Ranch Marketing Associates

A masterpiece of landscape and architecture, the 560 acre Cottonwood Springs Ranch is nestled in a private east-west valley with easy access to the nearby San Juan National Forest. Set above Texas Creek and impeccably constructed by some of the best regional craftsmen, the 6000 square foot northern New Mexico style ranch house creatively blends old and new, showcasing handcrafted mud plaster walls, high ceilings with reclaimed wood beams, hardwood floors with radiant heat, custom iron work, stone walls and flagstone patios. The ranch flawlessly compliments the natural surroundings of lush meadows and manicured mixed forest with its historically restored ranch improvements and newly constructed horse amenities, boasting registered Quarter Horse breeding and training facilities. Bordered by BLM land, the property’s Ponderosa, Aspen and Spruce woodlands serve as habitat for herds of migrating elk, deer and a variety of wildlife.

Location and Area
Cottonwood Springs Ranch sits just twenty minutes northeast of Durango, south of the Lemon and Vallecito reservoirs. The ranch is located off County Road 245 and borders BLM, with the trailhead to the two and a half million acre San Juan National Forest a mere mile away. Durango is one of the most picturesque and livable places in Colorado, offering most big city conveniences like a new hospital, hotels, shopping, restaurants and a four year college, while retaining its rural mountain character and charm. Durango-La Plata Airport has daily commercial air service to Denver, Albuquerque and Phoenix, along with facilities for full service general aviation. The ranch is 169 miles from Grand Junction, just over 300 miles from Denver and Colorado Springs, and three hours from Santa Fe.

Property Details
Perfectly situated in a private east-west valley that enjoys ideal sunshine and weather patterns, Cottonwood Springs Ranch consists of 560 acres, at an average elevation of 7,500 ft. The ranch is protected by a wildlife, scenic and agricultural conservation easement that is divided into four parcels, each parcel with a reserved home site. Traditionally used for livestock and hay production, the ranch is fenced into 13 pastures, all of which have been renovated and re-seeded with brome, orchard and crested wheatgrass. There are approximately 250 acres of sub-irrigated pasture, and the larger pastures are outfitted with automatic waterers. The ranch is fenced primarily with cedar post and rail in order to maintain its classic old ranch aesthetic with double protection by a hot wire on the inside. All fencing was installed within the last five years. All pastures are surrounded by ponderosa, aspen and blue spruce trees, with large cottonwoods winding along the creek.

Improvements
Main Residence
Designed by Michael Bell and built by Tom Gordon this 6,000 sq. ft. northern New Mexico style ranch house was completed in 2003. The house was crafted by select tradesmen from Colorado and New Mexico, and contains superlative detailing throughout. Some touches include: exterior finishes and interior mud plaster walls by Compadre Construction of Santa Fe, custom iron work by Rod Pickett, high ceilings and reclaimed antique beams by San Juan Timberwrights, antique Spanish doors and hand-carved columns by Spanish Pueblo Doors of Santa Fe, stonework, walls, flagstone walks and patios by Dave Manley, Pella windows with custom Conrad window treatments, and slate and hardwood floors with radiant heating.

