Located just over an hour from Denver International Airport and with easy access to Denver, Boulder, and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport just off the Peak-to-Peak Highway, Caribou Ranch comprises 1,700± deeded acres. The property has been well maintained under the same ownership for over a decade, with a storied past as a former Arabian horse breeding ranch, world-renowned recording studio, and was once nearly designated a ski area.
Part of this property’s exceptional nature is its location along the front range. Most of the property borders public lands and Boulder County open space. It lies east of the Indian Peaks Wilderness, a protected wilderness area since 1978. With an altitude reaching up to 10,000 feet and the main compound at 8,400 feet, the ranch opens up to views of the majestic snow-capped Indian Peaks to the west. Sweeping pastured valleys—an uncommon feature at this altitude—extend to the property’s western boundary.
A sanctuary for abundant wildlife, the ranch property is home to moose, fox, deer, coyote, mountain lion, bear, and hundreds of elk who graze the grassy fields and wildflower meadows in the summer and lounge beneath golden aspen trees and mature pine forests in the fall.
Several outlaying houses and ancillary buildings exist on the property, including the primary residence, two horse barns, two equipment buildings, four guest cabins, a six-room lodge with a gathering space, and a riding area. A handful of the buildings date back to the 1880s when the property was used as a mining base camp during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush era.
Caribou Ranch has benefitted from thoughtful and committed land stewardship practices that have enhanced the wildlife habitat and protected its incredible access to recreational opportunities on and around the property. A conservation easement ensures the property will continue to be a residential haven with a heart for habitat. A future ranch owner will find unparalleled natural beauty and tranquility on the Caribou Ranch.
Caribou Ranch comprises 1,700± deeded acres of secluded, undeveloped, and exceptionally scenic land along Colorado’s Front Range. Just north of the charming town of Nederland, Caribou Ranch has preserved a stretch of land that probably feels like it did 100 years ago or more.
It’s unique for an undeveloped valley like this to exist on the Front Range. Approaching through the front gates, views of majestic snow-dusted Indian Peaks rise in the distance. The land then levels into a flat pastured valley—uncommon for this altitude of 8,400 feet. The valley extends to the property's western border, providing a sanctuary for elk and other wildlife that graze on the grasses and drink from the numerous streams and ponds—the largest of which is over three acres in size. North Boulder Creek, Delonde Creek, Fisher Creek, and Como Creek flow year-round through the ranch.
The primary vegetation is grassland and hayfields, interspersed with mature pine and aspen forests. The undulating valley rises to hilly outlooks, opening to views of snow-covered peaks in the distance.
The rarity of the Caribou Ranch officially presented back to the market is just that: an incredibly rare opportunity. Some of the many attributes of this property include its location, accessibility, privacy, landscape, views, infrastructure, diverse topography, abundance of surface water, unique history, and numerous unique physical features. Hall and Hall is extremely privileged to represent world-class properties, and the Caribou Ranch is nothing less than extraordinary. In today’s ranch and luxury recreational real estate market, the Caribou Ranch is exceptionally scarce.
Caribou Ranch is located on Colorado’s Front Range, a 30-minute drive from Boulder and just over an hour from Denver International Airport. The ranch is less than five minutes from the town of Nederland. Nearly 80 percent of the ranch borders public lands.
Caribou Ranch lies in a protected, scenic alpine valley tucked among the peaks of Colorado’s Front Range. This region is known for its outdoor recreation and close-knit communities, which are close to cosmopolitan centers but feel like a world apart.
Nederland
One of Colorado’s most charming mountain towns, Nederland is a few minutes drive south of Caribou Ranch. This colorful, historical community boasts a compact main street with coffee shops and restaurants, including a stunningly maintained carousel handcrafted by a local artisan and military veteran. It’s a perfect home base for hiking, fishing, winter sports, and more.
