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 with San Isabel Land Protection Trust.
When the ranch was purchased by the landowner 30 years ago, it was dry. The water rights had been severed by speculators hoping to sell the water for development around Colorado Springs. Fortunately, they were unsuccessful. The current landowner was able to reacquire the water rights, return them to historic uses, and now tie them to the land with this conservation easement, permanently.
The ranch is highly visible from the state highway and consists of mountain grasslands, wetlands, and several miles of stream, and is used for grazing and hay production. Year-round, elk and pronghorn can be found on the ranch, and many species flourish here and across this scenic landscape.