Valentine, NE 69201(Cherry County)

Situated just over the hill along the north side of Merritt Reservoir, a short walk from its watery shoreline, this 20-acre ranchette looks up the Snake River Valley to the north, and has glorious views in all directions. Merritt hosts some of the best fresh-water fishing and water recreation in Nebraska, along with sugar-sand beaches. The world-renowned golf courses Prairie Club (just minutes away) and the Sandhills Golf Club (a short drive) are nearby. Both courses are destination links-style courses that receive top rankings nationally. The Snake River Preservation Group, a club devoted to the proliferation and protection of one of the nation’s finest yet most unknown blue-ribbon trout fisheries, owns and manages approximately seven miles of the Snake River as far as you can see to the North of the property. The high water table of the Sandhills provides excellent groundwater saturation, even high on the hill, ensuring that the trees, shrubs, and vegetation on this property continue to thrive even in dry years.

The breathtaking view the property provides will never be encroached upon. The Sam McKelvie National Forest protects nearly all the land in view to the West and Northwest, other than a tiny strand of grassy land held by a good agricultural neighbor. The Snake River Preservation group protects much of the view to the North and Northeast.

The current owner is a homebuilder by profession and has minimally, yet importantly, developed the land enough to be “build-ready”. He has already gone through the process of bringing in electricity, which required running poles across the river and up the very steep canyon wall of the Snake. He also did some choice clearing, but only enough to create corridors and suggest the view that can be obtained by owning the property, and exemplify the possibilities for a home site. However, it is still relatively untouched and not overly committed in any direction that might be counter to a buyer’s taste. It’s possibilities are extensive and left so intentionally.

With roughly half being higher hillside acres with heavy tree and shrub vegetation, and the remainder lower showing off the grasses and forbs, Chokecherry Hill offers great diversity!  And though most first thoughts might be to build higher up, it is also appealing below.  Nice to have choices!

As you enter the existing gate, you will go through one of two ways through a mass of Cedar trees and corridors that are absolutely loaded with natural shrubs.  To a landowner that may have planted thousands of the same over the last 17 years, jealously runs rampant!  Chokecherry’s can’t find enough places to show off their perfect conditions for growth, coming out of the earth in so many sites!  On a visit in July they were covered in fruit!  Less prolific, but still thriving, are also native plums, which were delicious in mid August!  And though not so desirable to humans, rosehips are dotted throughout the property, which are a tremendous wildlife food source, particularly to sharp-tail grouse which have been seen up to a thousand at a time on this property during winter!

Furthermore, this little paradise could actually offer some hunting value as well.  While not large enough to control an area on any great scale, turkey hunting opportunities would be very real.  Grouse hunting would be good in the winter. Deer cross it and often bed on it from time to time. It wouldn’t support a hunting operation so to speak, but would definitely provide an owner, his or her family and guests some opportunity.  The addition of a food plot or two would attract game both for hunting and simply observing.

So if you are looking for a place to set up a private “camp” in the middle of so many great things, located in one of nature’s greatest ecosystems, and close to some of man’s finest improvements, Chokecherry Hill is an example of few that fit the bill!

Legal Description

Township 31, North, Range 30 West of the 6th P.m., Cherry County, Nebraska: Section 30: Pt. NE1/4 (19.5 acres)