Pitchfork Ranch
Details & Features
Pitchfork Ranch – A Legacy of the American West
Set beneath the towering Absaroka Mountains near Meeteetse, Wyoming, the Pitchfork Ranch is one of the most historic and iconic working ranches in the Rocky Mountain West. Founded in 1878 by Otto Franc von Lichtenstein, the ranch spans ±96,115 acres of deeded, leased, and permitted lands and remains a fully operational cattle enterprise supporting 1,300 head of cattle.
The Pitchfork’s renown reaches far beyond its fences. In the early 20th century, Charles Belden’s evocative photography of ranch life brought national attention to the property through features in Life and National Geographic. Decades later, the ranch became the setting for Marlboro’s iconic cowboy campaigns. Today, the same rugged terrain, historic barns, and sweeping vistas remain—untouched and timeless.
With over six miles of private Greybull River frontage and additional mountain tributaries, the ranch offers one of Wyoming’s finest native trout fisheries for Yellowstone cutthroat. It also lies within critical winter range for the famed Cody Elk Herd, offering landowner-eligible big game tags across multiple trophy units.
Anchored by historic architecture and modern infrastructure, the Pitchfork blends functionality with unmatched heritage. Its Stone House, original barns, and cultural history reflect a continuity of place that few properties can match.
The Pitchfork Ranch is more than a ranch—it’s a living emblem of the American West, ready to be carried forward by its next steward.
- Founded in 1878; one of the most historic ranches in the American West
- ±96,115 total acres with 1,300 head cattle operation and full infrastructure
- Located in critical winter range of the Cody Elk Herd with trophy hunting units
- 6+ miles of private Greybull River fishing for native Yellowstone cutthroat trout
- Site of Charles Belden’s photography and Marlboro Man campaigns
- 45 minutes to Cody Regional Airport with panoramic Absaroka views
Wyoming
Ranches for Sale in Wyoming The Equality State has been rooted in ranching since becoming a state in 1890. So much has changed since then, but when a ranch experience happens for the first time, it seems that little time has passed since the turn of the 19th century. From Cheyenne to Pinedale; Wyoming offers a plethora of income-producing cattle ranches for sale and farms for someone looking for an investment property. Many of these ranches for sale in Wyoming include BLM leases, United States Forest Service agreements for cattle grazing and lease agreements with neighboring ranchers or farmers. Harvesting upland birds and big game animals are another large...
View All Wyoming PropertiesRelated Properties
Landowner Insights
2025 Mountain West Hatch Report
With later sunsets and rising temperatures, summer fishing is finally settling in across the mountains of the Western United States. As runoff subsides and waters...
Understanding the Beef Futures Market
By Emily Feuz Staal ...
"Settin' the Woods on Fire", the Practice of Prescribed Burning
In pine savannahs throughout the Southeast, “settin’ the woods on fire” is more than a classic Hank Williams tune, it is time-tested controlled burning for...