Baker Spring Creek Ranch

Breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountain Front and Glacier National Park provide a stunning backdrop to this exceptional 2,541-acre ranch located just four miles northwest of the charming farm town of Choteau in north central Montana. This well-maintained property seamlessly blends agricultural productivity with recreational opportunities, featuring a comfortable home and a complete set of barns, shops, and outbuildings that support both ranching operations and country living.

The ranch showcases remarkable diversity across its landscape, encompassing irrigated cropland served by 633 acres of irrigation systems, including pivot and wheel-line equipment, sub-irrigated meadows, native grassland, and lush wetlands. Riparian creek bottoms follow Baker Spring Creek, which originates on the property and flows east parallel to the Teton River, while natural springs throughout the area create exceptional habitat for game birds, waterfowl, and whitetail deer.

Strategically positioned with Highway 89 running through the property for easy access, the ranch offers the perfect balance of rural tranquility and convenience, sitting just 50 minutes from Great Falls and an hour and a half from Helena. Currently operated as a productive hay base for a large neighboring ranch operation, this property presents an outstanding opportunity for agricultural operations, recreational pursuits, or conservation-minded ownership in one of Montana’s most scenic agricultural regions.

The ranch is located approximately four miles northwest of Choteau, a charming farm town that serves as the seat of Teton County in north central Montana. With a population of 1,721, according to the 2020 census, Choteau has maintained its historical character. The town is primarily comprised of cattle and farming operations that blend seamlessly with conservation, recreational, and hunting landowners, who typically include agricultural operations.

Highway 89 splits the ranch roughly in half as it runs north through the property, providing simple and direct access. The highway experiences its heaviest traffic during summer months when travelers journey between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. The property benefits from year-round accessibility via public roads as well as interior private ranch roads and trails.

The ranch enjoys proximity to major Montana cities, with Great Falls, the state’s third-largest city, located about 50 minutes to the southeast. Helena, Montana’s capital, sits almost due south at just over an hour-and-a-half drive from the property. This location offers the perfect balance of rural tranquility while maintaining reasonable access to urban amenities and services.

Approximate driving distances to towns and area attractions from the property are as follows:

The ranch encompasses a diverse landscape that includes both improved and native pastures alongside sub-irrigated, flood-irrigated, wheel line, and pivot-irrigated hay and cropland. Lush riparian areas with cottonwood and aspen trees follow the natural streams and wetlands throughout the property, creating rich habitat corridors.

Water resources are abundant on this property, with natural springs and Baker Spring Creek originating on-site and flowing east, running parallel to the Teton River. Springs emerge throughout the area, creating exceptional habitat for birds and wildlife, particularly game birds, waterfowl, and whitetail deer. Beyond these natural water sources, an irrigation canal serves approximately 633 acres of irrigated ground through a combination of two full-circle pivots, one partial-circle pivot, and wheel lines positioned along the south edge of the property. The pivots and wheel-line primarily support hay production, mainly alfalfa. A smaller portion utilizes flood irrigation for irrigated pasture and grass hay production.

For over ten years, the ranch has been leased to a neighboring operation that uses it primarily as their hay base and for light winter grazing. All exterior fencing has been recently replaced due to Highway 89 construction work, ensuring the property is well-secured with new infrastructure.

The property includes a gravel pit that the seller is preparing to reclaim and restore. A substantial pile of gravel material will remain available for new owners who may wish to develop interior roads. The restoration work of the former gravel extraction site could be transformed into a pond by the next owner, adding another water feature and wildlife habitat opportunity to the ranch.

The well-improved primary farmstead sits just west of Highway 89 and features a primary residence, secondary home, and a comprehensive collection of outbuildings. The 2,709-square-foot main home, one of the original homestead buildings that has been thoughtfully updated and improved, offers comfortable living with two floors, a finished basement, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. The residence includes a two-car garage and comes complete with all updated appliances in good condition.

A secondary 1,028-square-foot home, originally built in 1919 and updated in the 1980s, provides two bedrooms and one bathroom. This modest home is currently occupied by the ranch tenant.

Supporting buildings include a heated 36′ x 40′ metal shop with a concrete floor and a half-bath, a 16′ x 24′ garage with a concrete floor currently serving as a woodworking shop, and a Quonset hut with a concrete floor and electricity used for equipment storage.

Additional structures include a 46′ x 120′ calving barn in fair condition, two open-faced sheds measuring 90′ x 20′ and 8′ x 16′ that haven’t been used recently, and two older buildings that have exceeded their useful life. While these ranch structures are comfortable and functional rather than luxurious, the property offers numerous outstanding homesites for those interested in constructing a more modern owner’s residence to take full advantage of the spectacular mountain views and diverse landscape.

