S&R Allen RAnch
3,969 acres, Costilla county
Allen Ranch is a 5th generation Colorado Centennial Farm and is one of the largest ranching operations in the Gunnison Valley. The ranch operation spreads out through the upper Gunnison River/East River Valley between the City of Gunnison and Mt. Crested Butte. For over 130 years, Allen Ranch cattle have moved up and down this valley as part of their annual grazing – a kind of living time capsule. The ranch is alive with irrigated meadows and sagebrush shrub lands. The entire property is visible from State Highway 135, County Road 8 and County Road 730, which runs through the Ohio Creek Valley. The property provides significant wildlife habitat for big game species, including elk and mule deer, and includes critical habitat for Gunnison sage-grouse. It is adjacent to other conserved lands, expanding the opportunities for wildlife to thrive.
This project was completed in partnership with Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy, Gunnison Valley Land Preservation Fund, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.