The exterior of the home has a hand-plaster look achieved by a five step elastomeric finish, and is lifetime maintenance free. The house is topped by a 22-gauge Fabrelle steel roof. Walkways and patios surround the house, with a walled flagstone patio with outdoor fireplace and built-in grill on the east side and a flagstone patio with antique French fountain to the south. Shrubs and perennial gardens, all with automatic sprinklers and drip irrigation, are strategically placed around the extensively landscaped house. The entry hall showcases hand-carved latillas and antique beams in the ceiling, nichos, and a fieldstone fireplace. There are 17th century antique columns in both the hall and library as well as the door to the utility room and cabinet in the wine cellar. Follow the entry hall to the William Ohs designed French Country kitchen. The kitchen features custom cabinetry, a 700 bottle wine room made from vintage Napa Valley redwood, a white wine closet, granite and marble counter tops from Captain Marble of Santa Fe along with custom fixtures. Top of the line appliances include two SubZero refrigerators with separate refrigerator drawers, a Viking range and Bosch dishwasher. The circular dining room with coved recessed lighting and large banks of windows is adjacent. Across the hall, the Library/Media room contains custom shelving, coffered ceilings and dental molding, built by master furniture maker Eric Enriques, as well as a custom surround sound home theater system with state of the art electronics and a stereo system that is wired throughout the house. To the center of the home is the Great Room with its antique wood trusses, and tongue and groove ceiling and balcony. The hand-carved fireplace in the center of the room is finished in Texas limestone and the room features clerestory windows with a mountain view and French doors that open out to the stone patio.
Both bedrooms in the two bedroom master suite with attached office have built-in chests of drawers, vanities, walk-in closets, custom media cabinets, beamed ceilings and French doors that lead to outdoor patios. There is a delightful walk-in steam shower and stand-alone soaking tub. The office includes custom cabinetry, desk and antique library doors. The house also has an oversized utility/mud room equipped with a pet shower that is connected by a covered walkway to a two car garage with attached gardening shed, built in cabinets, heated driveway and a 20 kw automatic back up generator. Above the garage, with its own private entrance, is a large finished room currently used as an exercise room which could easily be converted for use as another bedroom.

Guest Residence and other homes
Across the creek from the main house is a three bedroom, two bath 2,300 sq. ft. guesthouse renovated in 2002. It has a western “Bunk House” style featuring tongue and groove paneling, hardwood floors, fireplace, new kitchen and appliances, great room, outdoor fireplace and patio. Additionally, there is a three bedroom ranch foreman’s house recently renovated in 2004, and a classic 1890 homesteader’s cabin restored as a summer house with fireplace.

Barns and Facilities
The ranch has a new five stall, 60’x60’ Morton horse barn with heated Nelson waterers. Three stalls are equipped for foaling and have radiant heaters, infrared cameras and time-controlled lighting. The barn is fully insulated and paneled with tack room, washroom/vet exam area, feed room and overhead storage. All stalls have rubber mats with outdoor steel pipe runs. The ranch also has two vintage two-story barns with hay lofts, tack rooms and six additional stalls with Nelson heated waterers. Each barn is over 2,000 sq. ft. and has been re-roofed and renovated. Additionally, seven equipment and storage sheds have been built in the last three years, including a three car garage, a tool shed and a four bay equipment shed. The ranch has five loafing sheds located in various pastures and several steel pipe corrals, two round pens and one 80’x160’ outdoor arena.

Wildlife and Recreation
Cottonwood Springs Ranch is located in the midst of a major elk migration corridor that leads to and from the San Juan National Forest and the wilderness surrounding the ranch. Elk and deer favor the tree cover, water and excellent meadow grass of the property, and are frequent visitors. In addition, the ranch is home to lynx, bobcat, black bear, blue grouse and a host of wild turkeys. Along Texas Creek there are nine ponds with the riparian area fenced out so that migrating ducks, geese, other birds and wildlife can make use of them. The larger ponds are stocked with trout and fishing is also available at the Lemon and Vallecito Reservoirs just a few miles from the Pine and Florida Rivers.
Nearby Durango Mountain Resort offers downhill skiing during the winter months and cross-country skiing and snow-mobiling are available throughout the area. The summer months offer endless opportunities for riding, hiking, fishing, boating and visiting local attractions like the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Mesa Verde National Park and the Four Corners National Monument.

Water Resources
Texas Creek runs the length of the ranch providing water for livestock and wildlife. Cottonwood Springs Ranch also has excellent water supplied by its six wells placed strategically throughout the ranch. Four of the wells are between 2 and 5 GPM or greater and two are over 20 GPM. There are two constant flowing springs used primarily for landscape irrigation. The ranch has significant sub-irrigation enhanced by its sloping pastures and valley location. Twenty-three acre feet of irrigation water is on standby for use during especially dry times.

Brokers Comments
Cottonwood Springs Ranch is set in strikingly beautiful country and has been constructed with the finest improvements and details. The carefully conceived layout, with an eye to the utmost privacy, also provides for the potential division of four separate parcels, making the ranch a truly unique offering.




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Cottonwood Springs Ranch - Durango, CO