Stump Creek Ranch

Listing Price: $1,350,000

Stump Creek Ranch is located in Lincoln County along the western edge of Wyoming and within close proximity to the Idaho state line. The small western town of Afton is located a short five-minute drive from the ranch, offering modern conveniences while the vacation favorite of Jackson Hole is a 75-minute drive north through the scenic Snake River Canyon. The area’s recreational opportunities are abundant and include world-class trout waters and the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Private air service is offered in nearby Afton via a 7,200 ft airstrip, while commercial service is available in Jackson Hole.

Stump Creek Ranch is comprised of 135.62 acres with approximately 130 of those acres in productive, irrigated hay meadows. Stump Creek meanders through the ranch for approximately a half mile, shaping the meadows and supporting numerous large stands of cottonwood trees. The western viewscape is dominated by Stump Creek drainage, which cuts its way through the Caribou Targhee National Forest, while the eastern horizon provides exceptional views of the Wyoming Range. The entire ranch is fenced along its perimeter with year-round access provided by a well-maintained county road. Excellent building sites can be found along the creek bottom among the large cottonwood trees well outside the flood plain.

Due to the eco-sensitive nature of Stump Creek Ranch with its open spaces and close proximity to National Forest, it could provide substantial tax benefits to an incoming owner who chooses to place a conservation easement on the property.

Stump Creek defines this property by meandering through the hay pasture for more than a half mile. Located approximately one mile west of the confluence with the Salt River, this property offers an outstanding sanctuary for many of the migratory fish in search of spawning habitat and retreat from the summer sun. Native cutthroat find refuge in the cutbanks and deep pools along its stretches with well-shaded runs provided by the cottonwood trees that line its banks.

With backyard privacy along Stump Creek, one has access to private fishing due to the Wyoming laws governing access to private lands. Landowners in Wyoming own to the center thread of most rivers, including Stump Creek, limiting public access to those with permission to trespass.

To the angler’s delight, the Palisades Reservoir is only a 30-minute drive north of the ranch. This 16,000-acre high alpine reservoir is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and serves as resting place for the Grey’s, Salt and Snake River before exiting the Palisades Dam in Swan Valley to form the South Fork of the Snake River, one of the most consistently good fisheries of large brown trout.

Three water rights totaling 2.39 cfs with priority dates from 1889 provide ample coverage for the 130-acre hay pasture. An electric pump located in the center of the property along Stump Creek provides the necessary means to pump water from the creek to laterals located underground. From these laterals, three four-inch wheel lines that move around the property are manually used to irrigate the hay meadows.

Stump Creek Ranch is perfect for the wildlife enthusiast and those who enjoy the outdoors. An extension of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and gateway between the southern and northern Rockies, Star Valley offers a diverse population of wildlife.