Twin Peaks Guest Ranch Salmon, Idaho

Details & Features

Tucked away in a private canyon setting, surrounded by public lands miles from the nearest neighbor, Twin Peaks Guest Ranch is a true end-of-the-road hideaway in the picturesque western landscape of central Idaho. Whether one’s chosen pursuit is fishing, hiking, horseback riding, wing shooting, white water rafting, big game hunting, entertaining family, catering wedding events, or celebrations and special events, Twin Peaks Guest Ranch offers an incoming owner a wide variety of opportunities to explore.

Location

Twin Peaks Guest Ranch is located in central Idaho, 20 miles south of Salmon, 40 miles north of Challis, and 100 miles north of Sun Valley. Access to the ranch is granted via a year-round, county-maintained road that leads to the ranch improvements.

This area of the United States is known for its scenic beauty and vast amounts of easily accessible public land. The ranch borders BLM lands on three sides with direct access to the Salmon-Challis National Forest, consisting of 4,235,940 acres, including the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness Area. One can ride or hike for miles or days directly from the ranch boundary gate. The main stem of the Salmon River runs along the base of the hill at the ranch entrance, providing ample recreational opportunities, including excellent fishing opportunities for cutthroat, rainbow, and bull trout, sockeye, chinook salmon, and steelhead. The adult salmon encountered in this stretch of the river system have typically reached the end of their life cycle, traveling over 800 miles up the Columbia River watershed to their spawning grounds in the numerous tributaries in the Salmon region.

For those traveling to the ranch on commercial air service, there are several options via Idaho Falls or Boise, Idaho, and Missoula, Montana. A small aircraft charter company, Gem Air, operates daily flights between Boise and Lemhi County Airport in Salmon. The Salmon Airport has a paved runway, 5,510’ long by 75’ wide at an elevation of 4,400’, with a staff to accommodate most private aircraft.

Land Details

The ranch comprises 677.81 deeded acres in two separate, contiguous parcels surrounded by BLM lands on three sides. Natural features include open grass pastures, sage and willow bushes, and mature aspen and cottonwood trees. Rattlesnake Creek courses its way through the property, providing an aesthetically pleasing and wildlife-beneficial riparian corridor. Three ponds are scattered throughout the ranch, varying in size from .15 to .5 acre. Surface water rights exist, providing ample coverage for 151.3 acres of grass pasture. Water is drawn from Rattlesnake Creek via a well-established culvert and ditch system that feeds an underground, gravity-fed pipe irrigation system. Twin Peaks Guest Ranch is the only water rights user within the Rattlesnake Creek drainage. Unique to the ranch, is an 85-degree hot spring that flows directly out of a large rock outcropping.

Improvements

Historically, Twin Peaks Guest Ranch was operated as a guest/dude ranch before current ownership changed the model to include family events, catered weddings, and corporate retreats. Improvements onsite were designed and constructed over the years to accommodate large guest numbers in a centrally located area of the ranch near the conveniences and activities offered by the hosts. Most of the improvements were completed during the 1990s, with many undergoing recent renovations and upgrades, including installing fiber optic cable and Wifi in each guest unit. In total, there are 23 structures on the ranch, with 20,000 square feet of livable space with 40 bedrooms, 16 full baths, 21-¾ baths, and five half baths that can sleep up to 80 guests comfortably.

Guest Lodging and Accommodations

•Guest Lodge: The single story 4,658 sqft guest lodge was built in 1999 and recently remodeled. It includes a commercial kitchen, laundry facility, bar lounge area, one ADA compliant bathroom, rock fireplace, dinning room and outdoor gathering space.
•Triplex Units/Guest Cottages: There are four single-story units all 1,072 sqft in size and each consisting of three bedrooms, one three-quarters bathroom, and 2 full bathrooms. There are interior doors that allow access to adjoining rooms.
•Triplex Units/Guest/Managers Cottages: There are two larger multi-level triplex units differing slightly in size, 2,628 sqft and 2,248 sqft. The upper level of these units each has three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and one three-quarter bathroom. There are interior doors that allow access to adjoining rooms and covered porch area. The lower level consists of an open floor plan, two bedrooms, one full bathroom and one and three-quarter bathroom, kitchen and dining area, office space, and daylight patio area.
•Duplex Units: There are two units varying slightly in size, 576 sqft and 448 sqft each, with two bedrooms and two three-quarter bathrooms.
•Cabins: There are four guest cabins, all of which are 224 sqft in size, each one bedroom with a 3/4 bathroom. Currently one of these cabins is being transformed into a public bathroom facility to accommodate guests during larger functions.

