Ask April Stene
The seat is in the saddle or a tractor cab, ridin' and ranchin', the sun serving as the timeclock. Located in the picturesque Glacier County, this legendary ranch has raised sheep and cattle along the Rocky Mountain Front's foothills. The livestock roams the range feeding on the nutritious native grasses kept thick and dense as a product of sub or flood irrigation. Water is found in many forms on the 3,718.87 acres. The property includes 4 wells, 4 reservoirs, 2 large lakes, and springs carrying nutrients to the soils and yielding heaping windrows of freshly cut alfalfa or sainfoin to be scooped up and baled. The working ranch provides a sustainable way of life beneath Montana's Big Sky.
The homesite exhibits a 2,600 square foot home featuring 7 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, a laundry room, and a spacious dining area to name just a few of the accommodations. The downstairs can be utilized as separate living quarters for hired hands, guests, or visitors wanting to experience life on a ranch. Upgrades to the home include some new flooring, new windows, updated plumbing, and new insulation in the ceiling. The upstairs of the home has intact oak wood flooring beneath the carpet. Watch your livestock from your kitchen windows. The barns and corrals are situated at a lower elevation giving you a bird's eye view!
Outbuildings that help feed your passion include six barns, all protected with the windbreaks around them. A 154' x 56' calving shed has an updated roof with new rafters and tin installed in 2009. The hog barn and tack shed have electricity. A sturdy 20' x 16' granary sits on the ranch as well as two shops, an insulated 50' x 32' shop with electricity and a heated 36' x 24' shop with 220 power.
The Rocky Mountain Front provides stunning landscapes that remind you why Montana is so memorable. It's also the ideal habitat for wildlife such as mule and white-tailed deer, antelope, beaver, grizzly bear, coyotes, and many different species of birds. Lake Frances is nearby for excellent fishing and water sports. The outdoor amenities of Montana are abundant. Hunt, fish, hike, camp, and adventure in the virtually untouched Bob Marshall Wilderness. Four Horns Lake offers excellent trout fishing. Bird watchers can observe Curlews and other shorebirds nesting on the prairies of this property.
The span of the acreage is located 106 miles from the nearest International Airport in Great Falls, Montana. Take a mere thirty-minute drive to experience one of the most beautiful places on earth, the "Crown of the Continent" Glacier National Park.
Local Area
East Glacier, Montana is a small village surrounded by tantalizing views and scenery of Glacier National Park. The town may be small but has many accommodations such as motels, restaurants, a grocery store, golf course, a historic lodge, horse and car rentals, bars, gift shops, laundromats, an ATM, and a filling station for your convenience. It holds the east entrance to the famous Glacier National Park. The center of town lies at the intersection of Highway 2 and state Highway 49 making it easily accessible. You will need many days to enjoy all that East Glacier has to offer. It is near excellent fishing, hunting, numerous hiking trails, skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing. Daily tours are departing to Glacier and also boat tours paddling along on the pristine waters of the lakes in the park. If you'd like a truly western Montana experience, sign up for a trail ride on horseback and feed the inner adventurer. Popular scenic spots you will want to visit are the Going-to-the-Sun-Road, Two Medicine Valley, numerous waterfalls, overlooks, lakes, and streams. Do not forget your camera as you are sure to see some wildlife including moose, bear, deer, elk, mountain goats, and many more.
When the Montana Western Railroad Company brought the railroad through Valier, Montana, Peter Valier from LaCrosse, Wisconsin supervised the project. The town was thus named after Peter. This small farming community of Valier is located 14 miles west of I-15 in north-central Montana, an area known as the Golden Triangle. As part of Pondera County, Valier lies along Lake Frances that offers year-round recreation. The lake was at one time three small lakes before the dam was built and Lake Frances was created.
Area Attractions
Four Horns Lake
Mountains in the distance make for a peaceful experience at Four Horns Lake. This reservoir in Glacier County spans 719 acres in size at an elevation of 4,116 feet. Anglers fly fishing, reel fishing, or baitcasting have excellent chances of harvesting Brook, Rainbow, and Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout.
Lake Frances
This beautiful lake in Pondera County has spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains and is a mountain-fed lake. Lake Frances offers year-round recreation including fishing for Perch, Pike, and Walleye, camping, water skiing, jet skiing, kayaking, swimming, and windsurfing. In the winter ice fishing, snowmobiling, ice skating, and tubing on the ice are popular. Snowmobile ice drags are popular as an annual sport. There is a pavilion that was built by the Valier firemen that serve as a wonderful space for dances, wedding receptions, and reunions. A landing strip lies adjacent to the lake for easy access from flying-in visitors. Fifty campsites allow for memorable campouts. There are two boat ramps. Hike or bike the trails and enjoy the scenic views of the Rocky Mountain Front. Bird watchers will delight in the shorebirds and waterbirds to watch. There is additionally a Great Blue Heron rookery on the nearby island.
Rocky Mountain Front
This portion of Montana has a greater diversity of fish and wildlife than any other state in the US. With protection from the altering contours of the land and ample food from the surrounding farm fields, wildlife and birds alike flourish making this area a coveted destination during the hunting and fishing seasons. The area provides year-long habitat for mule and white-tailed deer, elk, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, and antelope. In addition, other furbearers such as beaver, mink, muskrat, otter, weasel, badger, coyote, lynx, bobcat, and mountain lion can all be found within a 100-mile radius. White-tail and mule deer maintain a healthy population here as it is a wintering destination for the species. Mule deer are often open-country deer offering those with farm ground or acres such as these a treasure trove of delicious tasting, large, beautiful bucks. Mule deer are not as shy as whitetails and are content with little cover or sparse brush. They have distinctive large ears that stick out like a big V against a hillside. However, these big bucks, ones with a 30 inch inside antler spread, are quite challenging to track down. They prefer the rugged areas such as badlands and breaks. Glorious long walks through fields and up and down draws can reward you with a big mule deer buck. The open country can also provide the added challenge of bagging the swift antelope. These speed goats are all over the countryside, so the challenge is waiting for your acceptance. The property is in hunting district 406 and FWP Region 4. The drainages and foothills provide cover, coulees, and water for superb mule and white-tailed deer hunting. The area offers some of the most prime bow hunting for white-tailed hunting in the entire state. There are also plenty of pheasants, Hungarian Partridge, Rough Grouse, Blue Grouse, Sharp-tail Grouse and Spruce Grouse. Bird watchers can revel in seeing Calliope, Rufus Hummingbird, Bluebird, Cassin Finch, Red Crossbill, Ferrungus Hawks, Pine Grosbeak, and Western Tanager.
Glacier National Park
The coveted area nicknamed the "Crown of the Continent" for obvious reasons offers gems and views of gold in the state of Montana. With over 700 miles of trails through pristine forests, alpine meadows sprinkled with bright lovely wildflowers, rugged and tenacious mountains, and spectacular sparkling lakes. Visit the historic chalets and lodges for a walk back in time or backpack, cycle, hike, or camp. While taking in the astounding sights of the glacier-carved peaks and valleys, set your binoculars on a diverse range of wildlife of bighorn sheep, mountain goats, deer, elk, ptarmigan, and both black and grizzly bear. This highway to heaven is a tough one to ever forget.
