Fifth-Generation Ranch Family Conserves 1,700 Acres of Wyoming Working Land

A fifth-generation Wyoming ranching family has taken a major step to protect their land — and their legacy — by permanently conserving 1,709 acres of ranch ground near Farson.

Working with the Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust, the family placed the property under a conservation easement, ensuring the land will remain a working ranch while also protecting important wildlife habitat and open space in Sweetwater County.

“This project represents an exciting milestone as our first conservation easement in Sweetwater County,” said Executive Director Christine Adams. “This ranch embodies the very values we work to protect — working lands, wildlife habitat, and the enduring legacy of Wyoming ranching families.”

A Ranch With Deep Roots

The ranch was originally homesteaded in the 1880s and has been owned and operated by the same family since 1939. Today, it remains an active cow/calf and hay operation and makes up the largest continuous stretch of open space in the Eden Valley.

The land also carries a piece of Western history. A small section of the historic Emigrant Trail crosses the property — a route once traveled by thousands of pioneers heading west on the Oregon, Mormon, and California Trails, as well as Pony Express riders.

Important for Wildlife, Too

Beyond ranching, the property plays a key role for wildlife in the region.

The entire ranch sits within a greater sage-grouse core area identified by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. It also provides important habitat for pronghorn, elk, and mule deer throughout the year.

The landscape includes rangeland, wetlands, and stretches of the Big Sandy River, supporting a wide variety of birds and other wildlife. The ranch also borders land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, helping maintain large, connected areas of open space.

Keeping the Land Working

A conservation easement does not stop ranching. Instead, it prevents the land from being subdivided or developed, while allowing the family to continue running their agricultural operation.

Funding for the project came from several conservation partners, including the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the Ducks Unlimited.

For Sweetwater County, it marks the first conservation easement of its kind through the Land Trust. For the family, it means something simpler — making sure the land stays intact, productive, and open for the next generation.