MISSION CREEK PRESERVE

Montana - Park County - Livingston
Acres
480
Price
$1,900,000

Livingston, Montana Recreation and Lifestyle Ranch for sale

Offering stunning views, the 480-acre Mission Creek Preserve is surrounded by the towering peaks of the Absaroka Range to the south and the Crazy Mountains to the north. Timbered ridges, aspen draws, and beautiful open parks provide home to an abundance of wildlife. In addition to the diverse terrain, the property also houses many springs, creeks, and two ponds, one of which is stocked with trout. A two story, energy efficient home is built into the hillside and takes full advantage of the solar gain. In the valley below, the Yellowstone River, known for its world renowned trout fishing, is a mere five miles away. "Something for everyone," is a very important criterion when considering a recreational property in the West. Without a doubt the Mission Creek Preserve fits the bill for Montana-style entertainment. It lends itself to an all-inclusive family getaway in the summer, with horseback riding, fishing, hiking or just relaxing in that special spot admiring the views. In the fall of the year, as the colors are changing, it transforms into an idyllic gentleman's hunting paradise. The grandeur of the property is not to be denied, Mission Creek Preserve is truly one of a kind.

Location:
Mission Creek Preserve is located 11 miles southeast of Livingston, Montana and is within minutes of some of the finest trout fishing available. Livingston (pop 7,500) is the county seat of Park County and is a town rich in history. Noted in many western journals as a once wild western town, some rowdy women left their mark with such characters as Calamity Jane and Kitty O'Leary adding tremendous flavor to our western history books. The Crow Indians called this area home for centuries capitalizing on the area’s rich, natural wonders. Today, Livingston is home to fine art galleries, gourmet restaurants, theaters, first class fly shops, and a variety of boutiques and saloons all packaged into a well-preserved historic district.

Bozeman, Montana, is a 20-minute drive to the west of Livingston. Bozeman (pop 39,000) is host to Montana State University and the Museum of the Rockies. Downtown Bozeman has been an important and historic gateway to the West for more than 100 years. Downtown merchants outfitted explorers, miners, ranchers, and the army with supplies to sustain them. With more than 100 shops and restaurants lining this beautiful and historic retailing corridor, a stroll down historic Main Street is a reminder of shopping in the grand old tradition. The closest commercial airport to Mission Creek Reserve, Gallatin Field, is located 9± miles west of Bozeman. Gallatin Field is serviced by Delta, United and Northwest Airlines. The airfield also includes two facilities for private aircraft.

Big Timber, Montana, which sits at the confluence of the Boulder and the Yellowstone rivers, has become one of the more desirable places to live due to its incredible scenery and small western town way of life. Located only 35 miles northeast of Mission Creek Preserve, this small town has a public school system as well as a hospital and medical center.
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MISSION CREEK PRESERVE

Montana - Park County - Livingston
Acres
480
Price
$1,900,000

CONTACT A BROKER:

Jim Toth
406.539.2550

 
This has been a popular area for rural ranch investment over the past 10 to 20 years, and properties such as the Mission Creek Preserve have evidenced strong value appreciation as they transition away from primary agricultural use to a combination of agricultural and recreational use.

Acreage:
Mission Creek Preserve rests at 5000-6000 feet above sea level and consists of 480+/- acres. It is located on the north face of the Absaroka Wilderness Area and offers a blended landscape of tree covered ridges, aspen draws, and open meadows filled with wildflowers. This landscape, combined with the springs, creeks, and ponds on the property, lends an ideal environment for the plethora of wildlife habitat.

Improvements:
A two story, energy efficient home is built into the hillside and takes full advantage of the solar gain. It is 3,525 sq. ft. and features three bedrooms, three bathrooms, center-cut clear fir floors, large light filled rooms, an open office space with views of the snow covered peaks and a low carbon footprint. A small, one room, solar powered cabin sits next to Fitzpatrick Lake There is an 80 foot x 30 foot equipment shed, with shop, organic garden and several old homestead buildings. The property is perimeter fenced and has jack fence for livestock.

Homestead and Dairy: Harry Howard, the director of Yellowstone Traditions, one of Montana's finest home builders said, "I would buy the whole place for the lower 160 acres of the property." The "Lower Quarter" is the most beautiful part of the property. There is a weathered 150-year-old log home with accompanying stone dairy that would make an elegant small home. There are foundations of old barns that could be developed into a group of guesthouses or studios. There is a continuously running stream near the home, and the topography would allow the construction of a simple dam giving a ten acre pond suitable for trout. It is a most secluded retreat where you could truly live with nature.

Recreation:
From fishing to hunting to cross-country skiing, Mission Creek Preserve has substantial recreational features associated with it.

Fly Fishing: Two very healthy spring fed ponds provide endless hours of entertainment in one of the most beautiful settings you could ask for. One of the ponds is stocked with trout, and fishing this body of water can be very exciting. Some of the best trout fishing in the world lies within a short drive. The Yellowstone River, located just five miles from the ranch, is the longest freeflowing river in the lower 48 states flowing some 554 miles from its source in the mountains of Wyoming to its confluence with the Missouri River. There are more than 100 miles of Blue Ribbon trout water downstream from the Yellowstone Park border with excellent populations of brown, rainbow, and cutthroat trout. The Yellowstone is considered large by trout river standards and is a great river to float as well as wade fish. The river is most noted for the "Mother's Day" caddis hatch, and when river conditions are right, it is a fisherman's Valhalla.

There are three world famous spring creek fisheries located minutes south of Livingston offering fee fishing on over 5 miles of some of the best spring creek water in the world.

Yellowstone National Park is the birthplace of many of the finest trout rivers in the West. Headwater streams such as the Gibbon, Firehole, and Lamar create rivers such as the Madison and Gallatin within its boundaries. The park hosts a lifetime of fishing opportunities with over a hundred lakes and a thousand miles of streams. Nowhere in the world are so many public rivers and streams found within such a small area.

Hunting/Other Receation: Ranging from grassland to brush to timber, Mission Creek Preserve is composed of several distinct ecological zones providing a variety of habitat critical to wildlife. The property is frequented by many big game animals typical of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem area, which include elk, deer, bear, moose and wolves. Mission Creek Preserve offers prime elk and deer hunting. Currently, there is very light hunting pressure placed on the resident herds. The present owners allow only 4-5 deer and 2-3 elk to be taken from the property each year. In addition to the big game hunting, the duck hunting is plentiful, and there is a variety of upland game birds.

Water Rights:
All appurtenant water rights will transfer. Water rights are available from the offices of Ranch Marketing Associates on request.

Conservation Easements:
Mission Creek Preserve has a conservation easement on 3/4ths of the property with generous building envelopes on those acres and no restrictions on the balance of the land.