7105 Escalante Canyon Road , Delta, CO 81416(Delta County)

Known for its breathtaking scenery, Dominguez-Escalante NCA is a fine example of the spectacular canyon country of the Uncompahgre Plateau. Red-rock canyons and sandstone bluffs hold geological and paleontological resources spanning 600 million years, as well as many cultural and historic sites. The Ute Tribes today consider these pinyon-junipercovered lands an important connection to their ancestral past.

The ranch lies 25 miles south of Grand Junction and 12 miles northwest of Delta, Colorado. Stretching from the Gunnison River to the top of the Uncompahgre Plateau, it covers approximately 5,920+/- deeded acres and over 100,000+/- acres of BLM and National Forest grazing allotments. This contiguous block of land is approximately 6 miles wide and 30 miles long, with the elevation ranging from 4,600 feet along the Gunnison River in the lower elevations with beautiful mesa benches, red-rock canyons, and sandstone bluffs and then work their way up to the higher alpine elevations of over 9,200 feet of the Uncompahgre Plateau with its gorgeous alpine setting of aspen, pine, oaks, and pristine mountain meadows. The change in elevation makes for unusually dry mild winters down in the lower elevations where the ranch headquarters are located and cooler moist summers in the higher alpine country. It is the ideal home and livestock setup for a 1,400+/- head cow-calf operation with both BLM and NF grazing allotments. With 100,000+/- acres of BLM and National Forest livestock grazing permits of which these permits are contiguous to the 5,920+/- deeded acres which gives this legacy ranch approximately 105,950+/- acres or 165+/- square miles of Deeded, BLM, and National Forest lands.

The ranch (known as the Musser Ranch for the last 100 years) was amassed by the Musser brothers, Jack & Tom, and their father over the last 100 years. The Musser brothers were known for their promotion and sale of Beefmaster cattle. The ranch changed ownership in 1990 when purchased by Dick Miller, an east slope farmer whose family still actively manages the ranch and their farming operations today.

HUNTING:

The Escalante Ranch provides non-guided Big Game hunts in Unit 62 on the Uncompahgre Plateau with approximately 5,920+/- acres of private land owned by the ranch, along with 100,000+/- acres of adjoining BLM and NF lands. In addition to having complete access to private land holdings within the National Forest and BLM, the ranch will provide cabins or the main ranch house as accommodations for your hunting party.

GMU 62 has in recent years become quite renowned for producing trophy bull elk in the 340" class and larger, with several 360" - 370" plus bulls having been harvested. Unit 62 has over the counter bull elk tags for archery and two rifle seasons, except for muzzleloader and 1st rifle seasons, which are typically easy to draw. Mule deer numbers for Unit 62 are somewhat down, but the genetics are there for big muley bucks, with exceptional bucks in the 170" to 200" plus class taken each year. Deer tags for Unit 62 are on a total draw system but fairly easy to draw. Escalante Ranch does receive several landowner buck tags each year through the Landowner Preference Program as well. Escalante Ranch is home to the largest herd of Desert Bighorn sheep in Colorado.

Other hunting opportunities include: desert bighorn sheep, black bear, lion, turkey, small game, waterfowl, chukar, and quail.

Don't forget the fishing, kayaking, rafting, and camping opportunities with 10 miles of Escalante Creek and 8 miles of the Gunnison River traversing through the deeded lands.

WATER RIGHTS:

There is an extensive list of deeded water rights for irrigation purposes, numerous springs, storage ponds, and reservoirs. The ranch currently irrigates approximately 900+/- acres for both hay production and pasture.