canones creek ranch on the chama river · 2019-05-24 · canones creek ranch on the chama river...

Introduction

The Cañones Creek Ranch represents one of New Mexico’s finest sporting ranch

opportunities available today. Located 6 miles south of the quaint town of Chama,

New Mexico, this valley boasts the scenic and diverse landscapes of northern New Mexico

and the southern Rocky Mountains. A sportsman’s paradise, the ranch is comprised of

518 deeded acres located in the heart of the Chama River Valley. With 1.25 miles of

both banks of the Chama River along with 5 stocked trout ponds, the ranch offers an

abundance of live water. All of the water resources, including the Chama River, have been

professionally enhanced to create trophy trout water throughout the ranch. A recently

remodeled historic 3-bedroom, 1-bath adobe style home serves as the main residence.

The home sits on a slightly elevated bench overlooking the ranch’s lush irrigated hay

meadows, ponds and cottonwood-lined river corridor. The ranch supports a productive

hay farm operation with substantial water rights on 302.5 irrigable acres. The Cañones

Creek Ranch on the Chama River offers everything today’s Buyer would seek, with fully

enhanced sporting amenities, a productive agricultural component and charming turn-

key improvements.

Cañones Creek Ranch on the Chama RiverC H A M A , N E W M E X I C O


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Cañones Creek Ranch encompasses approximately

518 deeded acres that are comprised of slightly

elevated benches overlooking lush hay meadows.

It is bisected by the Chama River with its healthy

cottonwood tree-lined corridor and 5 different trout

ponds. Expansive landscape and mountain views both up and down the Rio Chama Valley provide endless

postcard-worthy vistas. Serving as the focal point, 1.25 miles of both sides of Chama River meander through

the heart of the ranch providing action-packed freestone river fishing for healthy trophy brown and rainbow

trout.

With Brazos Peak and the mountains of Carson National Forest in the backdrop, the ranch’s eastern elevated

benches and homesite serve as a great vantage point overlooking the hay meadows, and all the way to the

river. The Cañones and Barranco ditches meander through the irrigated meadows with the tree-lined river

corridor beyond the hay fields to the west. The expansive cottonwood forest provides the local wildlife and

big game a safe habitat with abundant cover, located close to critical water and reliable food sources. The

private bridge across the Chama River provides convenient access to this portion of the ranch. It leads to the

open pastures and trees west of the river as the topography transitions into the hillsides leading to the desert-

like mesas of the adjacent Jicarilla Apache Reservation.ride, hike or snowmobile all the way to Yellowstone

National Park from the ranch itself.

Acreage5 1 8 D E E D E D A C R E S

B I S E C T E D B Y T H E

C H A M A R I V E R



The main residence is a well-appointed 100-year-old 2,100

sqft adobe-style home. This historic 3-bedroom, 1-bath home

has been completely remodeled and updated with modern

amenities. The large open kitchen provides plenty of room

for preparing meals for any large gathering, while the living

room and its open fireplace serve as a cozy setting for visiting

or relaxing by the warm fire. Additional rooms include a large

mudroom with storage closets, a laundry room and a bonus fishing/hunting room complete with fly fishing bins,

fully-stocked with all the necessary gear for a day of fishing.

Improvements2 , 1 0 0 S Q F T

3 B E D / 1 B A T H

H I S T O R I C A D O B E

S T Y L E H O M EHunting | Ranching | Fly Fishing | Conservation

Improvements (cont’d) Adjacent to the main home is a newly-built 1,950 sqft

guest apartment complete with a covered carport,

garage and shop. This studio-style guest quarters

enjoys a corner fireplace, full kitchen and large open

floor plan. Additional structures include a historic

century-old barn, a peaceful pavilion on the manicured

lawn along the banks of a large trout pond, and a high-

house, low-house skeet shooting range.



Operational Considerations

The ranch is currently managed as a balanced trophy sporting ranch and productive hay operation. There are

currently no cattle or horses on the ranch. The Cañones Creek Ranch offers an array of options for an incoming

owner to develop his or her own operation. With its agricultural designation, the ranch boasts senior water rights and

is completely perimeter fenced. An incoming owner could run a modest, year round or seasonal cattle operation with

horses and abundant pasture for grazing, along with hay-producing acreage for winter feed.


