Hardy Creek Ranch

Listing Price: $1,499,000

Hardy Creek Ranch is complete as it encompasses lush creek bottoms on the north and south ends of the property, rich irrigated land to the east and timbered hills and mountains to the west.  This varied topography and diverse habitat make the ranch ideal for a recreational property or a small cattle operation.  An incoming owner will have easy access to two of Montana’s larger cities, Helena and Great Falls, and the amenities and conveniences they provide.  Hardy Creek Ranch is perfectly suited for the angler, hunter, horse enthusiast or outdoorsman.

Hardy Creek Ranch is located in the western central part of the state and rests 10 miles upstream from the small farming town of Cascade, Montana.  The property is situated in Cascade County off Interstate 15, only 53 miles north of Helena and 35 miles southwest of Great Falls, Montana. 

Helena is the capital of Montana and Great Falls is the third largest city in the state.  Both cities offer daily commercial air service, first class medical facilities, shopping, fine dining, and musical and cultural activities.  Private and public golf courses can be found in Helena and Great Falls in addition to tennis, swimming and indoor and outdoor riding arenas.     

Hardy Creek Ranch is comprised of a total of 842+/- acres with 642 deeded acres and a 200 acres in a BLM lease.  The ranch has been historically used for recreation and for grazing cattle.  Approximately 20 irrigated acres could be used to provide supplemental cattle and horse feed or habitat for wild game. 

There is a 40-acre, 21 lot Planned Unit Development on the east end of the ranch that could be sold as lots or put into a conservation easement to off set the initial investment cost.  This development plan needs no further approval.  It was completed and approved in 1978, yet has never been activated.  Having a planned development approved by Cascade County would be very difficult and expensive today, thus having one already in place and ready for sale is a major value.

Ranch improvements include a modern and comfortable 3,472 sqft home showcasing two decks and a two-car garage.  Two grain bins and two outbuildings function as a pole barn for stock and an equipment shop.  The property is fenced for cattle and has interior road access to most of the ranch.

The ranch has the oldest water rights on Hardy Creek, dating back to 1888.  There are 270 GPM (gallons per minute) that irrigate over 19 acres.  This water can be used onsite, kept in-stream for fish habitat, leased or sold to a downstream user, or leased or sold to a governmental agency for in-stream or spawning flows. Many in the real estate industry feel that water rights are becoming equally or more important than mineral rights.  Although it is difficult to determine an exact value, having senior water rights usually significantly increases a property’s value.

The ranch boasts approximately one mile of Hardy Creek and one-fourth mile of Prewett Creek.  Both are small trout fisheries that provide spawning habitat for the Missouri River half of a mile down the creeks.  Both creeks are intermittent and at times run underground and then spring up again.  There are also numerous smaller side creeks and flowing springs on the ranch that provide water for stock and wildlife.