STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Real estate broker Brian Smith believes large, secluded pieces of land in Routt County continue to be a hot commodity.
That’s indicative, he said, by yet another recent sale of a large ranch property about 30 miles south of Steamboat Springs.
A partner with real estate firm Hall and Hall based in Steamboat, Smith was the listing agent and represented the seller of the 1,378-acre Lost Elk Ranch, located off Routt County Road 16 near Lynx Pass in the Morrison Creek valley. The sale closed last week with a price tag of over $6 million.
“There is a reason the Morrison Creek valley has historically been a high-end neighborhood,” Smith said. “It is a beautiful Colorado mountain valley that is relatively secluded, yet allows landowners back-door access to vast national forest and wilderness areas.”
While the local real estate market has cooled slightly since its chaotic, multirecord-breaking summer, there are still more people in search of large, private properties than what is available, according to Smith. Several multimillion-dollar properties in Routt County similar to Lost Elk Ranch were sold throughout 2020. And the hunt for those properties continues.
Routt County has been a prime destination for ranches that boast picturesque scenes, extensive wildlife and a peaceful, quiet atmosphere. At the same time, the properties aren’t far from a world-class ski area and bustling commerce of Steamboat Springs.
Neither the buyers nor sellers of the property wished to comment for this story.
The Lost Elk Ranch property is surrounded on three sides by Routt National Forest and offers trophy-caliber elk, mule deer, black bear and an occasional moose. There’s abundant water on the property with three streams, stocked fishing ponds, historic water rights and irrigated meadows. And the recently constructed 5,700-plus-square-foot home incorporates premium materials and a well-designed floor plan for guests and entertaining.