Water RightsThe ranch has adjudicated water rights on the

Cañones and Barranco acequias (ditches) used for

flood irrigation of approximately 302.5 irrigable

acres. Further water rights information is available

upon request.

A one of a kind New Mexico fishing ranch, the Cañones Creek Ranch is

rich in live water diversity and opportunity. Rarely does a ranch come

to market in the area with this much fishable water packed into 518 deeded

acres. The Cañones Creek Ranch provides an incoming owner with the ultimate

experience in New Mexico trout water on the 1.25 miles of both sides of the

Chama River. There are also 5 different trout ponds, each of which has been

professionally designed and stocked with rainbow, brown and brook trout,

many of them reaching trophy size. Each pond has been strategically placed

throughout the ranch to provide a unique setting and experience. A newly

constructed private bridge over the Chama River provides convenient access to

both sides of the river throughout its course.

The Pavilion Pond serves as a favorite gathering site

for family and friends. One of the prettiest sites on the

ranch, the pond boasts healthy numbers of rainbow,

brown and brook trout with some rainbows reaching

24 inches and up to 8 pounds in size. The manicured

lawn around the pavilion with its beautiful mountain

backdrop, tall trees, picnic tables and a grilling area

provide an ideal setting for any family or entertaining event. Between the 5

stocked ponds and the 1.25 miles of river frontage, there will always be good

fishing on the Cañones Creek Ranch.

The entire stretch of Chama River flowing through the ranch has been

professionally enhanced. The river enters the upstream reach of the ranch above

its confluence with Cañones Creek, a seasonal stream that flows through a portion

of the ranch. From here, the river resembles a classic freestone stream meandering

its way through the mature cottonwood-lined river bottom and open meadows to

running along the steep hillsides. The river offers incredible and diverse habitat

throughout its course ranging from smooth, gentle glides, to riffles, grass and

willow-lined banks, steep boulder-lined banks and deep plunge pools.

Live Water1 . 2 5 M I L E S O F T H E C H A M A

R I V E R A N D 5 D I F F E R E N T

T R O U T P O N D S

The Chama River is one of the West’s most undiscovered and diverse trout rivers. Originating in

the high mountains of the New Mexico/Colorado border, this freestone stream flows for many miles through high mountain forests before it drops down into the Chama River Valley grasslands and ranches. The upper stretch of the Chama River on the Cañones Creek Ranch boasts healthy populations of large wild brown and rainbow trout. This upper stretch flows south until it reaches El Vado Reservoir; the state record brown trout was caught in the river below El Vado.

A newly built high-house, low-house skeet shooting

range provides a unique and fun activity for all ages

to enjoy. In addition to the onsite amenities, there

are many recreational options in this area of the

Rocky Mountains. Boating, hiking, backpacking and

camping opportunities abound in all directions in the

area’s extensive public lands, streams and lakes.

With its cool clean headwaters originating in the

mountains north of Chama, the Rio Chama serves as one of the area’s main attractions. A major tributary of the

Rio Grande, the river flows through the open valley and beautiful ranchlands on its upper reach, transitioning

to faster whitewater and a multi-colored sandstone canyon with walls that reach 1,500 feet above the river.

Co-managed by BLM and the Forest Service, 24.6 miles of the river is congressionally designated as a National

Wild and Scenic River.

El Vado Lake is the reservoir of the the Upper Rio Chama River. The lake offers water skiing, sailing, canoeing,

rafting and fishing opportunities. The 15-mile stretch of river above El Vado Reservoir provides whitewater

rafting and kayaking on Class II to IV rapids, depending on the flows and time of year.

Recreational Opportunities

S K E E T S H O O T I N G ,

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B A C K P A C K I N G , W A T E R

S K I I N G , S A I L I N G , F I S H I N G

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Wildlife and Hunting

Widely known for some of the best elk habitat in the Rocky Mountains, the Cañones Creek Ranch is located

within New Mexico’s famous Game Management Unit 4. This area, just south of the Colorado/New

Mexico border, has a reputation for robust elk herds, trophy bulls and quality mule deer. Springtime hunting

opportunities exist for Merriam’s wild turkey.

