Timberland Ranch & Fishing Property

We are privileged to have obtained the exclusive listing on the extremely scenic Timberland Ranch located in close proximity to historic Santa Fe, New Mexico. The ever flowing, crystal clear waters of the Pecos River run through the entirety of the property creating a stretch of water that can truly be described as one of, if not, the best trophy rainbow and brown trout fishery in New Mexico. We have never encountered so many trout measuring 20-25 inches with the occasional 30-inch trophy until we toured this fine property. Topping this extremely unique amenity is the fact the ranch lies within 35 minutes of Old Pecos Trail in Santa Fe and 45 minutes from the Downtown Plaza. This one-of-a-kind property also includes a beautiful adobe home, guest lodging, shop, and 2 other spring fed ponds where fish thrive.

Timberland Ranch contains approximately 219 private/deeded acres with 22.44 adjudicated acre-feet of water rights on file with the New Mexico State Engineer’s office. These water rights have a 1904 priority date. The estimated length of actual river frontage including both sides on the Pecos, is slightly over 5,000 feet on each side of the river. The ranch elevation at the river valley floor is roughly 7,500 feet and upper mountain elevations exceed 8,200 feet.

The Upper Pecos River at Timberland Ranch has been professionally engineered and restored for prime fish habitat by the well-known company of Riverbend Engineering, LLC. The restoration completed on this property has created a fishery that is unparalleled in New Mexico. There have been no actual stockings of trout in the river on this property. The large population of fish in this portion of the river has moved to this prime stretch of water due to the quality of work done in the streambed itself. Small spawning streams with inlets and outlets are built off the main Pecos River flow to allow for natural population growth. The large fish in this stream are very fat and healthy as you will note in the photos.

Location

As mentioned above, this one-of-a-kind private fishing property is located conveniently to Santa Fe, NM. Access to the ranch is via I-25 to Pecos, NM and then north on paved State Highway 63. The ranch is fenced along the highway and an elevated man-made earthen berm helps block views of the property from the highway, adding to the privacy of the ranch. Access to Timberland Ranch is provided by secured keypad private entrance gates adjacent to the highway. The main owner’s home is positioned along an elevated side slope overlooking the river.

Santa Fe is a world-renowned destination with its ancient history and diverse cultural heritage. Being New Mexico’s capitol city, this historic town always offers something to do. Main attractions are the Downtown Plaza, shops, museums, restaurants, the Santa Fe Opera, and art galleries, all major to do’s in the “City Different”, as it is known. Santa Fe also boasts a modern recreational ski area just twelve miles from downtown. Several casinos are located in close proximity to Santa Fe. Santa Fe’s elevation at 7,000 ft. assures that residents will enjoy all four seasons. Travel to Santa Fe is easy via I-25 and commercial air by both American and United Airlines.

Improvements

Owner’s Home: This beautiful home was originally constructed in approximately 1984.  The home is pueblo style with a stucco exterior and is approximately 2,769 sq. ft. +/-. The home was remodeled in 2007-2008.  It is an excellent quality, 3-bedroom/3-bathroom home with four fireplaces, a living room, kitchen, family room, breakfast area, den, sunroom, and laundry.  The windows are wood frame-thermal casements and the exterior doors are solid wood units.  The main living area has a variety of tile and wood floor coverings with carpeting in the bedrooms.  The walls and ceilings are generally vigas with rough sawed decking.  Some of the rooms in the northern part of the house have painted drywall ceilings.  The kitchen features custom wood cabinets and granite countertops.  A flagstone walkway leads to the main entrance and around south to the back patio.  A rock wall surrounds the flagstone patio with an exterior rock fireplace.  The owner of this home can enjoy time on the porch listening to the tranquil sounds of a small adjacent creek or step to the other side of the home and hear the serene sounds of the Pecos, just a few yards downhill. This home epitomizes the Santa Fe style décor of Northern New Mexico and is a perfect setting for the owner’s enjoyment and special time with family and guests. Landscaping around the home is impeccably maintained.

Just off the front door of the owners’ residence sits a detached 2-car carport of beam and post construction with a metal roof.  There is also an 80 square foot garden/tool shed near the home.

Bunk House:  A log construction bunkhouse is located approximately 1/8th of a mile south of the primary residence and contains about 1,570 square feet. The bunkhouse has a rectangular shape with a full-length covered porch on the west side.  The interior includes two large rooms at either end with a central kitchen and bathroom.  This structure has exterior log walls and metal roof covering. This bunkhouse is perfect for family/corporate guests coming to the ranch to enjoy a mountain and fishing excursion.

Glamping Tents: Just west and north of the log bunkhouse are very well-appointed wall tents furnished with residence style beds and décor. These quarters fit the motif of those that like to camp in a more luxurious setting known as glamping.