Before European settlement, the Choteau area was inhabited by various Native American tribes, particularly the Blackfeet, who hunted bison on the plains and utilized the region’s natural resources. By the 17th century, Plains Indians were drawn westward to the region by the abundant migratory wildlife. Choteau is named after French fur merchant, trader, and explorer Pierre Chouteau.

Growing up in Montana, A. B. Guthrie gifted the state with great historical fiction about the past. From fur trading to ranching to dryland farming, Guthrie takes us on a journey across five books and multiple generations, with Choteau at the center of many of these stories. Guthrie renamed the town, possibly to protect the secret, charming village on the way to Glacier National Park.

Area native Jack Horner, of Jurassic Park fame, started his paleontology career just southwest of Choteau at a spot now dubbed “Egg Mountain.” This rolling grassland once hid what was thought to be unbelievable: dinosaur eggs and dinosaur infants. Jack Horner discovered these fossils locked into the sandstone, making him one of the most famous paleontologists living today.

“The Front can’t be improved. Instead, our work is keeping it the way it is. The Rocky Mountain Front is simply the last of the best.”
Wilderness Society

This region in north central Montana draws visitors from around the world who come to experience the abundance of outdoor recreational activities and adventure opportunities available year-round. Winter enthusiasts can enjoy skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing throughout the area, with Teton Pass ski area located just 15 miles west of the ranch offering downhill skiing, backcountry skiing access, and extensive snowmobile trail systems.

Golf enthusiasts will find excellent options at varying distances from the property. The Choteau Country Club, located just a few miles south of the ranch, features a 9-hole golf course complete with driving range, banquet facilities, and a full bar for post-round relaxation. For additional golfing opportunities, the 9-hole Harvest Hills Golf Course in Fairfield is just a few miles further down the road. Those seeking more extensive golf amenities can make the drive to Great Falls, less than an hour away, where numerous country clubs, golf courses, and both live and virtual driving ranges provide world-class facilities and year-round practice opportunities.

Considered by many to be the jewel at the top of the US national park crown, Glacier National Park is one of those places that must be seen to understand how special and spectacular it is. The entrance at East Glacier is just under an hour and a half from the ranch, making for easy day adventures.

The ranch enjoys exceptional water access and fishing opportunities, with the 366-acre Eureka Reservoir forming the property’s entire western boundary. The ranch controls approximately 1.7 miles of shoreline, representing close to 40% of the reservoir’s total perimeter. This irrigation storage reservoir fills from the Teton River and features remarkably clear water, which, although relatively shallow, makes it a premier destination where locals enjoy water skiing, boating, and fishing for rainbow trout that are stocked annually and can reach several pounds. It provides excellent recreational opportunities during the peak season from June through early July, before irrigation demands lower water levels in late summer.

Additional fishing options abound throughout the area, with the Teton River flowing just off the ranch’s southern boundary and offering excellent trout fishing, particularly upstream in the mountain sections. A small spring-fed creek originates on the property and flows through the ranch, presenting potential for enhancement as a trout fishery while currently serving as prime pheasant habitat. For world-class angling experiences, the Missouri River near Craig represents one of Montana’s finest tailwater fisheries, boasting over 5,000 wild trout per mile, averaging 14 to 19 inches, with consistent hatches and year-round fishing.

The surrounding region offers passionate anglers virtually unlimited exploration opportunities through notable rivers including the Dearborn, Sun, and Marias, complemented by hundreds of smaller mountain and prairie streams, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs. This combination of on-ranch water features and proximity to some of Montana’s most celebrated fishing destinations creates an angler’s paradise with options suitable for every skill level and preference.

The ranch’s diverse terrain and habitat support an incredible variety of wildlife, with nearly every type of big game animal found in Montana present either on the property itself or on the adjacent national forest. The area hosts healthy populations of white-tail deer, black bears, and grizzly bears, while bird enthusiasts will discover abundant opportunities to observe pheasant, Hungarian partridge, and sharp-tail grouse throughout the property.

Just a few miles south of the ranch lies Freezout Lake, renowned as a bird watcher’s paradise and one of Montana’s premier wildlife viewing destinations. During peak migration periods, hundreds of thousands of birds gather at this remarkable lake, with over 230 documented species, including some very rare specimens. This proximity to such an exceptional birding location adds another dimension to the ranch’s already impressive wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities, making it an ideal destination for nature enthusiasts and outdoor photographers seeking to experience Montana’s rich biodiversity.

Hunting

Teton County enjoys a well-deserved reputation as one of Montana’s premier destinations for pheasant and upland bird hunting, and this ranch exemplifies that excellence with an impressive resident pheasant population that offers significant potential for enhancement. The property also supports a healthy whitetail deer population, known for producing quality trophy animals, which provides excellent hunting opportunities right on the ranch.

