The K Ranch is an epic western working ranch encompassing approximately 63,000± total acres (14,367± deeded acres), with a rich history dating back to the 1870s. The ranch features a unique location that encompasses diverse landforms, including both high-elevation mountain and low-elevation canyon landscapes. The resulting natural ecosystems are not only incredibly scenic, but provide excellent habitat for a sustainable 530-head cattle operation, and for trophy big game hunting in Colorado’s famous Unit 10. The ranch’s easily accessible location along Highway 40 at the Colorado/Utah state line makes it close to a variety of nearby towns, services, and attractions.
The K Ranch deeded lands stretch 18 miles from east to west and 10 miles from north to south. The ranch is generally situated along the Colorado/Utah state line, north of US Highway 40 and south of Dinosaur National Monument. A unique topographic characteristic is that the ranch wraps around Moosehead Mountain, encompassing drainages on all sides of this 8,491-foot domed mountain. This creates a remarkable amount of diversity as these creeks and drainages descend up to 3,000 feet in elevation through a variety of ecosystems.
The deeded lands range in elevation from 5,367 to 8,200 feet and are characterized by a variety of valleys, ridges, canyons, rock outcrops, meadows, and creek bottoms. Many of the south and west-flowing drainages have eroded cliffs and rugged rock formations through the layers of sedimentary rock, resulting in multicolored bluffs and canyons. Vegetation consists primarily of grass and sage shrubbsteppe, mixed mountain shrublands, pinyon-juniper, localized aspen trees in the highest elevations and cottonwood trees in the lower creek bottoms.
The ranch spans three major river drainage basins (the Green, the Yampa, and the White River Basins). K Ranch is named for K Creek, which flows southwesterly and westerly through the ranch’s western end. Water is distributed throughout the ranch from a variety of sources including small creeks, springs, reservoirs, stock ponds, and wells, plus more than 77 miles of perennial, intermittent, and seasonal streams.
The K Ranch “contributes to the scenic character of the region and the local rural landscape in which it lies, contains a harmonious variety of shapes and textures in its mosaic of natural vegetation communities and rolling topography, and provides a degree of openness, contrast, and variety to the overall landscape.” – K Ranch Conservation Easement
The ranch lies in a transition zone between three major physiographic provinces: the Colorado Plateau to the south, the Wyoming Basin to the northeast, and the Middle Rocky Mountains to the northwest. The ranch encompasses characteristics of each province, with a predominance of semi-desert shrublands at lower elevations, pinyon-juniper woodlands at mid-elevations, and big sagebrush shrublands and shrubsteppe along with some pockets of quaking aspen at higher elevations.
The property terrain varies from gently sloping broad valleys and rolling hills with a mosaic of different vegetation communities to steep bluffs transected by rocky ridges, benches, reefs, deeply incised gullies, and multicolored canyons. Prominent topographic features on or adjacent to the ranch headquarters are the stunning Cliff Ridge and Snake John Reef, while Arapahoe Rock and Moosehead Mountain dominate the upper mountain area.
The ranch holds the grazing permit on approximately 45,000 acres of adjacent BLM lands while also sharing a boundary with Dinosaur National Monument, the BLM’s Moosehead Mountain Area of Critical Environmental Concern, and the BLM’s Bull Canyon, Willow Creek, and Skull Creek Wilderness Study Areas. Additionally, the northern portion of the ranch lies within the Arapahoe Rock Potential Conservation Area (PCA). The protection of these exceptional areas around the deeded ranch parcels is a testament to the unique and important nature of these areas.
The K Ranch features a remarkable amount of diversity and uniqueness that makes it not only a productive agricultural and hunting ranch, but encompasses a vitally important “landscape of state and national importance.” It is rare to find a solid operating ranch of this scale running efficiently year-round on 63,000 total acres that also includes outstanding trophy big game and such incredibly diverse and scenic landscape as the K Ranch.
The K Ranch is located in Northwest Colorado and Eastern Utah, along US Highway 40. The majority of the ranch, including the headquarters buildings, is located in Moffat County, Colorado. The ranch features excellent year-round access directly off of Highway 40. U.S. Route 40 passes through the South Unit of the Ranch, and Harper’s Corner Road, a paved gateway road accessing Dinosaur National Monument to the north, passes through the BLM lands in the middle of the ranch. The deeded parcels of the ranch are either immediately accessible from public roads, or located a short distance away and accessed via a private or BLM road.
Notable nearby attractions include:
Driving times from the entrance to the K Ranch headquarters:
Deeded: 14,367± acres
BLM Grazing Permits: 45,140± acres
State of Colorado Grazing Lease: 3,200± acres
State of Utah Grazing Permit: 293± acres
Total Ranch: 63,000± acres
STATE TRUST LANDS LEASE DISCLOSURE
The K Ranch holds a lease on 3,200± acres of adjoining State of Colorado land, (AG Lease Number – 112638). This lease may be assignable to the purchaser after closing, subject to the written approval of the State Board of Land Commissioners. The lease can only transfer with advance written approval of the State Board of Land Commissioners. The State Trust Lands are not included in the purchase price, nor is there any value in the purchase price associated with the lease. The assignment of the lease is not guaranteed to the purchaser. The State Land Board may charge a fee for approval of the assignment.
