Alice Basin Ranch

Lincoln, Montana
$1,250,000- SOLD!
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The Alice Basin Ranch offers 640 very private acres in the upper Blackfoot Valley 13 miles east of Lincoln. Adjacent to endless tracts of United States Forest Service and State of Montana land and consisting of a diverse mix of rolling hills, mature aspen stands, open meadows, wetlands and conifers, the ranch attracts high populations of elk, mule deer and whitetail while offering stunning vistas of the Alice Basin and the nearby Scapegoat Wilderness Area. Year-round recreational opportunities are abundant with summer offering direct access into the Bob Marshall/Scapegoat Wilderness complex and fall offering productive private hunting. Winter opens hundreds of thousands of acres to snow-based recreation, while the spring produces outstanding fishing on the nearby Blackfoot River. This property is unimproved. A conservation easement is to be reserved at closing subject to buyer's acceptance.

The Alice Basin Ranch consists of a full section (640 acres) located 13 miles northeast of Lincoln, MT with unobstructed views of the Scapegoat Wilderness to the north and Alice Basin to the south. The property is bordered on three sides by large working ranches and on the fourth by State of Montana lands that lead to United States Forest Service. The area is a magnet for wildlife with the property itself serving as important late and early season habitat for elk, mule deer and whitetail amid a mix of aspen, conifer, open meadows, wetlands and the headwaters of Hardscrabble Creek. The upper Blackfoot River is within four miles, providing the fly fisherman quick access to legendary trout waters. Scenery, privacy and abundant wildlife are the hallmark of this great property.

Alice Basin Ranch is located 13 miles northeast of Lincoln. From Lincoln, travel east 9.5 miles on Montana State Highway 200 and 3.5 miles north on the graded gravel of Alice Creek Road. Lincoln provides basic goods and services including several restaurants, service stations and a grocery store. The property is located approximately 62 and 83 miles respectively from commercial air services in Helena, the state capital, and Missoula where the University of Montana is located. Both Helena and Missoula provide good urban amenities including fine dining, theater, more extensive shopping and all other major services. Additionally, the city of Great Falls is located 76 miles to the northeast, with its full complement of commercial air service, goods and other services. Lincoln has a public airport with a 4,200-foot lighted runway.

The Blackfoot Valley is undeniably one of the most highly sought-after locations in the northern Rockies. It is in the hands of some of the most prominent and ardent conservationists in the world and, as a result, it has maintained its integrity and rural character. Countless ranches in the valley have been placed under conservation easement, forever protecting them from development. In fact this valley is the home of the very first donated conservation easement in the state and the valley has led the way in the conservation arena ever since. The Blackfoot Valley sits at the southern edge of the Bob Marshall/Scapegoat Wilderness complex, which gives backcountry enthusiasts access to over one and one-half million acres of wilderness.

The ranch is also located at a historical juncture and sits directly on the route followed eastward by Meriwether Lewis (William Clark took another route to maximize their new discoveries) and was also the route used for centuries by Salish and Kootenai tribes of Native Americans, known as the Going to the Buffalo Road. Other historical uses include a variety of pioneering cattle ranches, early and modern logging operations and more recently, a mecca for fly fisherman and other outdoor enthusiasts.

The property is currently surrounded on three sides by large operating cattle ranches and on the fourth side by State of Montana lands administered by the Department of Natural Resources. The Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem sprawls to the north, offering the second largest semi-intact ecosystem within the lower 48 states, right behind the Greater Yellowstone Area. This means that a full complement of native species can be expected to visit the ranch, either as year-round residents or through migratory or dispersal patterns. Perhaps most significantly to the prospective buyer is that the Alice Basin Ranch was recently part of the 89,000-acre purchase by The Nature Conservancy of Plum Creek Timber Company Lands. This is one of only three parcels from that project to be offered to the general public as part of TNC’s recoupment of costs associated with this historic landscape-level conservation effort.

Elevation: 5,300-5,600 feet above sea level
Annual Precipitation: 18± inches
Average Annual Snowfall: 85± inches

The unimproved Alice Basin Ranch is entered on its east boundary a few yards off of the Alice Creek Road. Rising gently to the west and north through stands of pure aspen and mixed conifer interspersed with open meadows, the north boundary is reached after traversing a broad, open ridge with sweeping views of Alice Basin to the south and the Scapegoat Wilderness to the north. Along the way, a variety of healthy native habitats are encountered including grasslands, wetlands, and the spring-fed headwaters of Hardscrabble Creek. Overall, the property exists as a series of rolling bench lands, small forested valleys and two broad grassland ridges that provide highly desirable forage and security cover for local elk and deer. The highest point of the property is along the north boundary at slightly over 5,600 feet above sea level.

