The property has excellent curb appealite-board paddock area. In addition, the headquarters site includes an attractive old 9500 square foot dairy barn with office/apartment that could be adapted to an equestrian set-up, and a 1680 square foot double-wide main residence. Livestock facilities include two, four-bay loafing sheds with wood corrals and working chutes. All perimeter fencing on the tree-lined road frontage is white four-board vinyl fencing on wood posts.
LOCATION
The ranch is ideally located off Highway 92, two miles south of Hotchkiss, Colorado on the way to Crawford and Blue Mesa Reservoir in temperate Delta County. It is situated along the western flank of the Rocky Mountains between three National Forests: the Grand Mesa to the north, the Elk Mountains and Gunnison National Forest to the east and the red rock canyons of the Uncompahgre Plateau to the south. Air service is 40 miles away in Montrose, or an hour away in Grand Junction. There is a private airport located in nearby Crawford, Colorado. Excellent hospital facilities are also available in Grand Junction. Aspen is two hours away over McClure Pass.
AREA & RECREATION
Agriculture and tourism are the primary sources of income in Delta County. Characteristic warm summer days and cool nights make this one of the finest fruit growing areas in the west, producing some of Colorado’s finest fruits and vegetables for over a century. Delta County is also a major recreation area boasting some of Colorado’s best fishing waters; the Gunnison, the North Fork of the Gunnison and the Uncompahgre rivers. “Gold Medal” fishing can be found in the Gunnison and Gunnison Gorge. There are three state recreation areas within easy driving distance. Crawford Reservoir State Recreation area, about eight miles southeast of the ranch, has 400 surface acres of water for boaters and fishermen and 337 land acres for campers. Curecanti Recreation Area, which includes the largest man-made reservoir in Colorado, Blue Mesa Reservoir, is only an hour by car. Black Canyon National Monument and the Gunnison River Gorge are also within an hour. Hunting is also a major attraction to Delta County. Big game is plentiful in the surrounding National Forests and upland bird hunting in the valley is excellent. Scenic Mesa Hunting Club is adjacent to the ranch.
ACREAGE
Acreage breakdown of the 106.54 acres is approximately 80 acres of grass/alfalfa hay (more grass than alfalfa) and 21.5 acres of meadow grazing land. The ranch normally produces 2.5 to 3 tons per acre. The cropland is mostly level, with above average deep, well-drained soil in the silty clay loam soil. Horizon Ranch runs approximately 40 cow/calf pairs during the winter months.
CLIMATE
The climate is one of warm summers and moderate winters in the valley floors with cooler temperatures and more precipitation in the higher elevations. Mean temperatures vary from 26 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit. Annual rainfall is approximately 7.7 inches and snowfall is 16 inches (much more in the higher elevations). The growing season is 143 days and elevations range from 4,758 to 11,396 feet.
WATER
The agricultural water supply for the Horizon Ranch is provided by surface water rights. The decreed priorities serving the ranch are recorded in Book 582, Page 183, recorded November 23, 1987 of the Delta County Clerk and Recorder. The recorded amount of water is 150 feet of Smith Fork Project Water. There are also two taps of the Crawford Mesa Domestic Water Association. The water is sufficient to irrigate 80 acres of grass/alfalfa hay ground and 21 acres of pasture.
IMPROVEMENTS
The main residence on the ranch is a 1,680 square foot three-bedrooms, two and a half baths double-wide mobile home. There is a 10 foot x 20 foot covered porch on the front of the house. The house is currently used for ranch help.
The headquarters site has old cottonwood trees in a fenced, white-board paddock area which includes an attractive old 9500 square foot diary barn with office/apartment that could be adapted to an equestrian set-up. Livestock facilities include two, four-bay loafing sheds with wood corrals and working chutes. All perimeter fencing on the tree-lined road frontage is white, four-board vinyl fencing on wood posts.