Douglas County purchased the historic Sandstone Ranch for nearly $19,000,000 earlier this year.
Just west of Larkspur, Colorado, lies 2,038 acres of gorgeous land called Sandstone Ranch. A working cattle ranch since the 1870s, the diverse and scenic landscape is currently home to cows, horses, deer, bears, mountain lions, and a myriad of birds and plants found nowhere else in Douglas County. [gallery type="rectangular" ids="39250,39247,39251"] And now, thanks to the county's purchase of the property for $18,750,000 a few months ago, the historic ranch will soon become a protected land designated for non-motorized public use. But what that will look like exactly is still in talks.“We recognize that the Sandstone Ranch acquisition is so much more than just the preservation of 2,038 acres,” Roger Partridge, a member of the Board of County Commissioners, said. “It is the preservation of the County’s history, heritage, wildlife habitat, as well as other cultural and natural resources – a quality of life investment for present and future generations.”The Douglas County Open Space Program is currently putting together a "master plan" to determine every aspect of the future of the ranch -- from public recreation opportunities to the preservation of the ranch's natural resources and operations. [caption id="attachment_39254" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
Courtesy of Mirr Ranch Group[/caption]
Specifically, the Douglas Land Conservancy -- recognizing the intrinsic value of the property -- is also working to become the official organization in charge of the property's conservation and land protection, though nothing has been finalized as of yet. Whatever the final master plan looks like in the end, officials are hoping that the land will be open for the public to enjoy sometime in 2019.
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With just a smattering of outbuildings (19 farm buildings and four homes), Sandstone Ranch remains one of the largest undeveloped properties between Denver and Colorado Springs. The land makeup is diverse and scenic, with beautiful red rock formations (hence, its name), forest areas, lush meadows, and deep canyons. Plum Creek runs right through it.
Our Community Now was privileged to tag along on a recent sneak peek tour of the ranch, given by Elizabeth Taylor with the Douglas Land Conservancy. Here are a few clips of our time there ...
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It's so very "Colorado," is it not?!
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Beautiful! We can't wait until it's open to the public!
What do you think? What would be the most ideal use for an open space like Sandstone Ranch? Please leave a comment below, and let's get the conversation started!
