Ranch and Recreation Listings

Back to Listings

Livingston - #134655

$449,000

Location

The Yellowstone River Retreat is the perfect place to build your Montana dream home. It lies at the end of Fox Run, a private road that runs from Highway 89 in a northeast direction for a distance of 2.1 miles, where it ends on the banks of the Yellowstone River. The site is located 9 miles east of Livingston, Montana, and 2 miles south of I 90, off Highway 89. It is about a 10 minute drive from the property to downtown Livingston. Bozeman and Gallatin Field Airport are a short 25 minutes over Bozeman Pass.

Acreage

The property consists of 10.22 +/- acres.

Recreational Opportunities

There are all kinds of recreational opportunities available in the neighborhood. If you get tired of the great fishing out your front door, big game hunting in the nearby mountains, or upland bird hunting just down the road, there are plenty of other choices that include hiking, horseback riding, rafting, sightseeing and even watching the bald eagles, golden eagles and various types of other raptors that inhabit the sheer rock face of Convict Grade directly across the river.

In the winter, there is world-class downhill skiing at nearby Bridger Bowl, which is 30 +/- minutes away, or, Big Sky and Red Lodge, both within 90 +/- minutes. Cross country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and other snow related activities are readily available.

Fishing:

Fishing is what this property is all about! With direct access to the Yellowstone River there is blue ribbon trout fishing right out your door. Wild Brown, Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout in the 18" to 22" inch class are quite common, as many of the local guides who fish the river refer to the stretch between the Hwy 89 fishing access and Sheep Mountain access as "big fish water". There are other great fishing opportunities besides the Yellowstone River. The Shields River is a 5 +/- minute drive from the property and there are many other legendary trout rivers within a 2 hour drive. The Big Hole, Boulder, Jefferson, Ruby, Madison and Missouri Rivers are all available to the fly fishing angler looking for trout. And there are several notable lakes. Canyon Ferry, Hebgen and Daly yield not only trout but walleye, perch and other species of warm water fish.

Hunting:

There is great big game hunting in the mountain ranges that ring the Livingston area. The Bridger, Absaroka and Crazy Mountain Ranges each have their own resident herds of elk, and there are also populations of moose, bear, mountain lions and an abundance of whitetail and mule deer. There are Hungarian partridge, several types of grouse, wild turkeys and pheasants on or near property.

Access

Year-round access to the property is via the privately owned and maintained Fox Run Road. Fox Run runs from Hwy 89 east for a distance of 2.1 miles, ending on the banks of the Yellowstone River.

Community

Livingston is a slice of old Montana. It is a town shaped and influenced by the beautiful and free flowing Yellowstone River, upon whose bank the town lays. With its historic downtown ambience and period brick buildings, it brings back the days when it when railroads and ranching were the town's primary occupation. These days you might not see as many ranchers (although there is still a lot of them around) and railroaders, but there is a resident and transient population of artists, writers, and filmmakers, who, along with the occasional celebrity, comprise the nucleus of an artistic community found nowhere else in the West with the possible exception of Santa Fe. There are plenty of boutique shops and art galleries of all types, as well as a surprising number of good restaurants, ranging from a classic steakhouse, to several upscale bistros of various ethnic persuasions. And for coffee lovers, an espresso or latte is always available a few steps away.

Description of the land

Topography:

The site is level. There is a small creek that flows through the property. It was built three years ago to encourage trout spawning, and contains a good population of small fingerlings, insects and other aquatic life. Along the river there are large cottonwood trees, and further back are a large number of Russian olive trees that support a large and diverse songbird bird population. The ground cover consists of mainly different types of grasses as well as small indigenous shrubs that provide additional cover for pheasants and other game birds. Some grain has been planted in the past to provide a food source for these same birds.

Views from the site are beautiful and diverse. In addition to the river and the bluffs (BLM) on the north bank of the river, the view shed to the east is protected by the adjoining 16,000 acre Mission Ranch. The southern view is dominated by the 9,000' peaks of the Absaroka Range. The neighbor's house and barn lie several hundred yards to the west. It is occupied on a year-round basis, but is not intrusive. It is close enough to provide a certain level of security for this property, particularly for non-resident owners.

Elevation, Precipitation, and Climate

Livingston, MT climate is mild during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 60's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's. The warmest month of the year is August, with an average maximum temperature of 84.90 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 16.00 degrees Fahrenheit.

Temperature variations between night and day tend to be relatively big during the summer, with a difference that can reach 36 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

The annual average precipitation at Livingston is 15.73 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is May with an average rainfall of 2.83 inches.

Improvements

The site currently has no buildings. There is a permitted building site. The approved building envelope sits approx. 60 yards back from the Yellowstone River. This envelope was designated to minimize the visual impact of building directly on the river bank and preserves the rural integrity of the river banks. There are great views in every direction. In addition to the main dwelling, the covenants also allow the construction of a barn and small guest house. All design and construction are subject to approval from the residents and in order to maintain the visual integrity and character of the area.

The septic field has been installed and is located in an area outside of the floodplain on the adjoining Mission Ranch, the result of an easement granted several years ago. The permitted well has been installed to provide for domestic water use, as well as a secondary source of water for the proposed wetlands pond, a result of the additional Fish and Wildlife year-round water right secured by the owner. The well produces over 35 gpm.

Joe Urbani of Joseph Urbani and Assoc., a Bozeman based water resource consultant, secured the necessary permitting and also had some suggestions to further enhance the small creek that flows through the property.

Taxes

Property taxes were $342.72 in 2007.

Showings

Call Jay Bentley, Broker, (406) 570-5142 or your Broker to arrange a showing.

Price

$449,000

Brokers Comments

Walk out your front door to Blue Ribbon fly-fishing! If you love to fish, or even just to float the Yellowstone and take in the beautiful surroundings; this 10 +/- acre riverfront property has a number of unique features. Located on one of the legendary "big fish" sections of the Yellowstone, there are several water features that define the character of the land and its surroundings. The property line lies 100' from the water's edge of the south bank of the river approximately two miles below the Hwy. 89 Bridge. In addition to the river in your front yard, the property contains a small spring creek that is used a spawning stream for the resident Brown, Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout that inhabit this section of the river.

There is a 50' easement along the front of the property to allow river access specifically for yourself and the six other landowners in "Country Acres Suburban Tracts", a privilege shared by no one else. Your ownership of the property also entitles you to a shared private access to the 40 acre island adjacent to the property, as well as access for the two miles of the south bank of the river, which lies between the Hwy. 89 bridge and the east boundary of 210 Fox Run on the east.

Since this property is so close to town, the cell phone reception is very good. You can have your privacy and still be connected.

The best thing about this property is the fact that you will have a whole lot more trout than people for neighbors. There are quite a few Rainbows, Browns, and Cutthroats that are waiting to welcome you to the neighborhood!

Contact Listing Agent for Exact Legal Description