October 1, 2024 -Rocky Mountain Ranch & Land is proud to announce the sale of the Huerfano River Canyon Ranch in Huerfano and Pueblo Counties. The Huerfano River Canyon Assemblage represented an opportunity to own a ranch in Southern Colorado which was reminiscent of the large ranches of the old west. The ranch had both historical and ecological significance and posessed high conservation easement value. The 10,370 acre assemblage encompassed two large private ranch holdings and included over 11 miles of wild and remote frontage along the Huerfano River and Canyon. Remnants of prehistoric art, rock shelters, and fire rings were seen in this picturesque canyon.
Historically, the land had been operated as a working cattle ranch for generations, but also offered premium hunting, horseback riding, and other recreational opportunities. The high point of the ranch was known as Turkey Ridge which is one of the most prominent mesa formations in Southern Colorado. Tree cover included pinon, cedar, juniper, oak brush, cottonwoods, and other riparian vegetation along the river.
The Ranch was purchased by The Nature Conservancy which plans to protect the land through a future conservation easement. As part of The Nature Conservancy’s Southern High Plains Intiative, the conservation group aims to protect large, connected landscapes to allow species to move and adapt to climate change while also preserving a way of life for local communities. The initiative has also helped conserve land in New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas by providing incentives to help ranchers and farmers invest in sustainable and regenerative practices. Those efforts are making an impact in the Southern High Plains and driving innovations that can be exported to grasslands everywhere. “The Huerfano River Canyon Ranch was a highly unique ranch to work on with very diverse terrain” commented Jeff Switzer, Owner and Managing Broker of RMRL. “Rarely do you find a ranch with this much canyon, river bottom, native prairie, and high mesa land. It was fantastic to work with The Nature Conservancy on this property”.