The Alice Basin Ranch is unimproved. The best view sites on the property are located within the building area suggested by the seller as part of the conservation easement. The buyer may choose from a variety of locations within the building area to establish their specific building site. The final easement will likely provide for a single family residence with associated guest and outbuilding improvements. Sale of the property is dependent on mutual agreement between buyer and seller on the final terms and conditions of the conservation easement.

Water resources on the Alice Basin Ranch include several pothole wetlands and the headwaters and about one-half mile of Hardscrabble Creek, a small tributary to the Blackfoot River. Abundant year-round springs provide good stock water, but there are no established water rights on the property.

640±

Cash at closing

The seller of the property is The Nature Conservancy, an international non-profit conservation organization. The sale of this property is part of the greater Blackfoot-Plum Creek conservation sale of 89,000 acres of private timberland located in the upper Blackfoot Valley. As a necessary part of a public sale, The Nature Conservancy will reserve a conservation easement over the property to ensure its continued existence in substantially its current condition. A draft of the proposed conservation easement is available upon request, but final details are subject to agreement between the buyer and seller. In general, the terms of the conservation easement will allow the quiet enjoyment of this parcel, including the development of a residential compound, hunting, hiking, equestrian uses and most other recreational activities.

Because of its strategic elevation and the diverse mix of habitat types, including aspen, dense conifer stands, open meadows and water, the Alice Basin Ranch provides exceptionally high quality habitat for big game, including elk, mule deer and whitetail. Elk use the area in the spring for calving, where early green-up allows them to forage on abundant native grasses. Dense cover provides security and the mild temperatures created by lower elevations that the surrounding country further make it an ideal location for rearing young. A wide variety of other Montana native species also utilize the area, including bears, wolves and assorted small game.

Lincoln and the surrounding area offer one of the best locations for the active outdoor enthusiast. Fly fishing on the Blackfoot and its larger tributaries is extraordinarily good. The salmon-fly hatch in mid-June is especially famous, but quality dry-fly fishing occurs from April through October. The fall offers some of the best big-game hunting in Montana directly on the property and in the surrounding national forest and wilderness areas. Winter provides an abundance of over the snow options ranging from snow machine trails covering hundreds of miles in around the Lincoln and upper Blackfoot area, while the Great Divide Ski Area, less than 35 miles away, provides the alpine enthusiast the conveniences of lift-served skiing.

Water resources on the Alice Basin Ranch include several pothole wetlands and the headwaters and about one-half mile of Hardscrabble Creek, a small tributary to the Blackfoot River. Abundant year-round springs provide good stock and wildlife water, but there are no established water rights on the property.

MANAGEMENT SERVICES – Hall and Hall’s Management Division has a very clear mission – To represent the owner and to ensure that his or her experience is a positive one. Services are customized to suit the owner’s needs. They often begin with the recruiting and hiring of a suitable ranch manager or caretaker and are followed by the development of a management or operating plan along with appropriate budgets. Ongoing services include bill paying, ranch oversight, and consulting services as needed. Even the most sophisticated and experienced ranch owners appreciate the value of a management firm representing them and providing advice on local area practices and costs. Wes Oja and Jerome Chvilicek at (406) 656-7500 or Randy Clavel at (303) 861-8282 are available to describe and discuss these services in detail and welcome your call.

RESOURCE ENHANCEMENT SERVICES – Increasingly the value of a ranch is measured by the quality of each and every one of its resources. Coincidentally the enhancement of a ranch’s resources also increases the pleasure that one derives from the ownership of a ranch. Our management services have included the assessment of everything from wildlife habitat to bird habitat to water resources and fisheries and the subsequent oversight of the process involved with the enhancement of these resources. Wes Oja or Jerome Chvilicek at (406) 656-7500 are available to describe and discuss these services in detail and welcome your call.

SPECIALIZED LENDING - Over the past 59 years Hall and Hall has created a legacy by efficiently providing capital to the intermountain west. In addition to traditional farm and ranch loans, we specialize in understanding the unique aspects of placing loans on ranches where value may be influenced by recreational features, location and improvements and repayment may come from outside sources. Our extensive experience and strong relationships with our lenders allows us to quickly tell you whether we can provide the required financing.

Competitive Pricing ● Flexible Terms ● Efficient Processing
In-House Appraisals ● Common Sense Underwriting
Dave Roddy ● (406) 656-7500
Mike Hall, Judy Chirila, or Randy Clavel ● (303) 861-8282
Monte Lyons ● (806) 698-6882