place when almost the entire Tomichi Creek Valley is eased. The ranch is turn-key from its improvements to ditch irrigation infrastructure to its operations to its ranch stead improvements. Needle Creek Reservoir to the south of the property provides abundant water shares which are used in combination and addition to the permitted and adjudicated water rights. The improvements are on the lower end of the property bordering BLM and USFS. There are approximately 200 acres of irrigated mountain meadow hay land inside a high fence around the headquarters. There are two older residences, shops, a barn, equipment shop, large headed garage, hay storage located at the end of a year-round county-maintained road with exceptional views in every direction. The Needle Creek Ranch is set up for your small agricultural operation and your hunting and fishing recreation or commercial ambitions. The Needle Creek Ranch is located in the Gunnison Valley, just 20 miles east of Gunnison, Colorado, along the banks of Tomichi Creek. It is surrounded by over 1.6 million acres of the Gunnison National Forest, BLM, and state land. The ranch is accessible year-round via Highway 50 and County Road 24. Private and commercial air service is available at the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC), offering regular flights to Denver and seasonal flights to Houston and Dallas. The airport features a runway that is 9,400 feet long and 150 feet wide. Denver International Airport (DIA), a major hub for domestic and international flights, is only a four-hour drive (215 miles) from the ranch. The mountain community of Gunnison is centered around ranching, tourism, and recreation. It offers a variety of restaurants, grocery stores, local shops, community services, and a hospital. Gunnison County has a population of approximately 17,000 people. Western Colorado University, a four-year public college, is located in Gunnison. Crested Butte, located just 45 minutes from the property, provides additional cultural, dining, and recreational options. Crested Butte Mountain Resort is renowned for its downhill skiing terrain, featuring 121 runs. Monarch Ski Area, a family-friendly resort with 54 runs, is located just ten miles east of the ranch on Monarch Pass, which crosses the Continental Divide. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Fossil Ridge Wilderness Area, and Curecanti National Recreation Area, home to three notable reservoirs Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal Reservoir are all within a short drive from the ranch. The ranch spans over a mile along both side of Tomichi Creek, which winds through the mountain hay meadows and hosts thriving populations of brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout. The ranch is located near the headwaters of Tomichi Creek and stays cooler with higher flows. This section of creek is ripe for stream enhancements and fisheries improvements. The additional fishing and live water recreation in the area is truly abundant with the Gunnison River, East River, Taylor River, and the gold-medal Arkansas River. There is no shortage of opportunities to catch quality trout. Blue Mesa Reservoir nearby is known for its Kokanee salmon population as well. The wildlife and big game populations on the property are diverse and immense. Moose, elk, mule deer, antelope and small game all thrive in the meadows and brush along the creek, which provide year-round protection and game habitat. The proximity to hiking, biking, fishing, horseback riding, and hunting on the adjacent public lands, as well as on the ranch, cannot compare.