Riley Ranch
(Click
on pictures to enlarge)
THE PROPERTY:
The Riley Ranch is a beautiful 1,480-acre cattle operation in
northeast New Mexico, located 7 miles south of the little cowtown of Roy.
Most of the property is situated on top of the Canadian River
Escarpment that looks down on lower tablelands with prominent landmarks
with names like Kicking Foot Mesa and Apache Point.
The ranch is easily accessed from a well-maintained county road
coming south approximately 5 miles from State Highway 39.
TERRAIN & VEGATATION:
The Riley Ranch is divided into 2 pastures, one north and one
south. The
north pasture is
mostly open, native grassland with rimrock along its western boundary.
Ponderosa pine, pinon pine, juniper, and oak brush grow along and
east of the rimrock, providing excellent habitat for wildlife.
The south pasture is less open than the north, with more tree cover
and oak brush. The ranch
boundary in some of the south pasture is below the rimrock and unusable by
livestock on the ranch; however, the ranch gains access to land on top
that is owned by ranchers below that are unable to graze it.
This is a typical trade out of land use by neighboring ranchers due
to geographical barriers.
Views from the rimrock
along the ranch’s western and southern boundaries to La Cinta Canyon,
approximately 1,000’ below, are spectacular.
Bell Mountain on the famous Bell Ranch is clearly visible from the
south end of the Riley Ranch. Some
of the shear sandstone bluffs along and below the rimrock are actually
within the boundaries of the Riley Ranch.
Elevations on the ranch vary from just over 5,800’ on the north
end to 5,000’ on the extreme southern boundary, which lies nearly in the
bottom of La Cinta Canyon. The
ranch is situated in a 14”- to 16”- annual precipitation belt.
CATTLE OPERATION:
The Riley Ranch is probably best viewed as a recreational property;
however,
the owner is presently running 30 to 40 cows year round.
A yearling operator should be able to run approximately 100
yearlings from May 1 to October 15, most years.
Cattle in the north pasture can water from a submersible well at
the headquarters or from a deep dirt tank in about the middle of the
pasture. Cattle water in the
south pasture from a very large, deep dirt tank that holds water year
round most years. An old well
in the south pasture has a thin metal casing that comes above ground.
This well has water in it, but the owner has not investigated
equipping the well since he does not need the extra water for his
livestock.
IMPROVMENTS:
An old ranch house in poor condition is located on the north end of
the property beside the county road.
The house is presently occupied by a renter.
A small set of pipe and cable corrals with a livestock drinker is
located just south of the house, and the submersible well mentioned
earlier is located in these corrals.
Most of the fences on the ranch are 4- and 5-strand barbed wire on
cedar posts and appear to be older, but in good repair. The partition fence between the north and south pastures is a
new 4-strand barbed wire on metal T-posts.
WILDLIFE:
The tree cover and abundant oak brush on and around the Riley Ranch
provide excellent
habitat for wildlife species including mule deer, elk,
bear and wild turkey, which are found on the ranch and in the area.
Open country on the ranch is home to pronghorn antelope.
Mule deer, pronghorn antelope and wild turkey live in the area in
huntable numbers; consequently, they are the only species with designated
hunting seasons.
MINERALS AND WIND ENERGY:
The owner will convey his interest in any mineral rights, if any,
in and under the property, as well as any right to future wind energy
income to the buyer.
TAXES:
Harding County real estate taxes for 2010 for the Riley Ranch as
estimated by the County Assessor are $302.29.
PRICE: $595,000