Welcome to Willow View Ranch – a productive agricultural ranch consisting of 3,419± deeded acres in the heart of the upper Clark Fork Valley. Historically utilized as a cattle ranch running 180 cow/calf pairs, along with replacement heifers and bulls, this ranch offers production and ease of operation. Willow View Ranch is divided into two distinct units with a combination of irrigated pasture and hay base along Little Willow Creek coupled with easily accessible mountain pasture and timber in the rolling topography above the Clark Fork River.

The Lower Ranch consists of approximately 390± deeded acres in the Lower Willow Creek drainage, of which 241± acres are flood irrigated. Encompassing riparian areas, pasture, and hay meadows, the Lower Ranch is also home to the ranch headquarters including a modest home, corrals, and shop. The Upper Ranch is located just a few miles away from the headquarters at a higher elevation providing excellent summer grazing on an additional 3,028± deeded acres. A combination of developed springs, a small creek, and ponds provides reliable stock water while adjacent BLM land and BLM grazing allotment/lease provide additional pasture.

For the recreational enthusiast, the ranch offers hunting opportunities for elk and whitetail deer, plus fishing for sizeable brown trout in Lower Willow Creek along with a host of many other recreational pursuits.

Offered for sale for the first time in over 30 years, Willow View Ranch provides a highly desirable combination of productive irrigated hay meadows, live water, mountain pasture, and excellent year-round accessibility all less than an hour from Missoula and an hour and a half from Helena, the state capital.

The ranch is conveniently located 53 miles from the vibrant city of Missoula via I-90 and is off of MT Hwy 1 heading south towards Philipsburg. The Lower Ranch headquarters is accessible via Airport Road just 4.65 miles south of Drummond. The Upper Ranch is also easily accessible south of Drummond via MT Highway 1 and Mullan Road. The Upper Ranch is located just 6 miles northwest of the Lower Ranch.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Missoula International Airport is located 55 miles west of Drummond and offers direct flights to several major U.S. markets. Direct flights include Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Las Vegas through several commercial carriers including Alaska, American, Delta, United, Horizon, and Allegiant Airlines. Several FBOs are also available for general aviation and private aircraft including the Minutemen Jet Center, Neptune Aviation, and Northstar Jet.

Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport at Gallatin Field in Belgrade (BZN) is located 146 miles to the east and offers several full-service FBOs, including the Yellowstone Jet Center, and excellent commercial services through Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, JetBlue, Sun Country, and United Airlines. One of the busiest passenger airports in the Pacific Northwest, and the busiest in the state of Montana, BZN offers direct flights to 25± major airports around the nation including direct flights to the West Coast, East Coast, Texas, the Southeast, and Florida.

Approximate distances to other towns and cities are as follows:

Historically running 180 AUs plus replacement heifers and bulls, Willow View Ranch is well balanced with 241± irrigated acres plus 148± acres of partially sub-irrigated meadows on the Lower Ranch providing a sufficient hay base raising approximately 400 to 500 tons of hay on a good year thus ensuring adequate feed for a 200-cow outfit.

The Upper Ranch consists of 2,838± acres of well-watered mountain pasture and 200± acres of timber totaling 3,028± acres providing excellent spring/summer pasture with good cover for the cattle and an enviable wildlife habitat. There is also a 320-acre parcel of pasture not contiguous to the Upper Ranch which can increase the carrying capacity to 200 AUs if utilized. The cattle are wintered and calved on the Lower Ranch starting in February and usually finishing in March. The Lower Ranch also provides some spring pasture before the irrigation season and the turn-out on the Upper Ranch. It is an easy 6-mile trail for the cattle up to the Upper Ranch which has Tigh Creek traversing it, three developed stock water springs, additional undeveloped springs, perimeter fencing, ponds, BLM Public Land Boundary, BLM Lease, and good gravel county road access. The cattle are turned out depending on the year and conditions between mid to late May. They are gathered in late October and trailed home to turn back out on the meadows of the Lower Ranch. The calves are weaned and shipped in November with weaning weights averaging approximately 625 lbs. to 700 lbs. Rarely is there a need to buy additional hay, and winters can be milder in this valley.

A modest but charming home, shop, and corrals are sited on the Lower Ranch complemented by Lower Willow Creek traversing the property, beautiful views, and good access via a maintained paved road. The towns of Drummond, Hall, Phillipsburg, and Deer Lodge are close assuring easy access to the sale yard, supplies, and any necessary ranch inputs like fertilizer or seed and of course your mineral and feed necessities.

