Crazy Creek Ranches - Cliff Ranch Big Timber, Montana
Offered Exclusively By:
LOCATION:
The Cliff Ranch at Crazy Creek is located in the Big Timber Creek Valley approximately 5 miles north of Big Timber, Montana in Sweet Grass County. From Big Timber, via Interstate 90, Billings (Montana’s largest city) is 80 miles east, and Bozeman, home of Montana State University, is 60 miles west. Livingston, the northern gateway to Yellowstone National Park, is 35 miles west of Big Timber. Bozeman and Billings both have commercial airports that are served by major and commuter airlines; Big Timber has a 24-hour community airport that is capable of landing most private jets.
ACCESS:
Paved US Highway 191 extends northward out of Big Timber and passes through the Cliff Ranch providing uncomplicated and convenient year-round access. Big Timber is just a few minutes from Crazy Creek Ranches and Livingston, Bozeman, and Billings are within a 30- to 80-minute drive from the property enabling one to visit the likes of Yellowstone National Park, Bridger Bowl, Big Sky, and Red Lodge Mountain ski resorts, Chico Hot Springs, Museum of the Rockies, Alberta Bair Theatre, and the Billings Metra Arena as an easy half-day or day trip. Access to the widely-known fishing waters of the Yellowstone River, Boulder River, and Paradise Valley Spring Creeks, is anywhere from a few minutes to an hour from the ranch.
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Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch
COMMUNITY:
Big Timber is a relatively small, friendly, agriculturally based community with approximately 1,700 residents. Public schools, professional and technical services, governmental agencies, medical facilities, churches, a public golf course, fine dining, and shopping outlets are found in Big Timber. Additional services, extensive shopping opportunities, and numerous cultural events are an easy drive from Big Timber at either Livingston, Bozeman, or Billings.
RANCH HISTORY:
The Cliff Ranch is a part of the former Hathaway family ranch which operated on approximately 1,800 deeded acres for three generations. Part of the ranch was homesteaded by ancestors of the current Hathaway family who reside in the Big Timber area. In recent years the Hathaway family made the tough decision to sell the ranch but it enabled those children wishing to remain in agriculture a way to expand and continue. The entire Hathaway ranch was purchased in 2006 with the intent to carry on and enhance this historical ranch operation and be able to offer this fine property and quality way of life to four like-minded purchasers. The property was aptly renamed Crazy Creek Ranches by combining the two commanding features of the ranch - Big Timber Creek which winds through the ranch for about 4 miles and the inspiring Crazy Mountains that appear to be right in your lap from most areas of the ranch. The Cliff Ranch is a unique opportunity to acquire a portion of this historic ranch and be able to continue its legacy by writing a new chapter in its perpetual living history.
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Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch
ACREAGE:
The Cliff Ranch consists of 634 deeded acres in a block that straddles a little more than ½ mile of Big Timber Creek. From the center of the property along Big Timber Creek the ranch stretches outward for approximately one mile both east and west into the foothills that provide remarkable views of the valley below plus the Crazy Mountains to the west, and the Absaroka & Beartooth Mountain Ranges to the south. The topography of the property varies from open, gently sloping flood irrigated croplands to wooded riparian creek bottom meadows to rolling grasslands and upland foothill rangelands. A current land use breakdown is shown below:
Flood irrigated hayland / pasture: Creek bottom & riparian meadows: Native rangeland & pasture:
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64 +/- acres 30 +/- acres 540 +/- acres ----------------634 +/- acres
Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch
LAND FEATURES:
The land features of the Cliff Ranch are as diverse and varied as Montana. Land features along the creek consist of lush, fertile, irrigated meadows that can be either hayed or grazed. When irrigated and fertilized properly, these lands would produce an estimate 2 to 4 tons of hay per acre. The riparian stream zone is heavily treed with healthy, varied-age stands of cottonwood, aspen, Russian olive, and willow species that provide excellent habitat for livestock and wildlife. The eastern portion of the ranch is characterized as an upland foothill topography rising over 500’ from the valley floor with scattered juniper and limber pine trees, and interesting rocks, cliffs, bluffs, and buttes that are reminiscent of the old west where one can easily envision John Wayne riding into an arroyo in search of the “bad guys”. A truly unique feature of the Cliff Ranch is the hidden wind-carved caves large enough that one can literally disappear into and the rugged cliffs housing eagle nests. Natural livestock and game trails together with enhanced roads provide access to the uplands for exploration via foot, horseback, ATV, and vehicle travel. The western end of the ranch consists of open rolling grasslands and brushy draws that provide the expanse and open space so lost in most of the country today. This land is home to deer, antelope, game birds, and those famous views of the Crazy Mountains.
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Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch
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Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch
WATER FEATURES:
Crazy Creek Ranches are blessed with exceptional water resources. Big Timber Creek winds through the center of the Cliff Ranch for a little more than ½ mile providing over 1 mile of total frontage on Big Timber Creek. Additionally, within the Big Timber Creek riparian zone, there are natural springs, shallowwater potholes, and wetlands that show promise for wildlife and fishery development and enhancement. A spring-fed pond covering approximately .6 acres has recently been constructed in the wooded meadow area and is ready to be stocked with fish. Near the center of the foothill pasture on the east side of the highway, a natural spring has been developed and is piped into a large tank for livestock and wildlife use. There are numerous filed water rights appurtenant to the Crazy Creek Ranches for irrigation, livestock, and fish and wildlife uses. These rights include the oldest irrigation water right on Big Timber Creek. All water right interests appurtenant to the ranches will transfer along with the real property. A water user’s association has been formed to appropriate the irrigation water among the ranch parcels. Further details about the water user’s association are found within the protective covenants that are placed in the back of this brochure.
