Hayden, Colorado Introducing this remarkable 350± acre ranch, available for the first time and ideally situated just under two miles from the town of Hayden and only 23 miles from Steamboat Springs. Most of the land consists of irrigated hay meadows and a 100+ acre cottonwood forest provides habitat for a wide variety of birds and wildlife. Set in a scenic river valley, the property offers a rare blend of beauty, history, and potential.
The ranch is bordered by lands protected under conservation by The Nature Conservancy, making it an ideal candidate for a conservation easement of its own. Historic water rights from the adjacent Yampa River are delivered to the land via two well-established ditches, continuing the legacy of agricultural use. Access is convenient year-round via a county road that ends just past the property, ensuring privacy and ease of entry.
Nearby Hayden offers a new K–12 school, fairgrounds, skate park, grocery store, eateries, a coffee shop, and a lively summer farmers market. Just a short drive away, Steamboat Springs offers world-renowned skiing, boutique shopping, celebrated restaurants, and rich cultural attractions. With panoramic views of the snow-dusted Flat Tops to the south, no covenants, and an ideal mix of open meadow and forested land, this property offers abundant possibilities for recreation, preservation, or legacy ownership.
The ranch is located just a couple of miles east of Hayden, Colorado. Hayden is a rural community with excellent schools, essential provisions, eateries, and a coffee shop. Hayden is home to the Yampa Valley Regional Airport with daily flights to major cities all over the nation during the summer and winter seasons. Daily flights to Denver International Airport are available year-round for easy connections. Steamboat Springs is a 23-mile drive on US Highway 40. Steamboat is home to the State’s second-largest ski area and, despite only having about 13,000 residents, has amenities often only found in larger cities.
Roughly 240 acres are productive hay meadows that have benefited from over a century of flood irrigation. The remaining 110+/- acres are home to a cottonwood forest typical of the Yampa River corridor—an environment that supports an exceptional variety of birds and native wildlife.
The land is irrigated with water rights through ditches that take water from the nearby Yampa River. Two ditches have three appropriations from the late 1800’s to the mid 1900’s and total over 8 c.f.s. of water.
What sets this 350-acre ranch apart is its rare combination of natural beauty, agricultural heritage, and conservation potential—all within minutes of Hayden and a short drive to Steamboat Springs. With irrigated hay ground augmented by a scenic cottonwood forest, the land offers both productivity and ecological richness. Historic water rights, adjacency to protected land, and year-round access enhance its value and appeal. Free of covenants, this property is uniquely positioned for legacy ownership, recreation, or conservation.
