The history of the west is well known on the frontier side; stories of legends, outlaws and pioneers are depicted from movies to books, telling tales of the western frontier.
However, the one element so many people have missed and overlooked is how the West was Deeded?
As the National President of the Realtor Land Institute (RLI), serving over 2,200 of America’s top land brokers, and as a Western ranch broker myself… I wanted to detail this unique part of western history and answer:
- Why vast amounts of public lands exist today?
- How western history plays a huge part in how the west is settled today
- How do market values play a role?
Read on to learn more:
‘not keen on reading – listen here instead’
The Gold Rush
The story of deeded land in the High Alpine West is rooted in the gold rushes of the mid-to-late 1800’s. Tales of striking it rich and building untold wealth in the West were often romanticized, claiming gold was so plentiful that nuggets could be found simply by walking along stream-beds.
But this wasn’t the case at all!
Mountain Boomtowns
This allure attracted countless hopefuls, spawning boomtowns like Telluride, Aspen, Steamboat, Crested Butte, and Vail.
But these mountain towns in high alpine settings, originally established to supply the needs of miners, often saw more wealth accumulated by shopkeepers, livery owners, and those catering to the miners than by the prospectors themselves.
Claims were made and fortunes lost time and time again.
Mining Claims and Deeded Ground
As successful miners filed their claims, they established the following:
- 10.33 Acre Plots
- A patchwork of 10.33-acre plots across mountain faces, with many claims crisscrossing entire mountain hillsides, creating a unique checker-board of Deeded Land across entire mountain faces.
- The miners preferred steep slopes where exposed rock allowed immediate access to ore. Remember these men had to dig away from the overburden to get to the hard rock, they often sought out steep faces with little to no topsoil to slow their immediate access to the hard rock faces.
- These high-altitude hillsides, still dotted with yellow tailings, remain a testament to their intense labor in search of Gold and Silver.
The next area of deeded lands came below these sites in the valley floors, where the mountain
edges opened up to creek bottoms:
- Placer Claims
- The placer claims of 160 acres then took hold, allowing for ore processing close to high alpine live waterways (where the raw ore was deposited and processed).
- To give you some context, some of these placer claims had sophisticated trolley systems, alongside high-water ways where claimants could dam the river and produce hydro power to process the ore.
- One of these is a famous location called ‘Sherman Townsite’, located high in the world-famous Lake Fork Valley; known for its raw beauty, abundant wildlife and extraordinary trout fishing.
- These claims, like the mining claims, were often densely packed along the creek beds and typically laid adjacent to the other. Making most of the high alpine Creek bottoms privately owned.
- As a result, they ultimately impacted the region’s fisheries and environmental health… but they also laid the groundwork for private land ownership in these scenic valleys.
Townships
As the valleys continued to drop in elevation and widen, they eventually led to the high mountain
towns we know so well today:
- Telluride
- Crested Butte
- Aspen
- Vail
- Lake City
- Steamboat
These townships were formed with lots and blocks, laid out in the same pattern as in Eastern cities, creating today’s mountain towns with urban-style layouts (providing what we now call new urbanism).
As the valleys continued to drop in elevation, homesteads started to appear lower in the valleys.
These small farms and ranches popped up where they attempted to sustain the mining towns with crops and cattle…feeding the demands of the robust mining communities located upstream.
These homesteads were platted much the same way as the mining and placer claims, with one next to the other. Many of the larger homestead operations were formed by larger families, filing multiple claims of what would become the backbone of local land economies.
As settlers were limited in the acreage they could claim, vast tracts of land remained untouched by private claims, leading to today’s preserved public lands and parks managed by the US Forest Service and BLM (Bureau of Land management).
Modern Legacy
Ironically, some of today’s significant high-alpine landowners are the descendants of the grocery and livery store owners who supplied the original miners from the 1800’s.
As the gold and silver markets fluctuated and plummeted, many miners fell into debt owing unpaid bills to the grocery and livery store owners. As such, trades were made and the store owners acquired their land from these unpaid tabs, often in prime cattle country with valuable water rights.
These parcels grew in value, establishing wealth in both lifestyle and land values over time.
Thus, the legacy of the mining era lives on, not in the precious metals that once drove the economy, but in the enduring value of the land itself. Now stewarded by families whose roots trace back to the very merchants who sustained the dreams of those early prospectors.
Example
One of our top clients at M4 Ranch Group, is among one of the world’s largest Sporting Goods retailers. We have spent the last 9 years assembling his High Alpine Ranch, from portions of mining claims, placer claims and even what once was a small township.
That ranch now totals 192 acres, with 2 miles of live trout stream and is surrounded by 3 14,000 ft peaks, and over 2 million acres of adjacent public lands.
The allure of big acreage often shapes our idea of a “legacy ranch,” yet the West’s alpine terrain
tells a different story. In the right location, even a smaller deeded ranch can offer unmatched
seclusion, natural beauty, and connection to an iconic Western landscape without owning vast
swaths of land.
The ranch above is a perfect example, if you find the right piece of land, in the right location, with the right amenities, you can live like a king without owning the Taj Ma Hal.
Author: Dan Murphy
Dan Murphy, ALC (Accredited Land Consultant), Broker, Partner, has called the mountain west home his entire adult life. Dan’s extensive and diverse business experience reveals a track record of success. His service on numerous organizational boards throughout the mountain region demonstrates a commitment to improving communities through an applied, big-picture perspective. He has served on the Colorado DOW’s Big Game Allocation Program (BGLAP), the Colorado Wildlife Federation Board of Directors, the Colorado Outfitters Association, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission Advisory Board, and is a founder of Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation.
Dan also dedicates much of his time and effort building relationships within the Realtor Land Institute, serving as Colorado President in 2021- 2022 (National Chapter of the Year), National RLI Vice President in 2022-2023 to over 2,100 of the top land agents across the country. And will serve as the National RLI President from 2025.
M4 Ranch Group
At M4 Ranch Group, finding you the perfect piece of land with deeded acres is a top priority, alongside securing you a legacy, diversifying an investment portfolio, and tapping into a resource that offers both financial and intrinsic value.
Whether that is Deacon Gulch Ranch at 406 acres or Grand Mesa Ranch at 4,338 acres, let M4 help you build your legacy.
Our dedicated brokers are ready to assist you in realizing your dream
A Sample of Ranches For Sale
Endless Creeks Ranch
$19,900,000
Endless Creeks Ranch is a remarkable property spanning 5,709.3± deeded acres. With an extensive water supply, diverse wildlife, and direct access to public lands, this property offers a rare opportunity for hunters and ranchers alike. Includes 1.25± miles of year-round Ault Creek and 2± miles of West Muddy Creek, with historic water rights of 12.25± c.f.s.
Arrowhead Ranch
$14,750,000
Arrowhead Ranch is an outdoorsman’s paradise with five magnificent Heritage Ranches that can be bought individually or as a whole. Superbly located in Central Colorado, Arrowhead is ideal for ranchers, outdoor enthusiasts, anglers, and hunters alike. Nearly seven miles of trout stream meander through the idyllic grassland plateau with picturesque snow-capped peaks surrounding you.
Grand Mesa Ranch
$14,500,000
Grand Mesa Ranch is one of the most unique, private, and scenic properties in the North Fork area – Located in Hotchkiss, Colorado. This ranch contains 4,338± acres within GMU 52 & 521 and is allotted landowner Elk & Mule Deer Tags. There is water abound with water rights, ponds, lakes, a reservoir, and live water.
