Larimer County commissioners approve purchase of Heaven's Door Ranch for $9 million

With unanimous approval from the board of county commissioners, Larimer County will acquire a 1,500-acre ranch west of Loveland, adding to the county's growing portfolio of open space areas and creating more recreation opportunities for the public.

Heaven's Door Ranch sits at the mouth of Big Thompson Canyon on the south side of U.S. Highway 34, across from Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch and Wedding Venue.

"It’s a great space because most people are familiar with it and pass by on their way to recreate, and now they will be able to recreate there," Commissioner Kristen Stephens said.

Officials from the county's Department of Natural Resources presented details on the acquisition to county commissioners during the board's administrative matters meeting Tuesday.

The 1,547-acre ranch was initially listed for $18 million, including an 8,734-square-foot home, 100 shares of Colorado-Big Thompson water and several high-end horse facilities, according to an online real estate listing. The county's current purchasing agreement with the owners is for $9 million, including everything except for the water shares, which county officials estimate to be worth about $7 million.

Because most of the developed area, including the house and the horse facilities, are clustered in the southeast corner of the property, county officials said they will likely sell that portion of the land to help recoup some of the cost for the county.

"We don't have a need for the residential property, and it doesn't really contribute to our open space or public access goals," said Meegan Flenniken, a Land Conservation, Planning & Resource program manager for the county.

County officials estimate they'll be able to get $2 million from the sale of the residential properties, which account for about 150 acres of the total land.

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The cities of Fort Collins and Loveland have also contributed a combined total of $1.25 million: $750,000 from Fort Collins and $500,000 from Loveland. The two cities will enter into a joint conservation easement to determine the use and limitations of the land, though the funding and the conservation easement are subject to the final approval of an intergovernmental agreement, according to a press release from the county's natural resources department.

Flenniken told county commissioners they don't currently have details on the kinds of restrictions that will be put in place, like limiting commercial development on the parcels of land the county intends to sell. Rather, their next steps once the purchase is approved will be to to conduct resource evaluations and site inventories.

"We want to get to know the site first," Flenniken told commissioners.

Flenniken said the county plans to initiate partnerships with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program and Colorado State University for archeological studies and determine grazing plans for portions of the land. Flenniken said they want to engage the public to learn more about the types of recreation opportunities they'd like to see in the new open space area.

The timeline for when Heaven's Door will be open for public access is unknown. Flenniken told the Coloradoan their first budgetary priority will be opening a nearby open space area, Chimney Hollow, which is tentatively scheduled for 2027. So it will likely be several years before Heaven's Door is officially open to the public.

Heaven's Door is within the Blue Mountain Priority Conservation Area, a noted priority for the public based on the county's Open Lands Master Plan, county officials told the board. The area is also a major priority for conservation efforts, creates a "significant buffer" to other conserved lands and protects the hogbacks and foothills backdrop south of the Big Thompson Canyon, the press release said.

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With the purchase of Heaven's Door, the county will have acquired 56,500 acres of land for conservation to date.

"The area is a visual postcard when you're heading into the canyon, and its a unique space in Larimer County," said Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally. "It will provide an immeasurable benefit to the wildlife and wetlands in the area."

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Larimer County to purchase property near Big Thompson Canyon