Spring Creek Ranch
Executive Summary
Spring Creek Ranch is a stunningly beautiful, pristine, and very private fishing and recreational retreat in Northern California’s Fall River Valley.
The nearly 1,500 acre property includes one of two major headwater streams that feed the renowned Fall River. With world-class trout fishing in waters controlled by the ranch and available only to the ranch owner and guests, there is an opportunity to enjoy an unparalleled fly fishing experience that yields rainbows averaging 3 to 6 pounds.
Historically known as the “Old Ivy Horr Ranch,” the property also fronts a second spring-fed trophy trout creek and has two ponds for bass. Lush meadows and a riparian wetland habitat provide wildlife enthusiasts a remarkable chance to view thousands of migratory waterfowl and the hunting is excellent.
A custom-designed “Airstream fishing camp” with a spectacular view over Spring Creek offers a luxury “outdoor” experience like no other. The owner and guest Airstream trailers offer bathrooms, showers, satellite TV, and comfortable beds. A custom kitchen-trailer features every appliance you’d expect at home and the ample deck with fire pit is ideal for telling stories about the big one that got away – or you released before anyone saw it.
This turn-key ranch and recreational property also includes a recently remodeled three-bedroom home plus multiple hay barns and other outbuildings used for the property’s agricultural features.
Property Descripion
The ranch encompasses approximately 1,460 acres with multiple creeks, numerous springs, river frontage, and two bass ponds.
Spring Creek originates from crystal clear springs on the ranch and flows for nearly its entirety within the boundaries of the ranch before it spills into the Fall River. Unlike most of the Fall River, fishing in this headwaters creek is completely private and only available to the owner and
guests.
Spring Creek Ranch has been in private ownership for decades, which has resulted in light pressure and controlled access to Spring Creek. The water is prolific with wild rainbow trout averaging 3-4 pounds and it’s not uncommon to land a 5 to 6-pound fish.
The ranch boundaries also include frontage on a section of the Fall River, just downstream from its confluence with Spring Creek. The famous Fall River is well known for its large Hexagenia mayfly hatch and wild rainbows.
The main headwaters of Lava Creek emanate from a large turquoise-blue reflection pond that is spring fed. Lava Creek is known for its superb dry fly fishing. The creek offers an unusual variation of freestone-type fishery in its upper reaches, and then flows into the typical crystal-clear spring creek water, with access by only a handful of adjoining owners.
The ranch has two ponds that are also spring fed and are teaming with trophy bass to keep fishermen busy all year long.
The property includes meadows, marshs and other wildlife habitats. Located in the Pacific Flyway, the number of visiting waterfowl is truly staggering.
There are 483 acres of irrigated pasture land including 200 +/- acres that are currently leased to a local hay farmer and produce income for the owner.
Locale
The Fall River Valley is known for its scenic beauty, world-famous fly fishing, and farming.
The ultra-rich wildlife habitat is teeming with waterfowl, deer, and more. The majestic 14,000-foot Mt. Shasta dominates the northern skyline and underscores the grandeur of this remarkable valley.
The Fall River Valley has unparalleled water features. Numerous and immense fresh water springs well-up crystal clear via large underground lava tubes.
These truely remarkable springs are responsible for creating some of the largest spring creeks and rivers in the United States. Along with blue-ribbon
fishing found in these streams, the area attracts birders and hunters for the upland birds and waterfowl that migrate through the area.
The town of Fall River Mills is located between two mountains; Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen. The small town is tucked in the valley along with an 18-hole golf course. The valley has a reputation as the home of California’s wild rice industry.
The entire Fall River winds for 16 miles through mostly private agricultural land with very few access points open to the fishing public. Agricultural crops include wild rice, alfalfa, lavender, strawberries, and mint.
From old-fashioned family diners to trendy cheese and wine stores, Fall River has a small-town appeal with something for everyone.
Improvements, Equipment & Amenities
Spring Creek Ranch includes a unique and truly special Airstream Fishing Camp. Award-winning architects at Bohlin Cywinshi Jackson designed the camp on the banks of Spring Creek to provide the owner and friends with a one-of-a-kind experience.