The Cañones Creek Ranch comes with four landowner elk tags while mule deer tags are available over-the-counter.

The dense cottonwood stands along the riverbanks provide cover while the lush alfalfa hay meadows serve as a

magnet for the area’s highly regarded elk populations and mule deer.



Located in the heart of the Chama River Valley and just south of the Colorado border, the Cañones Creek

Ranch boasts an array of scenic and diverse landscapes. The historic, quaint town of Chama, situated

in Rio Arriba County, is located 6 miles north of the ranch providing convenient access to all the necessary

amenities provided by this small town such as hardware stores, groceries, a family medical center, fishing and

hunting supplies, restaurants and cafés, shops and lodging. The local economy has historically been driven by

agriculture, however tourism has become a large contributor to the Rio Chama Valley economy, as the town has

grown and new businesses have started.

The ranch can be accessed by private and charter aircraft at nearby Archuleta County Airport at Stevens Field

in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, located 50 minutes from the ranch. Stevens Field offers an 8,100 foot x 100 foot

airstrip complete with a newly refurbished full-service FBO. The Santa Fe Municipal Airport is located 1 hour

and 45 minutes away offering daily non-stop jet service from Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles and Denver.

Additional commercial air service is 2 hours away via La Plata County Airport in Durango, Colorado, which

offers daily direct service to Denver, Phoenix and Dallas/Ft. Worth.

The Rio Chama Valley has long been a mecca for artists. Painters and photographers find the clear blue skies,

the quality of the light and fantastic, surreal landscapes irresistible subjects for their craft. Georgia O’Keefe is

by far the best known of the many fine painters who have lived and worked in the Rio Chama Valley. Known

throughout the world for her bold landscapes and vivid still life paintings of the region’s flowers and natural

objects, O’Keefe lived and worked through much of her career on the Lower Rio Chama.

Location• 6 MILES FROM CHAMA, NM

• 50 MINUTES FROM PAGOSA

SPRINGS, CO

• 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES FROM

SANTA FE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

• 2 HOURS FROM DURANGO, CO

• 2 HOURS FROM LA PLATA

COUNTY AIRPORT



SummaryThis 518-acre ranch offers world-class fly fish-

ing on over 1.25 miles of professionally en-hanced freestone Chama River fishing and 5

stocked ponds full of large trout. The big game component and landowner elk tags complete with a private skeet shooting range, charming improvements and productive hay operation is what make the Cañones Creek Ranch the

ideal ranch retreat for today’s Buyer looking for the complete package. From the breathtaking

mountain views and ranchland vistas, to seem-ingly endless recreational opportunities both on and off the ranch, the Cañones Creek Ranch is

worthy of today’s trophy ranch designation.

LISTING PRICE: $4,995,000 REDUCEDTAXES: $1,603 IN 2018

CONTACTFor more information please contact Carlos Ordonez at 307-690-6375, or

[email protected]



Notes:1) This is a co-listing of Live Water Properties LLC and New Mexico Alpine Properties; an agent of Live Water Properties or New Mexico Alpine Properties must be present to conduct a showing. The owners respectfully request that other agents and/or prospective

buyers contact Live Water Properties in advance to schedule a proper showing and do not attempt to tour or trespass the property on their own. Thank you. 2) Offering subject to errors, omissions, prior sale, change or withdrawal without notice, and approval of purchase by owner. Information provided herein is intended as a general guideline and has been provided by sources deemed reliable, but the accuracy of which we cannot guarantee. 3) Live Water Properties LLC represents the Seller as a Seller’s Agent.

Cañones Creek Ranch on the Chama River Aerial MapPublic land shown in green • Maps are for visual aid only; accuracy is not guaranteed.

Cañones Creek Ranch on the Chama River Topographical MapMaps are for visual aid only; accuracy is not guaranteed.

Cañones Creek Ranch on the Chama River Location MapMaps are for visual aid only; accuracy is not guaranteed.

canones creek ranch on the chama river · 2019-05-24 · canones creek ranch on the chama river...

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