Livingston Peak Ranch offers an exceptional opportunity for recreation, big game hunting, and Yellowstone River fishing with significant conservation and development potential.  The Ranch encompasses 6,901± total acres, of which 5,001± acres are deeded and 1,900± are leased from the State of Montana and the Bureau of Land Management.  Home to large herds of elk, deer, and antelope, and over ½ mile of Yellowstone River frontage, the Ranch provides the coveted and hard-to-find combination of fishing and elk hunting on the same ranch.  Livingston Peak Ranch is currently unimproved and comprised of 78 parcels, which creates many development and conservation options.  There are multiple spectacular building sites that capture the panoramic views of the Crazy, Bridger, and Absaroka Mountain Ranges.

Located in southwest Montana’s celebrated Yellowstone Region, the Yellowstone River forms a portion of the western boundary of the Ranch for approximately half a mile.  The willow and cottonwood riparian meadow along the river transitions to grass pastures on an expansive open bench, that blends into the higher-elevation foothills and valleys that border the Gallatin National Forest to the south. The Absaroka Range changes in elevation from 9,100´ to 11,200´ and provides a magnificent backdrop to the south of the Ranch.   Views to the north across the river consist of the Bridger and Crazy Mountain Ranges and the prominent rocky bluffs of Sheep Mountain.

The Ranch is currently unimproved, with the exception of fencing and stock water, but has a diverse pallet of recreation from hunting, fishing, horseback riding, hiking, exploring on ATV, and skiing when conditions allow.  There are some of the most dramatic building sites that Montana has to offer with panoramic mountain views and private settings.  Utilized for many years as summer pasture for a neighboring cattle operation, Livingston Peak Ranch has been well managed and runs efficiently for a buyer desiring simplicity of ownership with a grazing tenant.  This unique offering in today’s market combines big-game hunting and Yellowstone River frontage with easy access to quality amenities in nearby Livingston and Bozeman.  Livingston Peak Ranch stands alone as a large block of deeded land with exceptional fishing, hunting, wildlife, and bird watching in one of Montana’s famed locales.

For additional information regarding the water rights, please contact the Swan Land Company Bozeman Office at 406.522.7342.

STOCK WATER RIGHTS

Livingston Peak Ranch has a stock-water network that provides reliable water for livestock and wildlife throughout the network of Ranch pastures.  Currently, the Ranch has filed stock water rights with the DNRC.  The stock-water distribution allows for the successful utilization of the grazing resources available throughout the Ranch.

WATER RIGHT ADJUDICATION

Water rights in the Yellowstone River Basin (Basin 43B) are currently going through re-adjudication with the Montana Water Court, and as a result of that process, some water rights may be changed as to validity, amount, priority date, place of use and other changes the Court may decide.  The Seller has made all filings currently required and will transfer the water rights as they currently stand with no warranty, as is common in real estate transactions in Montana pending completion of Montana’s general stream adjudication process.  All water rights and water-right claims appurtenant to and for the benefit of the Ranch will be conveyed to the Buyer at closing of a sale.

Park County receives consistent winds, and there may be potential for wind-energy exploration on the expansive flat that makes up the northern portion of the Ranch.

The elevation gain on the Ranch is about 2,000 feet, with the highest point around 6,600 feet above sea level on the southeast corner of the Ranch near Livingston Peak and the lowest around 4,600 feet on the northwest corner along the Yellowstone River.  The mean elevation of the pastures and broad bench between Interstate 90 and Dry Creek is about 5,000 feet.

The average annual precipitation is approximately 16″ inches.  Located in the USDA Hardiness Zone 4, the average growing season of the area is approximately 93 days.  The last frost of the year is typically early to mid-June and the first frost tends to be in early September.

Average high temperatures in June, July and August range from 73° to 80° Fahrenheit.  In December, January and February average high temperatures are between 33° and 39°.

Summer average minimum temperatures range from 44° to 48°.  Winter average minimum temperatures are typically between 14° and 18°.  There is plenty of sunshine throughout the year.