This balanced cattle ranch is well-watered with a sufficient hay base, extensive riparian area, and cover and feed on the Lower Ranch plus plenty of timber and cover on the Upper Ranch. Both units work very well in conjunction with one another and there is excellent wildlife habitat on both offering wildlife viewing or hunting.

If one wanted to enjoy ranch life and the associated recreation without the ranching aspect of owning cattle, leasing the land to a lessee generates approximately $67,200 annually.

Willow View Ranch presents a great opportunity for a new owner to run cattle and/or lease the ranch out and enjoy the recreation that the ranch has to offer.

Willow View Ranch headquarters consists of a modest, yet highly functional set of improvements.

RANCH HOUSE

The ranch house, originally constructed in 1977, is a comfortable 3-bedroom, 1-bath 1,008± square foot home with a full unfinished basement. Built with conventional stick frame construction, the house is heated with hot water baseboard and a wood-burning stove, has an asphalt roof, and a wonderful exterior deck to take advantage of the views of the mountains and hay fields along the creek bottom of the Lower Ranch.

METAL QUONSET HUT

This 58’L x 45’W metal structure with a dirt floor is complete with power and lights.

EQUIPMENT SHED

The 86’L x 25’W equipment shed, which is open on the south side of the structure, allows for multiple vehicle and equipment storage options.

CABIN

An old cabin, which is 30’L x 18’W, is located next to the working corrals allowing for multiple uses.

LOAFING/CALVING SHED

The L-shaped calving shed is centrally located in the working corrals and is approximately 156’L x 25’ W.

ROUND PEN, LOADING CHUTE & WORKING CORRALS

The 47’ diameter round pen and adjacent loading chute complement the other working facilities at headquarters.

Drummond, perhaps best known for its cattle industry, rural Montana charm, and its adopted nickname the “World Famous Bullshippers” has much to offer. Surrounded by natural beauty, it entices the outdoor enthusiast while boasting nearby historical and cultural attractions.

Hiking, wildlife viewing, hunting, and camping are abundant in the Deer Lodge National Forest. A bit farther away, the Lolo National Forest offers these same activities.

Fishing and boating, the nearby Rock Creek is a popular spot if you’re looking to catch some trout in a blue-ribbon stream. Fly-fishing guide trips are offered at various times during the year. Clark Fork River is another great option offering boaters, floaters, and anglers miles of beautiful recreation.

Garnet Ghost Town, approximately 20 miles from Drummond is a historic abandoned mining town named after the brown garnet rock used as an abrasive and semi-precious stone found in the area. Garnet offers an amazing ghost town experience without commercialization.

A short drive away takes one to the delightful town of Philipsburg. Known for its sapphire mines, this tourist/ski town is riddled with restaurants, breweries, and quaint shops, and it is home to Granite Ghost Town State Park. Philipsburg Opera House offers live performances and events.

If scenic driving sounds alluring, the sixty-four-mile Pintler Veterans Memorial Scenic Byway runs between Drummond and Anaconda. This must-do drive highlights the massive glacier-carved peaks of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, with plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities.

Winter spotlights many activities in the area. Less than an hour from the ranch, Discovery Ski Area contains three faces, 67 trails, 2,200 skiable acres, and an average of 215 inches of snow. Georgetown Lake, located 41 miles from Drummond, has ice fishing and a trail network for cross-country skiing.

Under an hour’s drive, Missoula, located in a mountain river valley, is known for its art, vibrant cultural experiences, and thriving food and drink scene. Missoula Art Museum, Montana Museum of Art & Culture, Missoula Symphony Orchestra, and the nationally known Missoula Community Theatre are a few highlights. Wilma Theatre attracts live music, films, and performances with bigger names. The University of Montana features a mix of historic architecture and cultural venues while The Adams Center plays host to traveling off-Broadway tours. Year-round on the first Friday of each month, Missoula comes together to celebrate art, while shops throughout town stay open late and entertain different artists and homemade crafts. Missoula also offers impressive film festivals which include documentaries and independent films.

Multiple opportunities exist on Willow View Ranch for fishing, hunting, and enjoyment of the resident wildlife. Lower Willow View Creek provides fishing opportunities in the lush creek bottom. While the prolific willows test an angler’s skill, local folklore tells of “massive brown trout” hiding in the deep pools. A healthy population of resident white-tail deer live along the creek and in the hay meadows of the Lower Ranch providing both wildlife viewing and hunting options. The Upper Ranch seasonally holds blue grouse, black bear, and mule deer while elk can be found during the fall and winter.

