This column is part of a regular weekly series highlighting the largest land sales recorded each week through the Lands of America Comparable Sales program. To learn more and participate in the program, or to subscribe, click here.
Congratulations to Chance Bernall of Beaverhead Home and Ranch for his sale this week of Montana’s 3,221-acre Charles Stibal Ranch. This sale occurred on June 5, 2017, and was submitted through the Lands of America Comparable Sales program.
View property listing on Lands of America
Sitting in Montana’s sweeping Centennial Valley, this recreational acreage might well be the epitome of the state’s famed Big Sky Country moniker. Framed by the ragged peaks of the Centennial and Gravelly mountains, the terrain here is characterized by expansive grasslands and wetlands that are home to grazing cattle, herds of elk and big predators like grizzlies and wolves. The Centennial Valley stretches out just beyond the western border of Yellowstone National Park and forms a critical migration route for wildlife throughout the Northern Rockies.
Unsurprisingly given its enviable location, Charles Stibal Ranch offers exceptional outdoor opportunities including hunting, fly-fishing, hiking, birding and snowmobiling. The valley’s expansive wetlands are home to hundreds of bird species, and the Red Rock River system is one of the last places where rare Arctic grayling survive.
Located in Montana’s Hunting District 324, elk and deer tags are available to resident and non-resident hunters alike. Elk, deer, bear and moose have been viewed on the property. Fall and winter see large herds of elk and deer migrating into the valley from the high country. Set along the Pacific flyway for migratory bird species, waterfowl hunting is also a major draw throughout the ranch’s riparian areas.
The ranch currently supports summer grazing for up to 400 cow/calf pairs. It’s also protected by a conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy. A small ranch dwelling offers the quintessential “home on the range,” with views out over meadows toward distant mountain peaks. Access is via a gravel road from the small town of Lima, while Dillon (1.5 hours) offers more extensive amenities. The closest commercial airports are at Idaho Falls (2.5 hours south) and Butte (2.5 hours north).
View Chance Bernall’s other listings on Lands of America
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