Ask Joseph Burns
Rainbow Trout Ranch is one of those rare finds with so many possibilities. The Rainbow Trout Ranch is a true Colorado recreational ranch featuring spectacular acreage in which to ride, fish, hike and enjoy nature. The ranch is very desirable due to its strong, positive influence from the Conejos River and the surrounding public lands. It has excellent views, strong wildlife activity, good mixed vegetation, terrain, and land types. A true vacation destination for the whole family, Rainbow Trout Ranch spans 591 +/- acres across Southwest Colorado. Since the 1990s, the current owners have focused on making this Colorado dude ranch an exclusive family getaway. Activities include hiking, fishing, horseback riding, hayrides, river rafting, hoe-downs - and for the kids, add swimming and crafting. And don't forget - good eatin'! Families enjoy a week-long vacation in a breathtaking setting surrounded by the Rio Grand National Forest and bordering the San Juan Wilderness. Once an exclusive fisherman's club in the 1900s, the ranch opened to the public in the 1920s after the completion of the main lodge, which still stands today. Rainbow Trout Ranch, while offering amazing adventures on its own vast acreage, also serves as a homebase for adventures to scenic railroads, ancient Native American dwellings, and the Southwest culture. If you've ever dreamed of owning your own dude ranch vacation destination and continuing a 100+ -year legacy, Rainbow Trout Ranch is the perfect property for you! IMPROVEMENTS The Rainbow Trout Ranch offers an impressive array of improvements. The improvements can accommodate a large crowd so would be perfect for a fishing club, family retreat, corporate retreat, church camp, or an impressive dude ranch, which it is currently being operated as. The heart of the ranch is its 12,119± square foot lodge. It's the ranch's gathering place, offering an impressive floor-to-ceiling double-sided stone fireplace inlaid with turquoise, huge commercial kitchen and dining area, library, reception area, several cozy gathering areas, and an inviting wrap-around porch to relax and soak in the incredible views the ranch has to offer. Nearby are the heated outdoor pool, hot tub, volleyball/basketball court, and 21 guest cabins. The ranch improvements form a secluded layout overlooking the valley and the river below. Along the river you will find the barn, corrals, arena and a beautiful riverside area set up for ranch cookouts. HISTORY The ranch and surrounding area are steep in rich history. The Spanish settled in the area in the 1600s and their legacy still exists. Preceding and interwoven with the local history of the Spanish is that of the Native Americans. The 1870s brought the miners with the discovery of gold and silver, by the 1900s brought the demise of the local mining industry. By the turn of the century, the ranch was a noted fisherman's paradise and soon a private fishing club. Cabins were built and by the mid 1920s construction began on the lodge, which was the largest log structure in the Southwest at the time. It was said that not a single nail was used in the lodge's construction, just wooden pegs. In the late 1920s the door was opened to the public as a guest ranch with extraordinary fishing.
Co-Listed with Team Murphy Realty, Michael Murphy (719)849-1441 michael@teammurphyrealty.com