Drummond’s history dates back to the 1870s when the first ranchers settled in the area. The town’s growth accelerated with Montana’s mineral boom, as gold, silver, copper, and lead were discovered nearby. The arrival of the Northern Pacific Railway brought an influx of prospectors, goods, and diverse settlers, spurring significant development. As mining waned, Drummond’s fertile soil allowed agriculture and ranching to become the economic mainstays. Today, these industries remain vital to the local economy. Community life revolves around key institutions such as the library, town hall, historic Methodist and Catholic churches, and the Drummond schools, home of the Trojans.

The seller will convey with the ranch 100% of whatever mineral, oil, gas, geo-thermal, hydrocarbon, solar, wind, and gravel rights it owns, subject to reservations by previous owners. The seller makes no representation as to the quantity or quality of any mineral or other subsurface rights appurtenant to the property.

Electrical service is provided by Northwestern Energy.

Internet is currently not utilized by the present tenants. Buyer to independently verify options.

Blackfoot Telephone provides landline phone services.

Cellular service via Verizon is available in several locations on both the Upper and Lower Ranches.

According to the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s Water Rights Division, the ranch owns 9 stock, 3 irrigation, and 1 domestic/lawn and garden water rights.

All water rights in Montana are subject to eventual re-adjudication by the Montana Water Court and, as a result of that process, may be changed as to validity, amount, priority date, place of use, and other such changes as the Court determines. The seller has made all the filings currently required and will transfer the water rights as they currently stand with no warranty of future viability.

All water rights appurtenant to and for the benefit of the ranch will be conveyed to the buyer at the closing of a sale.

Please view the offering brochure or contact the listing agents for additional water rights information.

The northern portion of the ranch has an elevation gain of about 1,200 feet with the north boundary at 3,840 feet above sea level and the south boundary around 4,760 feet. The middle section offers varied topography with the highest ground at 5,040 feet. The smaller parcel to the east ranges in elevation from 4,600 feet to 4,560 feet above sea level. The southern parcel on Airport Road is relatively flat with an average elevation of 4,220 feet above sea level.

The Drummond, Montana area annually receives about 11 to 13 inches of rain with the majority in May and June, and an average of 30 inches of snowfall with the majority falling in December and January.

Summer months are generally warm with average highs of 82 degrees Fahrenheit and evening lows around 45 degrees. Indian summer can extend into early October. Winter months bring highs of approximately 34 degrees with lows around 15 degrees.

The area is situated in Zone 4b Plant Hardiness Zone. On average there are 163 sunny days per year in Drummond.

The real estate taxes for 2023 were approximately $5,623.62.

Willow View Ranch offers the highly desirable combination of live water, irrigated pastures, native pasture, and timber in two distinct ranch units which are both easily accessible and work well in conjunction with one another. The ranch offers the next owner multiple opportunities to utilize as a historically self-sustaining cattle and agricultural operation or for recreational enjoyment. The ranch is centrally located providing easy access to Missoula, Philipsburg, and the nearby Pintler Mountains. Drummond is a small, friendly, agricultural town in Granite County with many generational ranch families and legacy ranches. Change occurs very slowly in Granite County with ranches often passed down to the next generation preserving the Montana culture and the ranching way of life. Willow View Ranch is a productive ranch in a tightly held community with old-school values.

Willow View Ranch, as Previously Described Herein, is offered at $5,995,000.00.  The Conditions of Sale Are as Follows:

1. All offers to purchase or letters of intent must be in writing.
2. Upon acceptance of an offer, earnest money deposits shall be made payable to Flying S Title in Missoula, MT, and will be placed in escrow with Flying S Title.
3. All Prospective Buyers must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Listing Agent the financial capability to purchase the Ranch prior to scheduling a personal tour of the property.
4. The Sellers will provide and pay for a standard owner’s title insurance policy. Title to the real property will be conveyed by a warranty deed.
5. All the appurtenant water rights controlled by the property will be transferred to the Buyer at Closing.
6. The Sellers will convey to the Buyer all mineral rights they own, subject to reservations by previous owners.
7. Buyers’ Brokers are welcome and invited to contact David Lowry or Steve Leibinger with Swan Land Company for additional information and to set up a private tour of the property.

TERMS OF INSPECTION

A 48-hour notice is requested to make proper arrangements for a tour of Willow View Ranch.

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., 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.

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 Willow View 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 Willow View 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 nor warranted.