Occupying rolling terrain from elevations of roughly 7500 to 8000 feet, Mariah Ranch is naturally suited as a refuge for elk, pronghorn, and mule deer. The latter in particular produce some real trophies here, and some wiley muleys have favorite hideouts among the ranch’s draws and sandstone outcrops. Otherwise undeveloped, Mariah Ranch does have three solar-powered wells that more than adequately serve wildlife and seasonal cattle grazing. Vegetation varies from natural grassland parks, to scattered stands of ponderosa and limber pine, and extensive thickets of mountain mahogany.

Mariah Ranch is located within Wyoming Region E for elk, Area 37 for antelope, and Area 61 for mule deer. For Wyoming residents, deer and elk tags are available over the counter, and antelope tags are drawn annually. The ranch should also qualify for landowner tags if desired. All told, it is well-positioned to be a hunting retreat that can be utilized as-is, or developed into a hunting camp with amenities.

Responsible land conservation has been a theme here, and most of the land is protected through a conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy. Historically, the property has been only lightly grazed and seldom hunted, and is almost completely undeveloped. However, two five-acre building envelopes are permitted, with some flexibility as to location. A new residence and associated structures could be built within each five-acre building envelope while still retaining the conservation values of the property.

Location is one of this property’s greatest assets. Well-blocked and adjacent to other large ranches, the sense of elbow room here is refreshing, yet the property is only 20 minutes south of Laramie, one of Wyoming’s most dynamic small cities. With a population of over 30,000, Laramie is also home to the University of Wyoming, an airport with daily commercial flights to Denver, a hospital, and is a hub for retail commerce in the southern part of the state. Situated on Interstate 80, Laramie is well connected, including to burgeoning Fort Collins, Colorado, only an hour south. Denver International Airport, gateway to the world, is only about 2.5 hours distant.

In addition to the many cultural opportunities offered in Laramie, other recreation in southern Wyoming includes snowmobiling, nordic and downhill skiing in the Medicine Bow Mountains, horseback and OHV riding on nearby public lands, and fishing in the Laramie River and many lunker-producing stillwaters. Mariah Ranch is a treasure of a hunting property with potential as either a private hunting retreat or even a small commercial operation, with cattle grazing as an option as well. With all of these features available within a stone’s throw of Laramie and a short drive to the Front Range cities of Colorado, Mariah Ranch stands out as an accessible big game property that is becoming harder and harder to find.