The surrounding thousands of acres of national forest expand hunting possibilities to include deer, elk, grizzly bears, black bears, and various small game species. While nonresidents must navigate Montana’s lottery-style tag system for these animals, the draw odds remain favorable, and animal populations are robust throughout the region. The area’s mountains and forests also harbor moose, bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goats, bison, and mountain lions, though harvesting these species requires special permits from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

For serious hunters interested in pursuing these premium game animals, it’s advisable to begin applying for tags immediately and start building preference points, as these once-in-a-lifetime hunting opportunities require advance planning and patience. The combination of excellent on-ranch hunting for upland birds and whitetail deer, coupled with access to world-class big game hunting on adjacent public lands, makes this property a hunter’s dream destination in one of Montana’s most game-rich regions.

The ranch lies at around 4,000 feet in elevation and has a mostly gently rolling topography.

Choteau experiences a semi-arid climate with cold, dry winters and warm, humid summers. Summertime average temperatures are in the low 80s in July and August and in the 30s from December to February. The area has an average annual precipitation of 10.6 inches and receives an average annual snowfall of 41 inches.

Choteau is located in a growing zone of 4b, with a typical growing season from around May 19th to September 21st. The last spring frost occurs around June 4th, and the first fall frost generally occurs around September 7th. There are about 187 sunny days in Choteau.

Please download the Offering Brochure to view additional information, such as Utilities & Services, Real Estate Taxes, and Mineral Rights.

The ranch benefits from water rights from multiple sources, with an additional 3.5 shares of the Teton Cooperative Canal. These rights offer great flexibility for irrigation, stock, and domestic use. The natural subirrigation created by natural springs contributes significantly to grass production and wildlife habitat.

Teton Co-op water from Eureka Reservoir is stored water that can be managed accordingly. The private water rights include ample water to irrigate 633 acres with 560 miners’ inches from the Teton River as well as Baker Spring Creek. The Teton water is delivered to the same infrastructure that delivers the Eureka Reservoir water via the Teton Canal. Water is delivered to multiple parts of the property and used by three center pivot systems, three wheel lines, and flooded fields.

Boasting a total of nine irrigation rights, the water rights include eight surface water rights and one 80 GPM well right designated for irrigation, stock, and domestic use.

This remarkable Montana ranch combines breathtaking Rocky Mountain Front views with exceptional agricultural productivity and world-class recreation. Located four miles northwest of Choteau with Highway 89 access, it’s 50 minutes from Great Falls and 90 minutes from Helena.

The property features 633 acres of irrigated land, using modern pivot and wheel line systems, producing quality alfalfa and hay. Natural water resources include Big Fork Spring Creek originating on-site, numerous springs, and the 366-acre Eureka Reservoir with around 1.7 miles of shoreline. The diverse landscape encompasses irrigated cropland, native grasslands, wetlands, and riparian areas with cottonwood and aspen groves.

Wildlife opportunities are exceptional, with healthy populations of whitetail deer, pheasant, and upland birds, plus proximity to the national forest offering big game hunting. The ranch sits in one of Montana’s premier bird-hunting regions, while nearby Freezout Lake provides world-class bird watching with over 230 documented species.

Well-maintained infrastructure includes a comfortable home, complete farm buildings, and new exterior fencing. Currently, a productive hay operation for a neighboring ranch, this turnkey ranch offers unlimited potential for agriculture, recreation, or conservation in Montana’s most scenic regions.

TERMS OF INSPECTION

The Sellers reserve the right to effect a tax-deferred exchange for other real property in accordance with provisions in Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code.  The Buyer will not be required to incur any additional expenses nor to step into the chain of title on any property which the Seller may acquire.

This entire Offering is subject to errors, omissions, prior sale, change, or withdrawal without notice and approval of purchase by the Sellers.  Information regarding land classifications, acreages, carrying capacities, crop yields, potential profits, hunting districts, and regulations, etc., is intended only as general guidelines and has been obtained from sources deemed reliable; however, accuracy is not warranted or guaranteed by the Sellers or Swan Land Company.  Prospective Buyers should verify all information to their sole and complete satisfaction.

The Seller is making known to all potential purchasers that there may be variations between the property lines and the location of the existing fence boundary lines on Baker Spring Creek Ranch. The Seller makes no warranties with regard to the location of the fence lines in relationship to the property lines, nor does the Seller make any warranties or representations with regard to specific acreage within the fenced property lines.

The Seller is selling Baker Spring Creek Ranch in an “as is” condition, which includes the location of the fences as they now exist. Boundaries shown on any accompanying maps are approximate. The maps are not to scale and are for orientation purposes only. The accuracy of the maps and information portrayed thereon is not guaranteed or warranted.