Rocky Mountain Living
Anyone who has watched the hit Paramount show Yellowstone will be well aware that the state is one of the most sparsely inhabited in the USA. With a population of just over 1 million, ‘The Treasure State’ is dominated by rolling country, pasture lands and cattle; around 5% of the state’s population is employed on farms and ranches. With so much land designated to the fabled cowboy, Montana is home to a culture and way of life that harkens back to a bygone age; an age of romanticised ideals when people lived in harmony with the land. Read on to discover the largest ranches in Montana.
Broken O Ranch
This 124,000-acre ranch, located on the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountain range in Augusta, is one of Montana’s largest ranches.
“Broken O” was originally created by William and Desiree Moore, who founded the Kelly-Moore Paint Company, and turned it into a major cattle producer and agricultural operation. Today, it’s owned by billionaire Stan Kroenke, owner of NBA team the Denver Nuggets and NFL team the Los Angeles Rams.
Kroenke purchased the property for what was thought to be a then-record Montana sale price of $132.5 million in 2012. As well as its agricultural production, the ranch offers incredible recreational facilities, including brown and rainbow trout fishing and hunting for mule deer, whitetail, antelope, wildfowl, and game birds.
Set in the foothills of the Rockies, Broken O Ranch features some of the most picturesque scenery in the country and is also home to the state’s largest block of irrigated land.
Beaverhead Ranch
Wall Street Journal and Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch bought Beaverhead Ranch in southwest Montana for $200 million in 2021, simultaneously taking the title of the biggest ranch sale in the state’s history.
There is plenty of space for Murdoch and his visitors to explore, as the working cattle ranch spans an area of almost 340,000 acres: 113,000 acres of working land and 226,000 acres with grazing rights. Fred Koch, founder of Koch Industries, was the previous owner (and founder) of the ranch, and the site is said to be home to around 7,000 cow-calf pairs, 15 families who are employed on the ranch, and a huge mix of wildlife across its varied terrain.
Elk, antelope, mule deer, moose, and many other species live on the land here, and such is the scale of the site that it has been described as its own ecosystem – similar to many of Montana’s ranches of similar size. Murdoch has also purchased the Selkirk, a neighbouring ranch, meaning he now owns one of the country’s biggest cattle operations.
Flying D Ranch
Flying D Ranch is a 113,000-acre property located near Bozeman, southwest Montana. It’s owned by media mogul Ted Turner, and is home to an incredible selection of wildlife, including black bears, moose, wolves, elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, mountain lions, and pronghorn antelope.
This working ranch in the Gallatin and Madison Valleys – considered Montana’s second biggest – boasts steep forests on its southern edge, as well as flatter plains in the central portion. Also benefitting from its pristine natural environment, the ranch is mostly known for its bison production, although it is also said to offer excellent trout fishing in its streams and rivers.
Climbing Arrow
Climbing Arrow Ranch covers almost 80,000 acres in Manhattan, Montana.
Established in 1905, the property was purchased by Buck and Marcia Anderson in 1959 and has a long association with cattle, with a cow herd of almost 2,000 commercial Black Angus cattle. This outstanding ranch sold in 2021 for $136 million – the United States’ fourth-highest property sale of the year. The sale included the expansive land, as well as the owner’s home and several employee residences. Also included were the historic Francis Barn, guest homes, corrals and workshops, in addition to sheds, mechanic shops, calving facilities, horse barns, and more.
Swan Land Company, which listed the property for sale, notes that Climbing Arrow is spread across four counties – Gallatin, Broadwater, Madison, and Meagher – and organised into five ranch units. It also points out this is an exceptional spot for elk hunting and fishing, as a vast network of creeks and streams facilitates these activities.
N Bar Ranch
N Bar Ranch in Grass Range is located roughly 100 miles north of the state’s largest city, Billings. With a varied landscape and an abundance of wildlife spread across its 62,000 acres, including 51,409 deeded acres, the timbered areas of the ranch are home to elk herds and deer, while game birds, wild turkeys, pheasants, and antelope populate some of the more temperate lower areas.
The ranch has a long history going back to the 1880s, and in 1991 was put on the National Register of Historic Places. Its most historic buildings are the old barn and cookhouse, which were constructed soon after wealthy Helena banker, Thomas Cruse, bought the ranch in 1885.
Wilks Ranches has owned the property since 2012, and has continued to focus on cow-calf black Angus operations.
Montana is home to some of the largest ranches in the United States and boasts some of the most captivating landscapes in the country. Guided by a deep respect for natural beauty, open spaces, and pristine waterways, the state enshrined these values in its 1972 constitution, guaranteeing every citizen the right to a “clean and healthful” environment. This commitment owes much to the ethos of rural communities – particularly ranchers – who strive to preserve a way of life rooted in harmony with the land. The ranches highlighted in this list represent just a few examples of this enduring, yet increasingly threatened, tradition – one that deserves continued recognition and protection.
