Clover Valley Ranch

Sold

Executive Summary
The historic Clover Valley Ranch is located in a private valley and offers exciting opportunities for recreation and ranching. Surrounded by mountains, this 3,047 acre ranch has two seasonal trout creeks, expansive meadows, abundant wildlife, pine forests and protection that will ensure your friends and family will enjoy it for generations.  Multiple home sites with sweeping views provide flexibility for a partnership and/or guest quarters. Enjoy horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, bird watching and hunting in complete privacy, all within easy reach of the Bay Area, Tahoe, and Reno International Airport. Proximity to five world-class golf courses, Lake Davis, and the small towns of Portola and Graeagle plus income potential from livestock and agriculture are just a few more reasons to own this amazing ranch.

The Clover Valley Ranch is at an elevation of 5,500 feet and is surrounded by mountains rising to almost 7,000 feet to the south with lesser mountain elevations in the other directions. Its two creeks are part of Feather River Watershed, the largest in the Sierra Nevada and larger than Yellowstone National Park.
Nearby Towns and Communities:
Portola -14 miles, (Pop. 2,030): Restaurants, museum, light shopping.
Graeagle – 24 miles, (Pop. 737): Championship golf courses, horseback riding, campgrounds, lakes, specialty shops and restaurants.
Reno – 45 miles, (Pop. 225,000): Dining, gaming, museums, recreation, commercial, and more.
Tahoe-Truckee Area – 45 to 60 miles: Spectacular Lake Tahoe, Donner Lake, the largest concentration of ski facilities in the world, restaurants, shopping, museums, and much more.

History
The Gold Rush brought thousands of miners to the area, which spawned agriculture production to feed the booming population. In the 1850s, James P. Beckwourth, a self-described mountain man, trapper, and explorer, became the first white man to settle in the region. His trading post became the nearby town of Beckwourth. The Clover Valley Ranch house was reportedly built in 1875 and according to the Reno Gazette, the ranch had 87 cows and produced 14,000 pounds of butter. The large barn that still stands on the property was built around the turn of the century. Lumber was an important part of the area’s agricultural history and brought a logging railroad to the valley in the 1920s. Prior to the Gold Rush, the area was inhabited by the Mountain Maidu and Washoe Indians. Prehistoric sites and archeological remains have been recorded on the ranch and throughout the Red Clover Valley.

Climate
Clover Valley is at an elevation of 5,500 feet (Lake Tahoe is 6,225), and like most mountain locations, the weather will vary considerably with the seasons. In the winter the average temperature range is 20 – 40 degrees with an average snowfall of 5 feet. About 50% of Winter days are sunny. In the Summer, temperatures range from the 70s to 80s, and some 90 percent of Summer days are sunny. The annual rainfall is about 20 inches.

Improvements
There is a historic barn, working Fairbanks livestock scale, and ranch house (uninhabitable) with some other historic outbuildings and a set of corrals on the property.

Recreation
The Clover Valley Ranch offers a wide variety of outstanding recreational opportunities. The property is adjacent to thousands of acres of National Forest offering miles of horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking trails to explore. The famed Doyle mule deer herd offers either awesome hunting or beautiful photographs. Early season fishing on either the Red Clover or Dixie Creeks won’t disappoint. Rainbow and brook trout are a fisherman’s catch. For the birder, there is an abundance to watch. The Yellow Warbler, the Willow Flycatcher, the Greater Sandhill Crane, Bald Eagles and other waterfowl and raptors can be seen all over the ranch. The corrals are ready to be loaded with horses to take you into the mountains for some fabulous trail riding.

Plumas County is well known for its recreation with something for everyone. Lake Davis is located over the hill to the south and about a 30 minute drive. There is sailing, fishing, boating and hiking at the lake. Frenchman’s Lake, about an hour away, offers additional boating, fishing and hiking for you and your guests. Also, within 40 minutes of the ranch are five world-class 18- hole golf courses. The fishing in Plumas County is also very good and the Feather River is just 30 minutes away.

Conservation Easement & Wetland Restoration Plan
In November of 2013, Clover Valley Ranch secured a Conservation Easement from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for a reserved grazing right in perpetuity. The easement covers 1,851 acres of which approximately 1,420 acres is meadow/wetland and 431 acres is upland range.In addition, a $2.15 million fund has been set aside for a Wetland Restoration Plan for the ranch.

The Dixie Creek Conservation Easement was completed in 2016 adding an addition 342 acres to the total acreage under conservation.

The objective of the Conservation Easement (a new Grazing Reserve Rights Pilot project) will be to provide habitat for a variety of wildlife, including species of concern such as Greater Sandhill Crane, White-faced Ibis, Bank Swallow, Yellow Warbler, Northern Harrier, and Swainson’s Hawk. It will also provide habitat for other waterfowl, shorebirds, upland game birds, mule deer, black bear, and elk.

Livestock will be used as a tool to maintain and enhance overall habitat conditions. The Grazing Reserved Rights Pilot differs from the typical Wetlands Reserve Program in that livestock grazing is allowed on enrolled lands as part of an approved wetland conservation and grazing management plan.

(The Grazing Management Plan and Restoration Plan are available to qualified buyers.)

Cattle Grazing
Under the easement, future grazing operations will vary depending on site production and monitoring information. Habitat requirements will remain fairly static regardless of the type of grazing operation unless changes are mutually agreed upon between National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the landowner.

Below is the future stocking rate and seasonal usage as set forth by the easement guidelines. Initial Stocking Rate (as recommended by the conservation easement).

Main Clover Valley Parcels:

Dixie Creek Parcel:

Season of Use

All livestock shall be excluded from the easement during the nesting season, (April 1 – July 15). Livestock may graze the easement area from July 15 – November 1st. Periodic spring grazing (May 1st – July 15th) may be considered through a compatible use authorization to help improve rangeland health (especially cool season grasses), with the consent of the NRCS. (Detailed Grazing Plan is available for qualified buyers.)

Zoning and Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN)
Clover Valley Ranch has two zoning designations:

Timberland and valley floor comprising 400 total acres (APN 9140005) is partly R-10 (+/-150 acres) and GA-40 (+/- 250 acres).

The Dixie Creek area – 392 acres – (APN #9160002) is Agricultural Preserve AP-80 and includes 342 acres under Conservation Easement.

The remaining APNs (9160003, 9160004, 9160013, 9160014, 9160015 and 9160016) totaling 2,255 acres are zoned R-10.*

Sec. 9-2.1701. – Purpose (R-10).
The purpose of the Rural Zone (R-10) is to provide for dwelling units at the ratio of ten (10) to twenty (20) acres per dwelling unit with provisions for compatible uses.

Sec. 9-2.3101. – Purpose (GA).
The purpose of the General Agriculture Zone (GA) is to protect and preserve for present and future utilization commercially viable important agriculture resource production areas.
* All or part of these parcels may be subject to conditions of the Conservation Easement.

Brokers Comments
Clover Valley Ranch is one of those rare opportunities to own a historic treasure in the magnificent northern Sierra Nevada. With only 3 private owners and the National Forest Service within a 40,000 acre critical watershed area, this secluded ranch is perfect for creating a legacy western experience for friends and family. There are several picturesque building sites that take advantage of the expansive valley vistas. Having private creeks with seaonal fishing in your backyard is awesome, and equally impressive is the $2.15 million restoration funds to help improve wildlife habitat, wetlands, grazing for the future.