BLM AND STATE OF UTAH GRAZING PERMITS DISCLOSURE
K Ranch also holds grazing permits with the Bureau of Land Management and the State of Utah. Similar to the Colorado State Lease, the next owner of the K Ranch is required to apply to obtain the permits after purchasing the ranch, and there is no guarantee that the permits will be transferred or re-issued to the new owner.
CONSERVATION EASEMENT
In 2021, a conservation easement was placed on 13,934± acres of the K Ranch with Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust to ensure perpetual stewardship of this exceptional property and protect its agricultural, open space, and ecological values. The conservation easement “enhances a landscape of state and national significance,” with special importance placed on wildlife habitat, western heritage and the natural landscape.
The ranch headquarters is located at the lower end of the ranch, near the state line. Once a stage stop, this area is now home to manager and ranch hand homes, a calving facility, and corrals. A hunting lodge is located higher up the on mountain, near Arapahoe Rock. The residences are modest, but functional and useful.
Current ownership has made a number of significant improvements over the past few years including upgraded fencing, new shipping corrals, remodeling employee housing, a new irrigation pivot, and other livestock water improvements.
There are several additional locations on the ranch where structures have been located historically. The buildings are no longer habitable, but the sites would be good locations for future cabins or other structures if desired.
K Ranch is blessed with a variety of water sources spread throughout the ranch for the benefit of both livestock and wildlife. There are perennial and seasonal creeks, springs, ponds, and reservoirs. The baseline report measured more than 77 miles of perennial, intermittent, and seasonal streams on the deeded ranch. Additionally, the government leased lands have plenty of natural water sources as well, and there is no need for the ranch to haul water. A new pivot irrigation system was recently installed at the ranch headquarters and is ready to be connected to either the reservoir on K Creek or a new well recently drilled near the headquarters.
In addition to the unique character of the land, one of the most appealing aspects of the K Ranch is its trophy big game hunting. The ranch is located in Game Management Unit 10, one of four units in the northwest corner of the state that is managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) for high-quality status. Bull elk measuring over 300 inches are common, and many mature to the 350 to 400-inch range. Mule deer bucks in the 160-180+ inch range are typical every year.
To achieve these high standards, CPW is very restrictive with tags, and hunting pressure is dramatically reduced. Many years of preference points are required to draw a bull or buck tag. A benefit of owning a large deeded ranch within Unit 10 is the ability to participate in Colorado’s Landowner Preference Program. The K Ranch has historically received 17 applications for the landowner drawing for bull elk and mule deer bucks. The ranch has been accumulating preference points from undrawn tags, with current balances for most applications ranging from four to 10 points for elk and mule deer. Cow elk tags are abundant and readily available.
The varied terrain and vegetation of the ranch provide an ideal habitat for big game throughout the year. As identified by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the deeded areas of the ranch include areas classified as winter range, winter concentration areas, severe winter range, summer range, summer concentration areas, production areas, and migration patterns for elk and mule deer. As a result of the blend of summer and winter range habitats and lack of pressure in the area, the local elk herd does not tend to migrate very far, and many hundreds of elk are found on the ranch in the fall. With a bull-to-cow ratio of 40 to 100, there are plenty of opportunities for trophy-caliber elk. Even when not hunting, it is an incredible experience to see large herds of elk that are not as sensitive to human activity as they are in other areas where there is more hunting pressure.
In addition to elk, mule deer, and pronghorn antelope, other wildlife species found on the ranch are turkey, black bear, mountain lion, black-footed ferrets, greater sage grouse, bald eagles, and golden eagles.
The ranch supports a year-round cattle operation running approximately 530 cows, plus around 75± yearling heifers and 15± bulls. In addition to the deeded lands, the ranch holds grazing permits and leases on adjacent BLM and State of Colorado lands. Total AUMs (Animal Unit Months) on the BLM and State leased lands is 3,929 (consisting of 3,664 Active AUMs on the BLM permit plus 243 AUMs on the Colorado State Ag Lease and 22 AUMs on the Utah State Grazing Permit).
An advantage of the K Ranch cattle operation is that it is efficient and considered a low labor-intensive ranch for its carrying capacity. The proximity of the high mountain summer range and the low country winter range makes it easy to move cattle from pasture to pasture throughout the year, and eliminates the need to truck them around the ranch. Additionally, having good water that is well-distributed means there is no need to haul water. The recently rebuilt shipping corrals make it easy to ship when the time comes.
