Raised on a ranch south of Buffalo, Mike became passionate about agriculture and the outdoors at an early age. He worked in many facets of the operation, including farming and irrigation, commercial hay production, and cattle raising. Today, he enjoys sharing his heritage with his family. Mike graduated from Texas Tech University in 1994. Soon after graduation, the call of the Rocky Mountains brought Mike back to Wyoming as an agriculture instructor in Meeteetse, Wyoming. His entrepreneurial nature soon led Mike to own and run a commercial weed spraying and range management business. Returning to Buffalo in 1999, he bought a Farm Bureau Financial Services office. After a successful ten years in the insurance business, Mike’s love of the land caused him to turn his attention to the ranch brokerage business. It was a natural fit for Mike, and he quickly established himself as one of the top ranch brokers in Wyoming.
Click HERE to read a story about Mike and one of many successful buyer and seller transitions.
Cross Creek Ranch is located along the east slope of the Snowy Range and about two miles south of Centennial. The ranch comprises 370± deeded acres and backs up to the Medicine Bow National Forest. Anchoring the ranch is a custom log home and a large, quality, heated, and insulated indoor arena/barn. The house sits higher on the western end of the property, providing big views of a diverse terrain. To the west of the residence are the towering mountains, and looking east, the view overlooks a lush aspen bottom across native grass plains and takes in the distant timbered bluff. The arena is below the home, to the east, inconspicuously tucked back in, and surrounded by dense aspens. The far east portion of the ranch is open, lush, and productive, with a gentle, more flattened terrain. Much of it is irrigated and sub-irrigated, creating quality stands of native grass for grazing and hay production.
The ranch is perfectly positioned against the base of the mountain, providing an exceptional location for an executive home and property inhabited by a broad cross-section of wildlife. The adjacency to the Medicine Bow National Forest adds an unlimited "backyard" full of recreational amenities for all seasons of the year. Cross Creek Ranch is big enough to provide a lot of diversity and quality Wyoming attributes but small enough to be manageable.
Heading south from Centennial, a short distance on Kelly Creek Road takes one through dense aspen groves and a few high-quality mountain homes. Continuing south and entering the property, the ranch opens to high grass plains flowing from the mountains. Entering the ranch and angling west on the ranch’s private drive leads one up to a 6,000± square-foot executive log home situated on the western boundary. While traveling up to the homesite, take a quick look north, and one can notice a large indoor arena tucked back in the Aspen grove, mostly out of sight.
The 150x300-foot heated and insulated arena is vast, covering almost an acre. Exceptionally well-built, the building is a clear span encompassing a large arena equipped with roping chutes, a return alley, and several stalls for horses. There is also a tack room, bathroom, and area for vet and roping supplies.
The far western edge of the property is an extension of the timbered Snowy Range. It opens and flows to the east over a prominent timbered ridge and onto the Kelly Creek pastures and alluvial bottom. The eastern portion of the ranch is gentler and gradually sloping. Kelly Creek, a small spring-fed stream, flows east out of the Snowy’s and then heads south, skirting through and along the ranches’ east boundary. The Creek provides lush bottom ground that is both irrigated and sub-irrigated. Currently, approximately 70 to 80 acres are harvested for high-quality, high-meadow grass hay. The remainder of the pastures are utilized for summer and fall grazing. The property is fully fenced and big enough to run a small herd of cattle and a few horses or more horses and fewer cattle.
The Cross Creek Ranch is very straightforward—a fantastic “mountain foothills” ranch that borders the Medicine Bow National Forest. It is well-equipped with a beautiful home, a fantastic horse and roping arena, and enough acreage to run a little livestock and enjoy the wildlife resources and open space. It is a true executive's ranch that is easy to own.
Cross Creek Ranch is situated about two miles south of Centennial, WY, along the east boundary of the Medicine Bow National Forest. It is a quick 30-mile drive west from the vibrant college town of Laramie, which has a population of 32,000 and a full slate of amenities. Laramie offers limited commercial air service, plus a private FBO, and Denver International Airport is just two hours from the ranch.
The ranch is located at the base of the Snowy Range and gives an appropriate “base of the mountain” feel. To the direct west is the Medicine Bow National Forest, providing nearly endless public lands. North of the ranch are smaller foothill acreages, most with high-quality mountain homes. These mountain retreats then back up to the town of Centennial. South and east of the ranch boundary are larger, more expansive high plains ranches, primarily held in strong hands. The nearby community of Centennial is a typical mountain town built on early settlement and a bygone logging industry. Now, it is more suited as a small recreational town that acts as a gateway to the National Forest and endless mountain recreation.
Medicine Bow National Forest sits west of the ranch and Centennial and is home to the Snowy Range Ski Area. Medicine Bow Peak is the highest peak in the Snowy Range, reaching 12,013 feet above sea level. This massive expanse of public land is well known for its hunting, fishing, and lengthy trail system for summer recreation and tremendous snowmobiling.