Shower/Restroom Building:  These structures compliment the glamping atmosphere on Timberland Ranch. This approximately 698 square foot building was part of the original Brush Ranch Youth Camp and is located next to the bunkhouse in the southern part of the property.  The southern space consists of an efficiency kitchen and laundry, the central area is the mechanical room, and the northern area is divided into his and her shower/restrooms. The current owners recently renovated this building, so it fits perfectly with the nearby glamping motif.

Shop/Stables Building:  The 1,800 square foot equipment and maintenance shop on this exceptional property is constructed with steel framing and metal siding. The shop has a concrete floor and an overhead roll-up steel door.  The adjoining livestock stables contain approximately 792 square feet and have three stalls with covered shelter.

Infrastructure Improvements

On-site improvements include internal access roads with two bridges over the Pecos River from State Road 63, four domestic wells, two small pedestrian bridges, two recreational ponds, a tennis court, a picnic shelter, restroom/shower building, wood rail fencing, and concrete tent pads. As previously mentioned, a landscaped earthen berm was constructed adjacent to State Road 63 to shield the property from prying eyes. The berm is approximately 1,500 feet long by 10 feet tall. In addition to the 2 keypad security entrance gates, the property has cameras strategically positioned in several areas to offer owners more protection and privacy

Zoning and Future Development Potential

There are no known deed restrictions on the property. The property is zoned A-1, Agricultural Zone. As such, there are several means to consider the further development potential of the Timberland Ranch. The steepness of the mountain terrain on the extreme east and west boundaries will limit residential development. However, approximately 45% + (98.5 acres) of the property is attractive and slight enough in slope to consider a recreational home site development, a use common in some of the Northern New Mexico regions.  The Pecos River consumes approximately 20 acres of the 98 developable acres leaving about 78 acres for potential home sites.  The developable area is essentially all influenced by the river.  The most significant development in the Timberland Ranch area is the Tres Lagunas Condominium project adjoining the ranch on the north.  This project began around 1985 with 26 vacant condominium lots.  Most of the lots have been built and completed with luxury recreational residences.

The Timberland Ranch is all contiguous and is legally described as tracts 1, 2, 5, 6, and 8. Under current subdivision regulations, tracts 1, 2, 5 and 6 are separate parcels and could be sold individually without further County approvals.  Under the same line of thought, each of the tracts could also be split once in the next 5 years. Family lot splits could open the door to more lots. Soil characteristics, for the most part, are suitable for the development of structures. Groundwater availability would be considered adequate in quality and quantity given the 4 wells currently on the ranch.

Bottom line with regard to zoning is that San Miguel County currently allows the Timberland Ranch to be kept in its current pristine condition or viewed for investment opportunities down the road.

For those with a conservation vision in mind, the use of a “conservation easement” as a tool for estate planning or sheltering income is worthy of exploration. Chas. S. Middleton and Son has sales data in the immediate neighborhood that reflects very high prices paid on smaller tracts of land along the river. With the parcel legal description presented, granting of a conservation easement may be a very effective means to reduce the overall cost of the Timberland Ranch.

Wildlife

Several species of wildlife live within the borders of the Timberland Ranch. Mule deer are common to the area and viewed often. Elk are present from time to time and no doubt, a bear may wander through the property, along with an occasional mountain lion, bobcat, and coyote. Many smaller species of wildlife call the Timberland Ranch home. Waterfowl will land on the ponds from time to time. Turkey are common as are many other species of birds. However, as discussed above, the big attraction to the Timberland Ranch is the superb trout fishing. Bar-none, one of the best, if not the best, private stream fishing properties in the state.

Mountain Flora: The ranch contains many species of plant life and trees located throughout the dramatic elevations. Ponderosa Pine and Oak Brush make up much of the tree cover outside of the river bottom. Cottonwood and Willow Trees are found along the main river channel. Douglas and White Fir and Engelman Spruce can be found at various locations on the ranch. Meadow grasses consist of Arizona Fescue, Blue Grama and Mountain Muhly.

Utilities

Timberland Ranch is serviced by the San Miguel Electrical Coop, CenturyLink, propane gas, and individual septic and leach fields. 

Taxes

The taxes on the ranch are currently under three separate owner numbers. The total taxes on the ranch were $5,500 in 2018.

Summary

The Timberland Ranch is a unique large property not readily found in the Upper Pecos region near Santa Fe. This property has the potential for the discriminate owner looking for a one-of-a-kind home and retreat or the investor/entrepreneur desiring a spectacular long-term potential development property. After researching the relevant market data and listings in the area of the Timberland Ranch, we believe we have the ranch realistically priced at $6,950,000. If you are researching the Santa Fe market for a gem, the Timberland Ranch is a diamond around the corner.