A ranch fit for a cowboy king is currently on the market for $79.5 million in central Wyoming. Spanning 916,076 acres—four times the size of New York City and larger than the entire state of Rhode Island—the listing features four properties that cover four counties and 1 percent of the state. According to the New York Times, the four properties sit between the Ferris, Pedro and Green mountain ranges and comprise one of the largest working commercial cattle ranches in the Rocky Mountains.
“You could describe Pathfinder Ranch as a grazing empire,” said Scott Williams, associate broker with Swan Land Company, which represents the listing. “It’s a vast expanse of grasslands, sagebrush, river corridors, wildlife, and, simply, freedom. You’re reminded of the grit and determination of the American spirit. It still lives on here.”
A 25,000-acre property featuring the 6,579-square-foot, nine-bedroom and seven-bathroom Great Pathfinder Lodge is central to Pathfinder Ranch. “You can see Pathfinder Reservoir with the mountains in the background,” Williams said. “It offers beautiful views overlooking green meadows.”
Two Crosses also boasts the 3,556-square-foot Sand Creek Hunting Lodge, which includes six bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, seven employee houses, a riding arena, a church, and multiple shops. Meanwhile, the Wooden Rifle unit on the acreage’s eastern edge is home to Two Iron Ranch, which includes a conservation easement through a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreement to protect sage grouse, a medium-size bird. “Pathfinder operates as a leased cattle and horse enterprise, supported by reliable water resources with significant pre-1904 irrigation rights and a well-established grazing program,” Swan Land Company’s listing reads.
Pathfinder’s rich history dates back to the 1870s—at the bordering Independence Rock, you can find carvings of 19th-century pioneers. It currently intersects the Pony Express and Oregon National Historic Trails The property also borders Devil’s Gate, a 370-foot-deep canyon. Though the pieces of Pathfinder Ranch were acquired in their current forms between 2005 and 2018 as potential grounds for wind farms, conservation easements restricted development.
“It’s an incredible and rare opportunity for the modern day cattle baron in the American West and it will get the attention of the upper echelon of ranch buyers,” Williams continued. “It will attract ultrahigh-net-worth individuals who want to feed the world, or someone who loves conservation and wants to have some open space and fresh air.”