Creede, CO 81130(Mineral County)

Broadacres Ranch Colorado: With an 18-year history as a highly-rated Orvis-Endorsed Lodge, Broadacres Ranch on the banks of the Rio Grande near Creede, Colorado rates as one of the top fly fishing resorts in the Rockies. Now offered as a turnkey, fully furnished luxury resort, the ranchs manicured grounds surround seven guest cabins, a fly shop, office, barn, laundry, equipment shop, and managers house, creating an atmosphere of relaxed elegance. All of the guest cabins have kitchens and can be operational year-round. The ranchs large Bensonwood timberframe lodge is truly exceptional, and features a full commercial kitchen, great room, bar, and indoor and outdoor seating, all overlooking the lovely Rio Grande.

Located in a beautiful broad valley at 8,900 in the San Juan Mountains, Broadacres Ranch was established in 1892 and includes meadows and riparian woodland straddling both sides of the Rio Grande about 5 miles southwest of Creede. For decades, the ranch has worked hard to enhance its naturally-productive trout habitat to be the best possible, and the results have been spectacular. As a result, river trout fishing is excellent on the ranch itself, with almost endless access to additional public fishing in the surrounding territory. Broadacres Ranch has only had four custodians in its almost 130-year history, creating a remarkable continuity of careful stewardship of the land.

The Rio Grande itself is a 50- to 75-foot wide river here that flows through approximately 1.2 channel miles of the ranch. Abundant natural rocks have been supplemented with professionally-engineered rock structures throughout this stretch, creating almost perfect habitat for rainbow and brown trout that run 13 to well over 20 inches in length. An amazing insect population, including the famed giant stoneflies (salmonflies), keeps the Rios trout fat and strong.

Over the decades, the Broadacres Ranch has grown an excellent reputation in both the guest ranch and fly fishing worlds. For any who desire to continue the operation as a fly fishing and guest ranch resort, this reputation will prove as valuable as the silver mines that caused the region to prosper when Creede was settled. The ranch currently holds USFS permits for floating and back country fishing, as well as an outfitters license for both hunting and fishing. Broadacres Ranch also receives landowner deer and/or elk hunting permits annually from Colorado Parks and Wildlife for hunting on the ranch. Fishing and hunting business is the mainstay here, but the Broadacres Ranch is perfectly developed to function as a corporate or family retreat. or No conservation easements presently encumber any of the property so it offers fabulous opportunity for creative environmentally sensitive development.

Recreational opportunities are rich in the Creede area. Horseback riding is available on the ranch and for many miles on trails on the adjoining Rio Grande National Forest to the north. OHV riding is also popular, as is snowmobiling in the winter. Both elk and mule deer range through the ranch, and big game hunting on the nearby National Forest land is excellent. Hiking and mountain biking trails and groomed cross-country ski trails are all accessible from the ranch, and downhill skiers will find some of the deepest powder in the nation at Wolf Creek Ski Area, only about an hour away. In the summer months, golfers will enjoy teeing up on the lovely 18-hole Rio Grande Golf Club only 30 minutes downriver at South Fork.

Creede is a classic mining town and features historic buildings, shops, restaurants, and the renowned Creede Repertory Theatre, with its remarkable talent of actors and actresses performing every summer. Creede also has a light jet capable airport called Mineral County Airport (C24), making Broadacres Ranch conveniently accessible year-round.

Not everyone is interested in building a property into something magnificent from the ground up. At Broadacres Ranch, that work has already been done. The fisheries improvements, grounds, cabins, and lodge have already made it into a first-class resort. Those who have a passion for outstanding fly fishing in a place that is turn-key ready for family and guests, will find plenty to capture their hearts among the waters of Broadacres Ranch.