Thirty miles east of the ranch is Laramie. Laramie’s population is roughly 32,000 and includes the University of Wyoming, which has an enrollment of 12,000±. As a major university town, Laramie enjoys a variety of arts, as well as athletic and social amenities that cater to the students, guests, and alumni of the school. Laramie is also the County Seat of Albany County. The Laramie Regional Airport offers limited commercial service and can accommodate large private jets.
Because of the elevation, Centennial and Laramie, Wyoming, have a relatively cool climate. The average daily summer temperature in Laramie is just over 70 degrees. Average daily winter temperatures are below 40 degrees. Average temperatures drop rapidly as elevation increases. Summer nights are almost invariably cool even though daytime readings may reach temperatures in the 80s. High temperatures rarely reach 90 degrees on the ranch. In the wintertime, rapid and frequent changes between mild and cold spells are characteristic. The average annual precipitation at the ranch is nearly 14 inches. During the winter months, snow does accumulate at the ranch. However, the ranch has year-round access and requires limited snow removal and maintenance.
The Cross Creek Ranch consists of 370± deeded acres combined in two nearly adjoining parcels. The terrain varies greatly, with pine-timbered forest on the far west end and expanding easterly to lower elevations filled with dense stands of aspens and open grass plains of rangeland.
The United States Forest Service borders the 220± acre western parcel and feels appropriately mountainous. The home and arena are perfectly located to be private and largely inconspicuous. The elevation decreases rapidly as the property falls easterly. It is nicely balanced with large stands of Aspens, scattered pines, and sloping grasslands. The lower 150± acre parcel is largely irrigated and sub-irrigated as Kelly Creek skirts the easterly boundary. Currently, about 60 acres are being cut for quality grass hay and the additional acreage is being utilized for pasture.
The Cross Creek Ranch offers an exceptional owner’s home and a large, clear span insulated and heated indoor arena.
Owner's Home: An exceptionally built, 6,080± square foot Swedish Cope log home designed by architect Joe P. Robbins of Steamboat Springs. The home is a must-see built of oversized logs and spanning open beams. The heart of the home is a large great room with a sunken living room and wood-burning fireplace. Wood floors and the exposed beams give the home a fitting mountain feel one would expect at the base of the mountain. With an open floor plan, the great room is balanced with a large dining room and open kitchen, floored with quality Saltillo tile. The kitchen has high-quality appliances, pine cabinetry, granite counters, and a center island with a cooktop. It makes the home warm and inviting. The main floor leads down a hallway to a den, the primary bedroom, and the bathroom.
Additionally, the home has a private guestroom suite that gives guests a feeling of privacy without leaving the main residence. The residence's lower level provides a large family room and a large bedroom with multiple beds for additional family and friends. The home is heated with in-floor radiant heating from a dual-source system using wood pellets and propane-fired boilers. The home’s electric system is supplemented with solar panels, which helps offset the electric costs.
Indoor Arena: The build is impressive: a massive, clear span 150'x300' indoor arena constructed with large steel beams on concrete pilings and metal siding. The west wall is built into the sloping hillside with nearly 700 tons of concrete. The arena structure is fully insulated and heated with large rollup doors on the north and south ends. The arena is set up for roping, with roping chutes, boxes, and a high-quality return alley. Additionally, there are three stalls, a workshop area, a tack room, hay storage, and a restroom. An open-face overhang on the east side provides additional storage for hay and equipment. Outside, at the arena's south end, is a large parking area for vehicles and trailers. Out the north end of the arena and wrapped around the east side are a nice set of pipe pens for holding cattle and horses. It should be noticed that the massive indoor arena is carefully tucked back into an aspen grove and situated mostly out of sight.
All minerals appurtenant to the property and owned by the current owners will be conveyed to the buyer.
Based on past years, the annual real estate taxes are estimated at $15,572.
Wildlife on the ranch and in the adjacent mountains includes species one would expect, including elk, mule deer, moose, black bear, mountain lions, antelope, coyotes, marmots, pika, Richardson's ground squirrels, bobcats, and lynx, as well as a variety of birds. The lush irrigation and brushed slope are good habitats for holding game.
The Snowy Range Mountains, immediately to the west, are well known for their many recreational amenities. Many streams and lakes are nearby and provide excellent fishing. The Medicine Bow National Forest is equipped with numerous trail systems for hiking and riding, which are very user-friendly. There are also endless miles of dirt roads for exploring on ATVs and mountain bikes. The Snowy Range Ski Area provides excellent downhill skiing just west of Centennial. The area is also noted as one of the best areas in the west for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing, with many miles of trail systems for both.
Mike's ranching background, thoughtfulness and attention to detail all made for a smooth and successful closing.
Working with Mike Fraley to sell our family ranch was truly a pleasure throughout the process. He handled everything with skill and integrity, from family emotions and interfacing with ranch hands, to managing showings without interfering with ranching operations and expertly handling all the...
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