3,247 Acres in Melville, MT - $17,950,000
Being offered for the first time in over 40 years, the storied and historic FairView Ranch is a true rarity that combines a serene mountain setting with abundant water sources and provides excellent fishing and hunting opportunities, agricultural production, and built-to-last infrastructure. In the shadows of the dramatic Crazy Mountains, this paradise of a property will inspire anyone who drives through its gates. A historic staple of Sweet Grass County in southcentral Montana, the FairView Ranch provides an abundance of natural beauty with the unmistakeable Crazy Mountains serving as the backdrop, 2 miles of the notable fishery Sweet Grass Creek offers unparalleled recreation for all outdoor enthusiasts, while the remainder of the acreage provides excellent wildlife habitat for upland bird species, big game, and livestock alike. Being in the same family for over 40 years gives an unmis...
Being offered for the first time in over 40 years, the storied and historic FairView Ranch is a true rarity that combines a serene mountain setting with abundant water sources and provides excellent fishing and hunting opportunities, agricultural production, and built-to-last infrastructure. In the shadows of the dramatic Crazy Mountains, this paradise of a property will inspire anyone who drives through its gates. A historic staple of Sweet Grass County in southcentral Montana, the FairView Ranch provides an abundance of natural beauty with the unmistakeable Crazy Mountains serving as the backdrop, 2 miles of the notable fishery Sweet Grass Creek offers unparalleled recreation for all outdoor enthusiasts, while the remainder of the acreage provides excellent wildlife habitat for upland bird species, big game, and livestock alike. Being in the same family for over 40 years gives an unmistakable sense of purpose to the place and the history of The West is felt through each step you take on the ranch. Situated just 6 miles west of Melville, a once booming town, pride in the agricultural roots of the area remains persistent through its residence and is admired by passersbys.
The contiguous spread of 3,247 acres is comprised of 200 acres of rich riparian areas, 894 acres of pasture, and an impressive 2,113 irrigated acres that are sprinklered by 10 center pivots and 2 wheel lines. Sweet Grass Creek is home to Brown, Rainbow, and Brook Trout, meanders throughout the width of the property and creates a rich riparian corridor that provides habitat for Hungarian Partridge, Sharptail Grouse, Turkey, and White-tailed deer that all frequent the ranch plus the excellent crop rotations in place frequently draw Elk down to the hay fields and graze. Adding to the high-quality fishing opportunities within the property's boundaries, multiple ponds exist throughout plus one improved and stocked pond is located at the main lodge. Larger Brown Trout frequently caught range from 12-14 inches with the occasional 18-inch trophy catch of the day. While the recreational attributes are a centerpiece and staple of the FairView Ranch, the infrastructure and operational opportunities simply add to the diversity of the land.
With the well-designed irrigation system in place, the ranch operation captures and utilizes its water resources efficiently and effectively through the 10-center pivot systems and 2-wheel lines. If every irrigated acre is fertilized and harvested for 2 cuttings, the ranch can produce up to an impressive 6,000T of hay crop. If program diversity is desired, combining intensive grazing practices can be easily put in place harboring regenerative agriculture practices. The myriad of steel pipe fences and corral systems, the oversized calving barn, multiple shops, and the indoor chute/scale house plus the historic horse barn with attached sale barn all add to the endless agricultural possibilities. Multiple homes exist on the property which provides the ability to house a ranch manager plus guests, while the impressive main lodge has everything one would expect a Montana Mountain Lodge to possess. The quintessential 5,237 sq ft log residence provides ample space and a private river-side ambiance that cultivates the ideal landing place built for the enjoyment of all that is the FairView Ranch.
Property Highlights
-3,247 total acres with sweeping views of the Crazy Mountains
-2,113 irrigated acres that include 10 pivots and 2 wheel lines which produce up to 6,000T when all irrigated acres harvest 2 cuttings
-Approximate 2 miles of Sweet Grass Creek, a notable fishery, and 1.5 miles of Billy Creek frontage, which flows year-round
-A stocked pond is located at the main lodge with 6 additional ponds throughout the property
-12-14-inch Brown Trout plus Rainbow and Brook Trout
-Excellent varying habitat for varying wildlife including Hungarian Partridge, Sharptail Grouse, Turkey, Sandhill Cranes, Antelope, Black Bear, Elk, Moose, and White-tailed deer
-Luxury, 5-bedroom main log lodge includes 5,237 sq ft of living space and an expansive master suite and a 1,118, 3-car garage
-Managers residence of 2,146 sq ft with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and a detached garage
-2 guest homes, one totaling 1,621 sq ft and the other 1,794 sq ft, each with garages
-1 log guest cabin, situated next to the managers residence
-Outbuildings include: a historic barn with attached steel-framed sale barn, oversized mechanical shop, open-sided machine shed, calving facility, indoor scale and chute house, various homestead buildings, aircraft hanger and hay sheds
-A multitude of steel pipe pens and corrals with shelter sheds and waterers in each pen plus an indoor scale/chute house
-A fully fenced exterior boundary plus internal fence lines
-Rated to support roughly 400 animal units plus additional opportunities to feed up to 600 cattle at the ranches feedlot facilities
-Protected by a conservation easement through The Montana Land Reliance that allows for the construction of three additional residential structures, each with its own associated garage and storage shed
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