John H. Harvat was an integral part of Livingston in the early 1900s.   After several unsuccessful attempts at making a living in Colorado, Harvat landed in Montana without a penny to his name.  In 1880, Harvat moved to Livingston (then called Park City) where there were only three buildings in town at the time.  After eventually achieving success in the meat industry, he sold his portion of the meat business and in 1900 became a sheep rancher.  Acquiring over 16,000 acres, part of what is now Livingston Peak Ranch, he became a leading figure in the sheep industry in the Northwest as one of the largest shippers of wool to Boston and shipping hundreds of carloads of mutton sheep to Chicago.  It is estimated that he had an interest in about 100,000 sheep in a single year.  Eventually, Harvat’s sons took over and organized the Harvat Sheep Company which they ran until the 1950s as one of the largest sheep ranches in Montana.  The Ranch then was bought by the Myers family who transitioned it into a cattle ranch.  In addition to the Ranch, John Harvat owned a block in Livingston at the corner of Main Street and Second Street.  He was a member of the Livingston School Board, active in the Commercial Club, and a member of the Elks Lodge.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traveled through present-day Livingston in July of 1806 while on the return portion of their famed Missouri River exploration.  They camped in the Livingston area across the river from the current Livingston Peak Ranch.  As designated in the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, the first Crow Indian Agency, also known as Fort Parker, was built in 1869 on Mission Creek to the east of the Ranch.  In 1875, the Crow Reservation was moved to the Stillwater River and subsequently to Big Horn County in eastern Montana where it still resides today.

The Crow Indians named the Yellowstone River “E-chee-dick-karsh-ah-shay” (Elk River) and the early French trappers called it “Roche Jaune” (Yellow Rock).  During the mid to late 1800s, homesteaders and farmers moved into the area in increasing numbers.   Many early pioneers traveling west spent time along the Yellowstone River before continuing their journey west.  Some who branched south into Paradise Valley landed in Emigrant Gulch where they discovered gold in 1863. A short-lived mining boom followed until the arrival of the Northern Pacific railroad in 1883, which diversified the economy with timber and agriculture as well as the foundation of the tourism industry that still thrives today.   The first riverboats to go back down the Yellowstone River to Missouri were made from lumber milled in the area.

Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872 is the nation’s largest and oldest national park.  Native Americans had been in the area for thousands of years prior to John Colter’s 1807 excursion into the mystifying land of hot springs, mud pots, and geysers.   But for over half a century, any accounts told of the area were deemed as myths.  These myths persisted until 1871 when the Hayden Expedition scientifically documented the astonishing natural features and wildlife of the region.  These natural wonders of the area were publicized through the artwork of Thomas Moran, and Yellowstone National Park was established soon thereafter and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant.  An abundance of information is available about the history, culture, and science of the park at the History and Research Center in Gardiner, as well as the newly built cutting-edge Old Faithful Visitor Education Center.  Today, Yellowstone National Park welcomes over four million visitors a year through its venerable gates.

Livingston Peak Ranch is a truly unique offering in today’s market.  It is rare to find a Ranch in today’s market that offers the diverse recreational opportunities available at Livingston Peak Ranch combined with the location and proximity to all the amenities available in the dynamic communities of Livingston, Bozeman, and Yellowstone National Park.  The Ranch is currently unimproved and provides a breadth of opportunities for hunting, fishing, horseback riding, grazing cattle and spectacular wildlife viewing.  With the large number of legal parcels that comprise the Ranch, it lends itself to potential development opportunities or there would certainly be several conservation organizations that would be very interested in a conservation easement, should a buyer be interested in limiting future development for potential tax savings.  With the frequent Livingston wind, there may be potential to produce wind energy on the northern portion of the Ranch.  Active ranch buyers will be able to quickly appreciate how rare it is to find a ranch that has this unique combination of recreation, conservation value and location.  Ranches like Livingston Peak do not come along often.

OFFERING PRICE and CONDITIONS OF SALE

Livingston Peak Ranch, as previously described herein, is offered at US $22,500,000.00 Cash or Terms acceptable solely at the discretion of the Seller.  As of April 2022, the conditions of sale are as follows:

1. All Prospective Buyers must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Seller’s absolute financial capability to purchase the Ranch prior to scheduling an inspection of the Ranch;
2. Earnest money deposit will be due upon completion of a fully executed contract, and all earnest money deposits will be held in escrow by First American Title Company of Livingston;
3. The Sellers will provide and pay for a standard owner’s title insurance policy.  Any endorsements requested by the Buyer or any lender will be at Buyer’s expense.  Title to the real property will be conveyed by a warranty deed;
4. All of the water right claims controlled by the Ranch will be transferred to the Buyer at Closing;
5. Buyers’ Brokers are welcome and invited to contact listing broker Tim Anderson in our Bozeman Office for information regarding Cooperation Policies.

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, etc., are intended only as general guidelines and have 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.

TERMS OF INSPECTION

A 48-hour notice is requested to make proper arrangements for an inspection of Livingston Peak Ranch.