Employee Lodging and Ranch Operations Buildings

•Jack and Jill Employee Quarters: 2,336 sqft four bedroom, two and a half bathrom, two three quarter bathrooms, Jack and Jill style, covered porch area and a 530 sqft employee lounge/game room.
•Horse Barn: One third of the 5,664 sqft barn is enclosed tack/storage area with concrete pad for a floor while the remainder of the barn is open storage a shelter area for animals.
•Utility Garage: 3,180 sqft slab concrete floor used for storage, maintenance and repair shop.
•Work Shop/Garage: 1,750 sqft with slab concrete floor.
•Classic barn with gambrel red roof: Still a functioning structure used for storage and housing ranch animals and hay storage.
•Manager’s Cabin: 1,904 sqft single story four bedroom three three quarter bathrooms, one full bathroom, a half bathroom, and a 792 sqft attached two bay garage. There is an additional storage building. These improvements are located on BLM property, and there is a current lease agreement in place. The annual cost of this lease paid to BLM is $500 and is renewed every five years.
•Lower Cabin/Entrance: Single story 1,088 sqft home with one bedroom, one bathroom and 768 sqft detached garage.

Hunting

The Ranch lies within zone 28 of Region 7 of Idaho’s game management unit for elk and deer. These zones are coveted by regional sportsmen who typically experience above-average hunter success rates and the chance to harvest trophy-sized animals due to impressive genetics. For the upland bird hunters, bird populations include chukar, Hungarian partridge, ruffed and blue grouse, and sharp-tail grouse. A rifle range located onsite provides the opportunity and convenience to hone one’s skills before entering the field. The range facilities include a pistol bay, skeet area, and a covered bench area for stable, long-range practice at distances up to 1,000 yards. Several local, certified firearms instructors, familiar with the range, offer families and guests proper safety and shooting techniques.

The Business

TwinPeaksGuestRanch.com The Twin Peaks Guest Ranch website provides additional information on activities currently offered, as well as a virtual tour of the improvements. There is no current P&L or financial information available that provides details of past ranch rentals at this time.
The owners of Twin Peaks Ranch hold a note with AgWest Farm Credit with a current rate of 4.80%. Farm Credit is a cooperative, and pays patronage to all borrowers as part of the profit-sharing structure of a co-op. The patronage is 1.25% of whatever the borrower owes, essentially making the rate 3.55%. This note is transferable and could be transferred in a sale.

• IMPROVEMENTS:
• Guest Lodge: 4,658 sqft lodge with commercial kitchen, laundry facility, bar /lounge, dinning room and outdoor gathering space
• Four Triplex Units/Guest Cottages: 1,072 sqft single story units, 3 bedroom, 1 full bath, 2 – ¾ baths
• Two Triplex Units/Guest/Managers Cottages: 2,628 sqft multi-level triplex units with 5 bedrooms, 2 full bath, 4 – ¾ baths
• Duplex Units: Two units varying slightly in size, 576 sqft and 448 sqft each with two bedrooms and 2, 3/4 baths.
• Cabins: Four 224 sqft guest cabins each with one bedroom and a half bathroom
• Additional improvements include a horse barn with enclosed tack/ storage area, 3,180 sqft utility garage, a 1,750 sqft workshop/garage, classic barn used for hay storage, BLM leasehold cabin, and lower 1,088 sqft. cabin
• Living quarters for seasonal help
• ACREAGE:
• ±677.81 deeded acres in two separate, contiguous parcels surrounded by BLM lands on three sides
• Rattlesnake Creek runs through property
• Year-round access via county maintained road
• 151 irrigated acres
• LOCATION:
• Located 20 miles to Salmon, ID; 40 miles to Challis, ID; 100 miles to Sun Valley, ID