Wood River Ranch

Owned by the same stewardship-minded family for over four decades, Wood River Ranch is a longstanding, year-round cattle operation that represents one of the landmark properties in the Sun Valley area. Set against the foothills of the Smokey Mountains, the ranch is conveniently located 25 miles south of Ketchum and the resort amenities of Sun Valley and ten miles from the commercial airport in Hailey. The ranch encompasses two operating units with a combined total of 4,654± deeded acres, along with two associated Bureau of Land Management grazing permits. The primary grazing allotment lies approximately 95 miles south of the ranch and accommodates up to 600 head of cattle on a year-round basis. The Big Wood River is the centerpiece of the ranch flowing for over two miles through a robust, wildlife-rich riparian corridor with cottonwood forests, sloughs, and willow-lined wetland areas. The ranch features multiple surface and ground water rights used to irrigate up to 1,472± acres with an integrated irrigation system that includes nine center pivots. Ranch and residential improvements are located in a private setting in the northeast corner of the ranch with easy access to State Highway 75 and include a comfortable six-bedroom owner’s home, employee housing units, a horse barn with an upstairs apartment, equipment storage, livestock pens and feed bunks, and cattle-handling facilities. Elk, deer, antelope, moose, and upland game birds call the ranch home, while fishing for rainbow and brown trout is available in the river. The ranch is located in hunt unit 48 and the Smokey-Bennett elk zone and qualifies for landowner appreciation permits for controlled hunts. Sun Valley, with its world-class skiing, fine dining and shopping, and excellent golf courses, is located a half-hour north of the ranch. The ranch is not covered by a conservation easement at the present time. However, because of the property’s scale, location, open space, and extensive river frontage, it is a prime candidate for one. The Facts: ~ Landmark Sun Valley ranch owned by the same family for over four decades ~ 4,654± total deeded acres in two separate operating units ~ Approximately 30 minutes south of Ketchum and the Sun Valley Resort and 15 minutes from the airport in Hailey ~ Main ranch features 4,074± deeded acres, plus a 120± acre BLM summer grazing permit ~ Castleford Unit includes 580± deeded acres and a 600-head year-round BLM grazing permit encompassing over 39,000 acres of BLM land ~ Multiple surface and groundwater irrigation rights covering 1,472± acres, including approximately 1,000 acres under nine center pivots ~ Over two miles of both sides of the Big Wood River with fishing for rainbow and brown trout ~ Excellent, well-maintained residential and ranch improvements ~ Extremely private with limited impacts from the public ~ Wildlife includes elk, mule deer, antelope, moose, chukar, gray partridge, sage grouse, waterfowl, and an array of non-game species ~ Ranch qualifies for landowner appreciation program tags for controlled hunts in unit 48 ~ No conservation easement although an excellent candidate for one ~ Property taxes are approximately $29,000, including annual groundwater assessments