The camp includes three custom Airstream trailers, screened-in porch, and a fire pit that are all tied together with a beautiful redwood deck. The owner’s trailer is 30 feet long and the guest trailer is 27 feet in length. The custom 16-foot Cook Airstream has a sink, refrigerator, cook top, and a large storage area for gear. The trailers and porch are all protected from the elements with a massive steel beamed roof.
The trailers were shipped as blank shells to Montana where master craftsmen customized the interiors of the Airstreams with walnut wood trim, cabinets, floors, granite countertops, and tile bathrooms.
Clearly this is not your typical fishing camp. The camp is equipped with many home features and luxuries including plumbing, electricity, satellite internet and TV. It’s a great place to watch the sunset over the rising rainbows on Spring Creek.
The Caddis cabin, located on the banks of Vineyard Spring, is a comfortable three-bedroom, two and one half bath cabin with full kitchen, dining area, living room and screened-in covered porch. It overlooks Spring Creek and the ranch. Recently remodeled, the cabin has solid oak floors that have been resurfaced, many built-in cabinets, and a large laundry/utility room.
Other improvements include shop, hay barns, numerous storage sheds, irrigation pumps, fencing and gates.
Fishing and Wildlife
Spring Creek Ranch is an upland and waterfowl paradise. The ranch is located in the Pacific Flyway and is utilized by migratory waterfowl that use the lush habitat on the ranch for a stopping place during their migration between Canada, and Southern California and Mexico.
The Audubon Society completes an annual bird count on the ranch, and it is not unusual for 100 different species to be recorded. Bird species include Osprey, Bald Eagle, Great Horned Owl, Peregrine Falcons, Quail, Dove, Pheasant, Turkey, and Grouse to name a few.
Other wildlife which can be seen on the ranch includes mule deer (Zone X-1), bobcat, mountain lion, and black bear. Rarely hunted, Spring Creek Ranch has produced astounding numbers of wildlife throughout the property. (The ranch is not an established sanctuary.)
Climate and Topography
The weather is very pleasant in the spring, summer, and early fall, with very warm days and crisp cool nights. Winters are cold and snow is not uncommon.
The nearby town of Fall River Mills is nestled between the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Mountain ranges in the far Northeast corner of Shasta County, California. The town is surrounded by mountains in all four cardinal directions with Mt Shasta visible from almost anywhere in the valley.
Elevation varies only slightly throughout the valley floor, ranging from 3,200 to 3,400 feet (1,000 m). The surrounding passes all vary from 3,600 to 4,200+ feet.
Water Rights
The Ranch holds water rights from Spring Creek, Lava Creek, Vineyard Spring, and the Fall River as reserved in an Indenture between a previous owner and Pacific Gas and Electric Company; The right to pump water for domestic and irrigation purposes, provided that not more than three acre feet of water shall be used per year on each acre, and not more than one acre foot of water during any thirty day period. The Ranch also has a partial water right to Vineyard Spring to withdraw water for irrigation for three weeks per month. The rights to the fourth week have been assigned to a neighboring property. A previous long-time manager of the Ranch says that the above water right allowance has historically been more than enough to irrigate the Ranch without compromising the owner’s private fishing.
Agricultural Use
For the past few years, the Ranch has been used as a private retreat and contracted out to a local farmer meadow hay in the irrigated fields. Prior to this time, it was leased to a cattle rancher running a USDA Certified Organic operation. Historically, the ranch had carried 250 mother cows and produced around 700-800 tons of hay. The area typically requires 1 to 2 tons of hay to winter a cow, so there may be an excess of 250 -300 tons of hay for sale. Total carrying capacity by the Historical Approach is 3,500 A.U.M.s or 292 A.U.
Brokers Comments
Spring Creek Ranch is one of the two most revered ranches in a Valley, renowned for its beauty and fishing. For once it is not an exaggeration to say this is a true “once-in-a-life-time” opportunity.
A ranch where the most experienced fly-fisherman can be challenged in the gin-clear private waters of Spring Creek, while a novice fisherman can fine-tune his skills on one of the many other waters on the ranch. Wildlife is second to none, with incredible upland bird, waterfowl and big game hunting, and yet you are only a few minutes from restaurants, golf, and an airport for easy ingress and egress.