Eldora Mountain Resort
Just minutes from Nederland lies Eldora Mountain Resort, a favorite for locals and tourists alike. This world-class ski resort operates between November and April and features 680 acres of terrain and ten lifts. Ski runs for all abilities range from 9,200 to 10,600 feet in elevation.
Boulder
Boulder offers a lively community, world-class dining, and a fun cultural destination only 35 minutes away along the winding Boulder Canyon Drive. Here, immerse yourself in the animated energy of a college town—the primary setting for the University of Colorado—with recreational opportunities and outstanding food and dining.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Just 30 minutes north lies one of the country’s most incredible national parks: Rocky Mountain National Park, established in 1915. This year-round destination encompasses 415 square miles (265,807 acres) of meadows, alpine lakes, and towering mountain peaks. Over 300 miles of hiking trails make it a must-see for recreationists.
Thanks to its location at 8,400 feet in altitude, Caribou Ranch experiences months of warm sunny days in the summer, balanced by cool nights just about year-round. Summer temperatures can rise into the mid-70s, while winter highs are typically in the 30s. Snowfall can last into spring, transitioning to sporadic thunderstorms in early summer. The property's elevation ranges from around 8,400± feet at the lowest point to approximately 8,650± feet at the highest point.
There are several historical structures on the Caribou Ranch. Many of them still bear the traces of the property’s storied history dating back to the 1860s when the area’s early railroad line, the Switzerland Trail Narrow Gauge from Boulder, flooded the area with miners seeking their fortunes. Today, the ranch is a tranquil respite with hints of its colorful past.
Primary Residence
Constructed in the 1980s using a cabin from the 1860s, this residence is a 9,133± square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath homestead. This primary residence is a two-story building with a walk-out basement, constructed of primarily log and stone. Features include multiple stone fireplaces, a wood front porch and upper deck, and a multidirectional gabled roof. (Please note this residence is not habitable and can either be wholly remodeled or torn down and material donated to Habitat for Humanity).
Guest Cabins
There are five guest cabins, each named for notable Native American persons:
Barns and Outbuildings
The property includes an 11,100± square-foot equipment barn and shop, a 1,904± square-foot horse/hay barn (both built in 1968), a 2,145± multi-purpose barn (built in 1937), an equipment shed (built in 1919), and a 486± square-foot blacksmith shop.
Additional Improvements
In addition, there is an office (1,688± square feet), a six-bedroom guest lodge (2,781± square feet, built in 1947), a dining hall (4,136± square feet), a historic recording studio (6,662± square feet) and a 3,372± square-foot caretaker unit on buffer lands.
Any and all seller-owned water rights appurtenant to the property are included in the sale.
The Caribou Ranch includes an extensive water rights portfolio, generally sourced from Como Creek and North Boulder Creek, that facilitates the various irrigation, piscatorial, stock watering, and domestic uses on the property, utilizing ditch rights with appropriations dating back to the 1870s, adjudicated ponds, contractual water rights, springs, and plans for augmentation. Key elements include:
Additional information regarding the Caribou Ranch water rights is available upon request.
Any and all seller-owned mineral rights appurtenant to the property are included in the sale.
Located in Game Management Unit 29, Caribou Ranch is a haven for migrating wildlife populations, including elk, lynx, bobcats, fox, coyotes, elk, deer, moose, and bears. The ranch owners offer elk hunting to friends and family as a means of managing the elk overpopulation.
Recreational opportunities abound on the Caribou Ranch. The well-maintained roads offer access throughout the property, with hiking, biking, and fly fishing the primary outdoor recreation opportunities. For mountain bikers, over ten miles of singletrack were built on the property in a way that flows with and does not interfere with the landscape. The gentle terrain is excellent for hiking and even camping. For hunters, this property is prime for elk hunting as a means of thinning overpopulation.
Of course, the recreational opportunities continue off the ranch as well. Nearby hiking and snowshoeing are superb in the Indian Peaks Wilderness and Rocky Mountain National Park. Some of the finest downhill and Nordic skiing in the state (or nation) is just a short drive away.
