WOLF MOUNTAIN RANCH
Wolf Mountain Ranch is a privately owned and operated ranch just outside of Steamboat Springs, Colorado
While a working ranch, this 20,000-acre ranch presents some of NW Colorado’s most pristine hunting acreage. In 2009, the ranch partnered with Colorado’s Parks and Wildlife and enrolled in the Ranching for Wildlife program. One80 Outfitters was chosen as the outfitter to implement the program on the ranch. The big winner here is you, our guests.
The ranch’s 20,000 acres are all available for hunting. Located in camp you will find a lodge that hosts the kitchen, dining and lounging area. Guests stay in 3 bunk houses and share a common bath house.
One80 Outfitters uses UTVs to access all hunting areas on the ranch, leaving directly from the lodge each day. Once in our desired hunting area on the ranch, we access the remainder of the distance via foot as not to disturb the game. Needless to say, the better prepared that you are, the better hunting opportunities you will present yourself, (marksmanship and physical condition).
Ranching for Wildlife Program
The Ranching for Wildlife program creates a partnership between land owners and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. This cooperative agreement includes programs to enhance habitat, monitor and manage wildlife populations and enhance recreational opportunities on the property.
The Ranching for Wildlife program allows the land owners and outfitters to receive a guaranteed number of hunt licenses based upon the quantity and quality of habitat, and quantity of game on the ranch. Licenses are either sex and with these licenses comes a 90-day season window to hold these hunts. During the season, hunters may choose any method in which they would prefer to harvest their game (i.e. You may use a rifle, bow, crossbow to hunt elk during the rut).
In summary, while hunting on a Ranching for Wildlife participating ranch your license is guaranteed without the draw process, you may hunt with any method that you choose, and harvest a male or female animal. There is a variety of dates in which you may choose, outside of the normal season dates set by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
For more information visit the Colorado Parks and Wildlife web site: www.wildlife.state.co.us
Getting to the Ranch
Below you will find a map that you can use in conjunction with these written directions.
The ranch is located just 27 miles from downtown Steamboat Springs, but you should allow yourself at least 45 minutes to make your arrival to camp. Four-wheel drive vehicles are not required to get into camp, but you will be traveling on 9 miles of county-maintained dirt roads that may be a little rough at times.
We begin our mileage count from the West end of town at the intersection of CR 129 and Hwy 40 (use Moe’s BBQ as your landmark). From here set your odometer and begin your migration West on Hwy 40. Go West until you pass mm115. Begin looking for Point of Interest signs for the Mt Harris historical pull out on the South side of the road. Directly across the highway is CR 52 that you want to take to the ranch. The turn is 16 miles from where we set the odometer.
Once on CR 52, it immediately turns to dirt road and you have 9.2 miles to go to the ranch. The road will curve left and within a 1/4 of a mile turn right at the junction. Continue straight on 52 winding through the canyon up to camp. Once you go over the cattle guard, you have 5.8 miles to go to camp and you’re officially on the ranch on both sides of the road.
As you wind your way through the ranch, you will see a brown barn on your right and then an entrance to the left to the owner’s grounds located next to a lake. This is not camp so continue on CR 52 for another 1.5 miles over a small pass to a red gate on the right. There will be a Vanatta Outfitter sign at the gate and cattle guard. Turn right over the cattle guard and proceed forward for 1/2 mile up and over a hill until you arrive into camp. You may park your vehicle on the left behind the bunk cabins as you enter into the complex. (Don’t forget these directions. We have no phone lines to camp and cell service is spotty – it is in the mountains.)
If you are coming from Hayden, CO, after crossing the Yampa river and a set of railroad tracks be looking for the Mount Harris historical site on your right and CR 52 on your left. Then please use the directions from above for CR52 to camp.
