Big Country Ranch is a 698-acre property in Grand County. The ranch is located at the northern end of the Williams Fork Mountains on a scenic ridge that overlooks the Lower Blue River Valley to the west, the Colorado River Valley to the north, and Williams Fork Reservoir to the east. The property connects Arapaho National Forest to large swaths of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and to other private conservation easements, and is now part of a significant area of protected land.
The property is comprised of three parcels, all connected by BLM land and tied together with this easement. The property is known winter range for elk and habitat for Columbian Sharp-tailed grouse, bighorn sheep, black bear, pronghorn, mule deer, and numerous songbirds, raptors, small mammals, amphibians, and lizards. Wetlands, several small ponds, and a reservoir provide additional habitat value. The water rights are tied to the land with the easement as well. The property is visible from HWY 9 along the Blue River and other public roads.
Grand County Open Space, Rivers, and Trails program was a project partner.