Phillips Creek Yampa Ranch

LOCATION
The Phillips Creek Yampa Ranch is located just south of Yampa, CO along both sides of State Highway 131 corridor, with year-round access via Routt CR 6d and State Highway 131. Yampa is centrally located to the resort community of Steamboat Springs, 25 miles north, and to the Interstate 70 corridor, 50 miles south.

LOCALE
In addition to easy access to Steamboat and Vail, the area has air service from Yampa Valley Regional Airport, with daily flights to Denver and non-stop flights to major US cities and is only 35 miles northwest in the Town of Hayden. Yampa is noted as the Gateway to the Flattops, an area rich with outdoor recreational opportunities – hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, back country skiing, hunting - along with all the nearby amenities of Steamboat Springs and the Steamboat Springs Ski Area. Also, Yampa and nearby Oak Creek offer small town hospitality, with grocery, shopping, and restaurant amenities.

ACREAGE & WATER DESCRIPTION
The Phillips Creek Yampa Ranch consists of 2,131 acres of deeded land and 120 acres of BLM. There are approximately 241 acres irrigated meadow plus additional bottomland pasture.  The upland grades easterly with sage brush hills into aspen and pine trees to the easterly border which joins the Routt National Forest boundary.

Irrigated lands have numerous irrigation rights and several that have early priority.  The highlighted water right is “All of the Pennsylvania Ditch from the Roaring Fork of the Yampa River, adjudicated by Decree as Priority No. 2, with an appropriation date of June 6, 1883, for 5.3 cfs.”  This right is #2 in the upper basin and #6 on the entire Yampa River.  A 1903 Supplemental Pennsylvania Ditch right is for another 5.3 cfs.  Additional water rights from 3 other ditches provide 5.02 cfs early priority water and another 10 cfs of supplemental water rights.  These surface rights are backed up by 520-acre feet of valuable storage rights in the Yamcolo Reservoir.  In addition to existing irrigated acreage the ranch has capability to develop another 150 acres on the west side of Phillips Creek.

Combined, the ranch offers over 30 cfs of decreed water rights together with 520 AF (roughly 18%) of storage rights in the Yamcolo Reservoir having arguably the best water rights in the basin and making it essentially “drought proof”.   A complete list of water rights is available.

Elevations on the ranch range from a base elevation of 8,000 ft climbing to 8,800 ft above sea level at the eastern ranch boundary which connects with Routt National Forest, allow for dramatic views of the Flattops and surrounding areas. Topography and vegetation range from level grazing and hay meadows to undulating sagebrush covered hillsides to mountainous terrain of dark timber and aspen groves.  The upland is cross fenced for rotational and sustainable grazing practices.

IMPROVEMENTS
Improvements on the Yampa ranch are well maintained and consist of functional barns, corrals, perimeter and cross fencing, and hay sheds, along with residential improvements that include two modest modular homes and a newer hunting cabin. Noteworthy, the potential exists to create an updated recreational ranch headquarters and home elsewhere on the ranch and specific to one’s needs.

A complete list of buildings is available.

RECREATON ATTRIBUTES
Elevations on the ranch, base elevation of 8,000 ft climbing to 8,800 ft above sea level at the eastern ranch boundary which connects with Routt National Forest, allow for dramatic views to the Flattops and surrounding areas. Topography and vegetation range from level grazing and hay meadows to undulating sagebrush covered hillsides to mountainous terrain of dark timber and aspen groves. The recreational offerings are year-round, and the 1.5 miles of border with Routt National Forest creates hunting opportunities which are excellent and private. Elk, deer, bear, and other wild game are plentiful. The perfect mix of habitat and natural drainage from the National Forest lands provides the ideal setup for archery and muzzle loader hunting seasons. Combining those attributes with public land hunting pressure makes this property a ‘hunting dream’ for rifle season.  

The ranch includes the fishable live water amenity of Phillips Creek which traverses the ranch near the base of Eagle Rock offering a rock-bottom, slow-moving fishery with deep holes and great fish habitat.  This year-round stream meanders through willow lined grass meadows and provides a surprisingly delightful fishing experience.

Other recreation opportunities include ATV touring, mountain biking, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and simply enjoying the mountain lifestyle.

CONSERVATION EASEMENT
A 1,600-acre portion of the Phillips Creek Yampa Ranch is under the protection of a conservation easement, ensuring the recreational and agricultural landscape remains pristine in perpetuity. This protection allows for two, unrestricted building envelopes, and potentially others, if successfully negotiated with the CE holder. There are portions of the ranch which are not encumbered by a CE and include the southern 480 acres. The recorded deed of conservation easement is available.

SUMMARY
The Phillips Creek Yampa Ranch has an array of landscapes and amenities difficult to find in a single land holding. From 1.5 miles of high-country hunting territory bordering Routt National Forest, to “fishable” Phillips Creek, to lush grass covered grazing pastures and irrigated hay meadows, the ranch emerges as a hidden gem. The year-round recreational opportunities are complemented by a quality cattle ranch that offers the opportunity to scale carrying capacity.  The quality of the water rights for irrigation, livestock capacity and presence of wildlife help to insure appreciation of the resource. Considering the variety of landscapes and its Yampa, CO location, an area rich with outdoor recreation, ranching heritage, convenience to Steamboat Springs and proximity to the I-70 corridor, the Phillips Creek Yampa Ranch is an exceptional ownership opportunity.

Co-listed with Amy Williams, The Group.