The Minnechaduza Creek Ranch, including over three and a half miles of creek frontage, consists of 4,385± acres located in Cherry County, Nebraska. The ranch is located 14 miles west of Valentine on Highway 20. The terrain varies from rolling sandhills, fertile creek valley, and hard grass. A pivot, sub-irrigated meadow, and dryland hay ground provide plenty of winter feed and numerous hand-planted shelterbelts provide excellent winter protection. The property also features three homes, indoor arena, outdoor arena, corrals, and barns. Hunting is excellent with the combination of water, trees and creek bottoms. Wildlife include deer, turkeys, upland birds, and waterfowl. This is a very well-balanced ranch with all the amenities needed for a successful operation.
The improvements overlook the creek and sub-irrigated meadows. The south side of the creek transitions into the rolling Sandhills and the north side holds the fertile flat irrigation and dryland hay ground, along with the numerous cottonwood and cedar windbreaks. The very north end of the ranch rises up out of the valley and contains harder grass country. Water is abundant on the property with the creek flowing through the property for over three and a half miles plus the sub-irrigated meadows.
The Minnechaduza Creek Ranch is just a few minutes from Valentine, Nebraska on the northern edge of the Sandhills. The ranch has been in the family for nearly 90 years and has treated them well. There is a reason that ranches of this quality rarely come on the market. At one time, it was a very reputable quarter horse ranch that sold horses throughout the United States. The ranch consists of live water, sub-irrigated meadows, pivot, fertile dryland hay ground, beautiful cottonwood/cedar windbreaks and features an indoor arena. It is a great setup for a year-round operation that will meet all your needs. An added bonus is the great hunting due to the excellent habitat along the creek.
Minnechaduza Creek Ranch is located in Cherry County, Nebraska, 14 miles west of Valentine on highway 20. Valentine Airport supports a 4,700 feet runway capable of jet service. Valentine, with a population near 3,000, is the major hub for the Northern Sandhills and offers all major amenities.
The area is mostly a farm and ranch community. Many people are attracted to the area for the open country and beautiful river valleys, which provide excellent recreation and hunting opportunities. The Minnechaduza Creek, which is a Sioux Indian name meaning “rapid water”, is the dividing feature between the rolling Sandhills to the south and hard grass country to the north. Cherry County is the number one county in the United States for cow/calf numbers and hosts some of the top sale barns in the world. Valentine is a popular tourist destination and known for its recreational opportunities, such as canoeing, hunting, fishing, and world class golf courses.
Average annual precipitation is 20 inches, which the majority of comes during the spring and summer months. Average high temperature ranges from 85 degrees in July to 36 degrees during January. For the most part, the area is noted for low humidity, allowing comfortable evenings and mornings.
** Some of the outstanding photography herein was provided by Rolf Clarke. (Contact information is available upon request.)
Main House 2,093 sq ft 4 bedroom/2 bath/garage
Secondary House 2,376 sq ft 5 bedroom/2 bath
Bunkhouse 861 sq ft 3 bedroom/ 1 bath/remodeled kitchen
Implement Quonset 4,100 sq ft
Frame Barn 800 sq ft
Barn Quonset 2,460 sq ft
Indoor Arena 15,750 sq ft
Seven tower Valley Pivot
The main attraction of water is the Minnechaduza Creek that meanders through the property for over three miles. On the northwest end of the ranch, Bull Creek joins the Minnechaduza. Both are year-round flowing creeks. The livestock water is supplied by seven submersible wells along with windmills, solar wells, and pipeline. Most of the outbuildings, including indoor arena, has water supply from a submersible well. The irrigation system is a surface water right from the creek and is supplied by an electric pump. The priority date for the surface water right is 1956 and delivers 400gpm on 75 acres.
All sellers owned mineral rights will be transferred.
Annual taxes are estimated at $21,717 based upon past years.
Wildlife is abundant on the ranch due to the creek bottoms, cottonwood/cedar windbreaks, and alfalfa fields along the creek. Wildlife includes whitetail and mule deer, pheasant, grouse, turkeys, dove, waterfowl, and coyotes. Many trophy deer have been harvested off the property in the past.
The ranch is currently being utilized as a cow/calf operation. The owner rates it at a comfortable 350 year-round cow/calf operation with all the supporting stock. The cows are calved in the spring and then taken to summer pastures. The calves are weaned in the fall and sold at the local sale barn. The cows will graze the meadows and dryland hay ground regrowth, and usually not supplemented with hay until January. The cottonwood/cedar windbreaks provide excellent winter and calving protection. The sub-irrigated meadows, pivot, and dryland hay ground is harvested for hay throughout the summer months and stockpiled for winter feeding. The Indoor and outdoor arena provide opportunity for year around riding and roping or could be utilized as a large calving barn. The ranch would also make a good yearling operation with the abundant winter feed and shelterbelts for winter and excellent quality grass for summer.
