Bitch Creek Ranch
Details & Features
Teton Farm Parcel is located in Teton County, Idaho, on the quiet western side of the famous Teton Mountain Range. Teton Valley is comprised of the small mountain towns of Victor, Driggs and Tetonia. Teton Farm Parcel is located in Driggs, which is the county seat and largest of the three towns. Driggs offers all the services one needs including restaurants, grocery stores, shopping, golf, private air service and access to downhill skiing and great live music at Grand Targhee Ski and Summer Resort. The resort community of Jackson Hole is 45 minutes to the east offering commercial air service and endless all-season recreation and countless cultural amenities. Idaho Falls, the closest municipality, is a 1-hour drive from the ranch and hosts all major conveniences including commercial air service.
Bitch Creek Ranch is located on the northern end of Teton Valley, Idaho, with acreage spanning both Teton and Fremont Counties. The area referred to as Teton Valley is comprised of the small mountain towns of Victor, Driggs and Tetonia. Bitch Creek is located 21 miles north of Driggs, Idaho, which is the county seat and offers amenities including restaurants, grocery stores, shopping, world-class golf, private air service and access to downhill skiing at Grand Targhee Ski and Summer Resort. The resort community of Jackson Hole lies 53 miles to the east with many conveniences such as fine dining, lodging, state-of-the-art medical facilities and world-class recreation. Jackson Hole is also the gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Bitch Creek Ranch is well-situated within the recreational mecca commonly known as the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.The acreage on Bitch Creek Ranch is diverse and beautiful, the epitome of a western ranch. These wild 1,176 acres are a mixture of rolling meadows with dramatic Teton Range views, picturesque timber providing cover for wildlife, as well as the riparian corridor of Bitch Creek. It courses through the ranch for approximately 2 miles. The eastern border is entirely Caribou-Targhee National forest, approximately 1 ¾ miles of forest border plus an additional ½ mile of BLM border. The eastern third of the ranch is comprised of healthy stands of pine and aspen groves with lush green mountain meadows dotted in wildflowers. The ranch slopes from east to west transitioning from tree-covered ridges and sagebrush habitat zones to the rolling open meadows overlooking Bitch Creek. The most notable feature is the Bitch Creek corridor spanning from canyon and pocket water on the upper ranch to a classic cut-bank, meadow stream as the gradient flattens on the western reaches of the ranch. The entire corridor is a pristine and healthy system of wildlife and plant diversity. Abundant water flows out of the high country of the Teton Range. Once known as the Teton River North Fork, Bitch Creek drains the high country of the Teton Range providing gin-clear water to the Teton River downstream.Bitch Creek begins as two separate forks that eventually join before the Idaho border, in Wyoming. North Bitch Creek begins north of Moose Mountain and South Bitch Creek starts north of Dry Ridge Mountain. Moose and Dry Ridge peaks are in the Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. The two creeks meander out of the mountains and eventually meet 5 miles due east from the Idaho/Wyoming border forming Bitch Creek.Before it crosses into Idaho Jackpine Creek joins Bitch Creek. Bitch Creek runs through spectacular canyon settings before it joins the Teton River northwest of Driggs. Bitch creek in itself is roughly 15 miles long. The north and south forks add an additional 8-10 miles, however the prime fishing water of Bitch Creek is a 12 to 15 mile stretch.
The two miles of Bitch Creek on the ranch are arguably the finest fishing on the length of the creek. Much of this is due to the varied water types and remarkable scenery as well as the stewardship of the current owner. Stock has been kept off the creek for the last 6 years. From the upper ranch with high canyon walls and deep holes to the lower ranch with the classic riffle run pool configuration, the ranch is a superb fishery for native Yellowstone cutthroat trout as large as 20 inches, with the majority of fish caught between 10-14 inches. These are eager native fish that are a joy to catch on large attractor dry flies. As the fishing season progresses and summer heats up these fish can become more selective offering a challenge to anglers.
Bitch Creek Ranch is a wild place. Depending on the time of year nearly any species native to the region may be found on the ranch. The Bitch Creek corridor is a historical and important migration route for big game species moving from the summer range in the adjacent forest to the winter range at lower elevations on the canyon of the Teton River. The most notable species utilizing this route is likely the Teton Range Mule deer herd. These deer, famous for their trophy potential, utilize the corridor in the fall and often stage on the ranch as they migrate to the winter range. Shiras moose and Rocky Mountain elk also utilize the corridor in spring and fall, and many live on the ranch year round. In springtime, the upper portion of the ranch provides a prime location for elk to calve and deer to fawn.
Over the past four years current ownership has converted the 90-acre meadow into forbs and native grass vegetation. The intent of these plantings has been to provide high habitat function for Columbian Sharptailed grouse, Mule deer, elk and moose. These plantings have been effective in increasing the numbers of big game and game birds on the ranch and could easily be continued to supplement habitat. In addition to the sporting species, the ranch is populated with native birds especially raptors, which can be seen hunting in the meadows and along the creek.
Hunting for deer, elk, Black bear, mountain lion as well as Sharptailed grouse, Forest grouse and Hungarian partridge is available on the ranch and adjacent forest. All of these tags are available to an incoming owner on an over-the-counter basis with no draw required. Special season tags for late Mule deer hunts as well as Shiras moose are issued on draw basis.
A 3,200 sqft log home is situated on the north side of the ranch with a deck and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Bitch Creek drainage at the Teton Range. The home is approximately 20 years old and features beautiful stone fireplaces, hardwood floors and a wet bar. Occupying one of the most dramatic homesites on the property, there is potential for updating the residence to offer an ideal owner’s retreat. To view a video of the area fly fishing in Teton Valley, click here.
- 3,200 Sqft Creekside Log Home
- Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Fishery
- Wildlife Enhancement Program
Idaho
Idaho ranches for sale offer a variety of opportunities for water and wildlife recreation against the backdrop of the majestic Teton Range. Breathtaking hunting properties and Idaho cattle ranches can be found throughout the state in such rising resort communities as Teton Valley, ID, while fly fishing ranches sit on the banks of the Snake River, the Warm, the Fall, and the Teton, to name a few. Only moments away from world class recreation opportunities such as powder skiing and upland bird hunting, contact Live Water Properties for more information on purchasing land in Idaho for sale and Idaho ranch real estate.
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