Latest News
Permanently Protected – Lazy 3 Ranch!
Lazy 3 Ranch consists of 912 acres situated at the confluence of a creek and a major highway intersection outside of the Town of Gunnison. Approximately seven and a half miles of Cochetopa Creek and one mile of Tomichi Creek run through the property. It is also...
Permanently Protected – manzanares creek Ranch!
Manzanares Creek Ranch is a 500-acre property located at the confluence of Manzanares Creek and the Huerfano River, along the northern slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in western Huerfano County. The property is located in a key area for wildlife, particularly...
Permanently Protected – Greenleaf Ranch!
Greenleaf Ranch is a 1,090-acre property north of the Town of Westcliffe in Custer County. This project is connected to a large block of existing conservation easements, and is our first project on irrigated land on the Wet Mountain Valley floor since our 2021 merger...
Permanently Protected – Ranchland in the San Luis Valley!
This 150-acre ranch is used for hay production and serves as grazing land for sheep and cattle. It is irrigated with two acequias that represent the second- and fifth-oldest water rights in the state! These acequias were dug in the 1850s and pre-date Colorado’s...
Westcliffe’s Bluff Park – Protected Land Doubled, Ownership Transferred to Town
The Bluff Park, at the end of Main Street in downtown Westcliffe, has long been a beloved spot for gathering, picnicking, stargazing, or just taking in the expansive view of the valley floor and the Sangre de Cristos beyond. Originally slated to be developed into a...
Permanently Protected – James and Lindsey Paine Ranch!
James and Lindsey Paine Ranch consists of 857 acres in Conejos County northwest of the town of Antonito. The ranch is owned by a young couple beginning their journey of land ownership, farming, and ranching. James Paine recently acquired about half of the ranch from...
Permanently Protected – Aspen Leaf Ranch!
The 984-acre Aspen Leaf Ranch is located 16 miles northeast of Paonia near the North Fork of the Gunnison River. This ranch was once part of a larger family-owned agricultural operation that was split among various family members. All members have worked with COL to...
Permanently Protected – prime sandhill crane habitat!
Colorado Open Lands is excited to announce that we have protected nearly 1,500 acres in Costilla County in partnership with local landowners. The ranch consists of irrigated meadows and grazing land, and the water rights - critically important in this area - were...
Permanently Protected – TLC Ranch!
TLC Ranch is 1,236.5 acres and is located in the upper part of the Ohio Creek Valley of Gunnison County, approximately 13 miles northwest of the City of Gunnison. The ranch is managed for hay production and livestock grazing. It’s comprised of sloping hillsides and...