Located only minutes west of Wyoming’s capital city, Happy Jack Ranch is composed of over 13,000 acres of rich grasslands that once supported vast herds of bison, and now keep a large herd of Black Angus cattle fat and happy.
Located only minutes west of Wyoming’s capital city, Happy Jack Ranch is composed of over 13,000 acres of rich grasslands that once supported vast herds of bison, and now keep a large herd of Black Angus cattle fat and happy. The twenty square miles of the ranch are configured almost fully in a single block positioned squarely between the outskirts of Cheyenne and the recreational magnets of Curt Gowdy State Park and the famous Vedauwoo Rocks climbing area. Simply put, as a beautifully situated, turn key cattle ranch with fabulous access and development potential, Happy Jack Ranch has few peers.
When the nation’s first transcontinental railroad, the Union Pacific, passed just south of the present ranch in 1869, the region was already well-known for its bison herds and nomadic Native American tribes that followed them. Today, tipi rings arrowheads can still be found on the ranch. With the completion of the railroad, cattle ranchers, attracted by the easy terrain and rich grasslands, quickly settled. Over the generations, several ranches were consolidated into what became known as “the finest ranch in Laramie County,” a proud legacy that Happy Jack Ranch inherits. With four small creeks on the ranch, and several developed springs and wells, the ranch remains productive even in dry years, and in wet years is a verdant paradise. In addition to the natural grasslands, 400 acres are flood irrigated hay meadows.
Fully cross-fenced into 30 separate rolling pastures and meadows, Happy Jack Ranch is ideally set up for rotational grazing. Presently it supports 400 AUMs per year, and is operated primarily as a cow/calf operation. Herds do remain here year-round, but supplemental feeding is required in the winter. The ranch headquarters contains the owner’s home, a large barn, shop, calving barn and other buildings. Two additional corrals and loading chutes are located in the more remote sections of the property.
As a largely unbroken tract of land about 9 miles by 4 miles, Happy Jack Ranch is frequented by herds of mule deer and antelope, and migrating waterfowl are attracted to its numerous ponds. Elk and moose may also be sighted occasionally and a variety of small game. Lake fishing is popular at nearby Granite Springs and Crystal Lake Reservoirs, and some of the water sources on the ranch could be developed into trout ponds as well.
Large ranches that are located almost adjacent to urban commercial centers (or capital cities, no less) are as rare as diamonds in ash heaps, but such is the case of Happy Jack Ranch. Only 13 miles west of Wyoming’s capitol building, it is ideally situated for development opportunities. Housing developments already exist on the northern and southern boundaries of the property. Cheyenne continues to grow, and the ranch is easily reached from there year-round via paved State Route 210. Alternatively, a conservation easement could preserve the ranch much as it is, with significant tax credits.
Outdoor recreation opportunities abound in the area, including hunting and fishing, snowmobiling, rock climbing, camping, and mountain biking. The recreational bonus here includes the urban opportunities of Cheyenne, such as golf, soccer, softball, swimming, and basketball. Cultural events abound in Cheyenne, the chief being Cheyenne Frontier Days, with its world-class rodeo.
We at Harrigan Land Company know of few ranches with as unique a combination of large size, turn key cattle ranch amenities, and proximity to a growing urban area as Happy Jack Ranch. If your vision includes running several hundred head of cattle or making an investment in Cheyenne’s growth, we’d love to show you the possibilities hidden in the rolling grasslands of Happy Jack Ranch.
Happy Jack Ranch is being currently being offered in three configurations. Contact Dennis Magnusson for more information: 307-640-6431 or dennis@harriganland.com.
We have over 30 years of experience throughout Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Montana and New Mexico. We know these states well, including some “undiscovered” places. We are offering best hunting ranches for sale along with other premier properties