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Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch
New Frontier Ranches, Inc.
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Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch
RECREATION:
Big Timber Creek, which flows through the Cliff Ranch, is regarded as one of Montana’s best kept secrets for premier wild trout fishing. In addition to Big Timber Creek, the Big Timber area is home to many other Blue-Ribbon quality trout streams such as the Yellowstone River, the Boulder River, Sweet Grass Creek, and the Deer Creeks. Big Timber Creek is a healthy, shaded, tree-lined, free-stone stream that flows from the Crazy Mountains to it confluence with the Yellowstone River and is home to four of the most sought-after species of wild trout (rainbow, brown, cutthroat, and brook trout). After about two hours fishing Big Timber Creek on a late-July day, Shaun Jeszenka, professional fishing guide and outfitter, caught three 14+” rainbows, numerous smaller browns, and had the lunker brown get away. Reflecting on the first time fishing Big Timber Creek, Shaun had this to say..… “Big Timber Creek is a hidden gem for anglers seeking solitude. Nestled in the shadow of the Crazy Mountains, the creek flows through a lush riparian zone. The creek itself varies from long riffles to deep bend pools. Occasionally the water flows along immense rock ledges that hold the promise of trout in their depth. The streams’ rainbow and brown trout prove eager to take dry flies. Big Timber Creek is optimally sized for the fly angler, not too small yet easily wadeable.”
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Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch
RECREATION Cont’d: The 100,000+ acre Gallatin National Forest lies to the south and north of Big Timber. To the south, and adjoining Yellowstone National Park, is the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Area which includes Montana’s highest peaks (over 12,000 feet) and numerous mountain lakes and streams. Just to the west of Crazy Creek Ranches, the Crazy Mountains soar to over 10,000 feet and provide dramatic picture-postcard like views reminiscent of the Grand Tetons. These areas which are easily accessible from the ranch provide excellent year-round outdoor recreational activities such as fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, and snowmobiling. World class downhill skiing is found within a short drive from the ranch at Red Lodge Mountain, Big Sky Resort, and Bridger Bowl. The Cliff Ranch is home to numerous wildlife species including whitetail deer, mule deer, antelope, wild turkey, pheasant, Hungarian partridge, and occasional moose, elk, and bear. It is these attractive recreational features and the quiet, friendly home-town atmosphere that have lured many well-known people to become part of this community.
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Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch
STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS:
There are no buildings or structural improvements currently on the Cliff Ranch. Several miles of new fences and an attractive entry way feature have been constructed on the ranch along with new graveled access roads and a bridge crossing Big Timber Creek. Numerous exceptional homesites are found across the ranch that would enable a new owner to begin with a clean slate and write their own script for their vision of being a part of the historic Crazy Creek Ranch. These homesites are some of the best to be found that capture a multitude of features such as privacy, creek frontage, trees, rocks, cliffs, caves, wooded areas, and exceptional alpine mountain views.
New Frontier Ranches, Inc.
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Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch
MINERAL RIGHTS:
The sellers own nearly all of the mineral rights associated with the Cliff Ranch. There is 80 acres in the eastern edge of the property where 100% of the minerals were reserved by the U.S. government. In the central portion of the ranch, there is approximately 30 acres in which the sellers own 25% of the minerals. The sellers own 100% of the minerals associated with the remaining 524 acres of the Cliff Ranch. All mineral rights owned by the seller are included in the offering price.
COVENANTS:
To ensure that the high quality features, integrity, and value of the Crazy Creek Ranches will be maintained, the Crazy Creek Ranches are enhanced and protected by reasonable and well-thought out covenants. A copy of the covenants is included in this brochure.
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Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch
SUMMARY:
The ranch is conveniently located within an hour of Billings and Bozeman, yet just a few minutes via paved road to Big Timber for golf, shopping, fine dining, and jet capable airport. The Cliff Ranch represents a unique opportunity for the fisherman, outdoorsman, horse enthusiast, and rancher to enjoy the best of everything Montana has to offer. The lush irrigated haylands and wooded riparian meadows are highly productive and are filled with whitetail and mule deer, antelope, wild turkey, and pheasant. The recreational opportunities and activities available on the Cliff Ranch are endless; fish private waters for rainbow and brown trout in Big Timber Creek, ride horse-back into the rugged old west where you can play hide and seek in the caves, hunt for waterfowl, upland birds, and big game while exploring all the diverse and hidden features of the property via foot, horseback, or ATV. Picture postcard views of the Crazy Mountains and the Absaroka-Beartooth Mountain ranges complete this complete ranch package.
OFFERING:
The Cliff Ranch is being offered for sale at $4,200,000.00 including all mineral rights and water right interests owned by the seller that are appurtenant to the property. For further information or an appointment to visit Crazy Creek Ranches, contact an agent with New Frontier Ranches, exclusive agent for the sellers.
111 N. Main Street --- P.O. Box 469 Twin Bridges, Montana 59754 (406) 684-5850 www.newfrontierranches.com
NOTE:
Information contained herein is from sources deemed reliable, however, property is offered strictly in “AS IS” condition and no guarantees or warranties, either expressed or implied, are made by seller or agent. This offering is subject to errors, omissions, prior sale, change, or withdrawal without notice, and the approval of the sale by the owner. We urge independent investigation and verification of each and every item submitted to the satisfaction of any prospective purchaser.
New Frontier Ranches, Inc.
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Crazy Creek – Cliff Ranch