Riffles ‘n Rises Ranch

Details & Features

Overview: The 562-acre Riffles ‘n Rises Ranch is located a short 45-minute drive south of Jackson Hole in western Wyoming’s wild and scenic Lincoln County. The valley’s original settlers nicknamed it “Little Switzerland” upon arriving in the late 1800s because of the lush, green valley and snow-capped peaks. Now the area is commonly referred to as Star Valley, and the Riffles ‘n Rises Ranch is located in the middle of the lower half of Star Valley. The entire ranch affords magnificent views of the Salt River Range to the east, the Snake River Range to the north, and the Caribou Mountains to the west. The ranch enjoys approximately 1.25 miles of frontage on the Salt River, a productive, meandering fishery quietly known by locals as a trophy wild cutthroat and brown trout haven. The Salt River bows and bends on a typical winding course under the mountain views throughout the ranch providing numerous beautiful building sites that include the sights and sounds of the living river. In addition to the excellent fishing resource of the Salt, the ranch features several miles of improved spring creeks. These spring creeks play host to fish year round and are teeming with waterfowl in the fall months. The ranch home of approximately 3,800 square feet was originally built in the 1960s and has been extensively remodeled in 2003. The main level of the home includes the kitchen, breakfast room, the master suite with bathroom, a second bedroom and bathroom, a mudroom with woodstove, and the den with fireplace opening out onto the deck which overlooks the spring creek outlet beneath the trout lake. Riffles ‘n Rises Ranch is an incredible offering with a custom home, excellent fishing opportunities and spectacular views, all within close proximity to the resort town of Jackson Hole.

Location: The 562-acre Riffles ’n Rises Ranch is located 45 minutes south of Jackson Hole in western Wyoming’s wild and scenic Lincoln County. The valley’s original settlers nicknamed the area “Little Switzerland” in the late 1800s when they saw the lush, green valley and snow-capped peaks. Today the area is commonly referred to as Star Valley and is unique in that throughout its 50-mile length, it is not wider than 6 miles between the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and the Bridger-Teton National Forest. In many cases the valley is less than 4 miles wide. With elevations ranging between 5,500 and 6,000 feet above sea level, this narrow band of green countryside has become highly-desirable real estate.

Acreage: The Riffles ’n Rises Ranch consists of 562 acres of riverfront meadows and irrigated hay land. Its elevation varies between 5,761 feet above sea level along the quarter mile of highway frontage to 5,710 feet along the river on the downstream end of the ranch. The entire property affords magnificent views of the Salt River Range to the east, the Snake River Range to the north, and the Caribou Mountains to the west. The Snake and Salt River Ranges both include several bold, jagged peaks that stay snow-covered for most of the year. The light reflected from the peaks during sunrise and sunset is an awe-inspiring sight from Riffles ’n Rises Ranch.

Improvements: The 3,800 sqft ranch home was originally built in the 1960s and was extensively remodeled in 2003. The main level of the home includes the kitchen and breakfast room, the master suite with bathroom, a second bedroom and bathroom, a mudroom with woodstove and den with fireplace. Outside, a deck overlooks the spring creek outlet beneath the trout lake.

Live Water: Approximately 1 1/4 miles of the Salt River, a trophy wild cutthroat and brown trout fishery, meanders below the mountain views. There are numerous building sites with beautiful settings for each one. Many groves of willows flank the river on its course through the property. The river’s typical summer and fall flows range between 600 and 900 cubic feet per second, making it suitable for both wade fishing and angling from a small drift boat or raft. Riffles ’n Rises’ position between public access points makes it easy to put in or take out for half-day floats on the river. In addition to the river resource, the ranch has eight different springs that provide the additional water resources to make an excellent fishery and waterfowl hotspot. These springs present ponding opportunities throughout the ranch and are part of what makes the building sites unique.

Hunting: Of the eight separate spring resources on Riffles ’n Rises Ranch, five have well-defined creek channels that wander across the ranch in various locations, providing a total of approximately 2 1/2 additional miles of live water. The remaining three spring resources occur at the river’s level, providing open water throughout the year. These eight spring creeks are the favorite loafing habitat or “ancestral holes” for Mallards, Green-winged teal and Canada geese. Enhancement procedures have been performed on dozens of spring creeks in the valley with staggering results as the water source is clean and consistent, and the food sources are prolific. It is common knowledge that the Salt River system is improving each year in regard to trout size and wild trout per mile. This is directly related to the spring creek restoration work throughout the valley. The five spring creeks on the ranch represent a tremendous opportunity for an owner to customize their own private fishing streams and aid the river system during the process. In addition, the existing premium waterfowl habitat makes the “cast and blast” a regular event on the Riffles ’n Rises Ranch each fall. The owner has performed enhancement work on two of the five streams, and these improvements should dramatically enhance the Salt River as well as the spring creeks.

The Riffles ’n Rises Ranch is a true sporting ranch, conveniently located 45 minutes from Jackson Hole in an alpine valley that affords dramatic mountain views and premium recreational opportunities.

• Fishing on the Salt River and Spring Creeks
• 3,800 sqft remodeled home
• Waterfowl Hunting
• Close proximity to Jackson Hole