The Epitome of Luxury Mountain Living, The Ranches at Devil's Thumb Enclave Prioritizes Sustainability, Land Preservation, and Open Space

Sweeping, unobstructed views of the Continental Divide and Byers Peak, expansive home sites, and a connection with the natural beauty of the Fraser Valley are hallmarks of the experience in The Ranches at Devil's Thumb. With lot sizes from 11 to 35 acres, homes in The Ranches give that true away-from-it-all tranquility of mountain living. Yet the private, gated community is a quick hike, bike ride, or Nordic ski to Devil's Thumb Ranch, Tabernash's five-star resort voted by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the top 10 resorts in the American West, to which The Ranches homeowners have full access.

Year-round trail access is out the back door, with trails running throughout the woodlands and meadows of the 550-acre enclave.  Large contiguous open space is built into the plans for the community in order to preserve wetlands and prioritize sustainability. Many of the 24 homesites sit high on the ridge, looking out on protected national forest with others tucked into the valley near the river. Flanked by the nearly 725,000-acre Arapaho National Forest on one side and the 17,000-acre James Peak Wilderness and 77,000-acre Indian Peaks Wilderness on the other, views for days highlight the appeal of each homesite. And the property is complete with a private fishing cabin for owners' use that sits adjacent to Ranch Creek, where access to some of the best trout fishing in the county can be enjoyed. The Ranches at Devil's Thumb truly offer the ideal mountain retreat. 

LOCATION

Just west of the Town of Fraser and situated between County Road 8 on the south and County Road 83 and Devil's Thumb Ranch on the north, The Ranches neighborhood slopes down from CR 8 on the paved and well-maintained Thunder Road as it dips into the Ranch Creek valley. 

Minutes from Devil's Thumb Ranch, just 90 minutes from Denver, 20 minutes to Winter Park Resort, and less than an hour to Grand Lake, The Ranches' ideal location helped the homesites get scooped soon after they hit the market in 2020.

AMENITIES

The highlight of ownership in The Ranches is the exclusive access to Devil's Thumb Ranch. Residents have access to everything guests at the resort do, including the spa, pool, yoga, stables, trails, restaurants, airport shuttles, and concierge services. 

Owners can have their concierge stock the kitchen with their favorite groceries and wine, or they can arrange for a personal chef, housekeeping, or maintenance. And an optional annual membership has extra perks like priority spa reservations, annual private dinners, skiing and fishing lessons, and more. 

UTILITIES

Electric, gas, phone, internet, and cable are all readily available in The Ranches neighborhood. Each homesite needs its own onsite wastewater treatment as well as a well, as there is no access to city water and sewer. 

DESIGN + COMMUNITY STANDARDS

The vision for The Ranches is to create an ideal mountain retreat that feels cohesive, respects natural resources, and is true to its natural surroundings. Guidelines are intended to maintain a balance between giving property owners an opportunity for self-expression while also respecting the land. Homes are meant to blend into the environment, like they've been there for years. Architectural standards promote the use of natural materials like wood, stone, and stucco as well as earth tone colors for façades and roofs and encourage passive solar heat. Non-reflective glass is required to help homes blend into the surroundings. Landscaping is native - no need for lawns or irrigation with the beauty of the natural vegetation. Native trees, flowers, and ornamental grasses preserve the wild, pristine landscape. To maintain the feeling of open space and connection to nature, fencing, outdoor pools, and courts cannot be built.

Responsible lighting standards are designed to minimize light pollution and promote preservation of the jaw-dropping night sky found at 9,000 feet. Downward facing lights and intentional placement of exterior lights help make stargazing part of the day-to-day for The Ranches owners.

Home size is dependent upon the location and terrain. Most home sites will allow 8,000 square foot homes and the remainder allow 10,000 square foot homes. The minimum home size allowed is 3,000 square feet. 

HOMES

While The Ranches at Devil's Thumb can put property owners in touch with their list of preferred builders, owners are welcome to choose their own builder and architect. To get a feel for the type of homes you might find in the Ranches, you can check out the first two homes built: The Homestead and The Collina. Designed by architect Eric Mandil. He described the style of The Homestead as "contemporary rustic mountain retreat meets Zen ranch" while The Collina blends mountain modern architecture with the ranch land surrounding it. 

HOOKED?

Did we have you at 35 acres and sweeping views of the Continental Divide? Or the opportunity to actually live at Devil's Thumb Ranch?! We're with you - there really is no end to the appeal of The Ranches! Currently, two of the original 24 homesites are still available: Lots 22 and 23 are listed at $950,000 each. Or would you like to know when one of the already purchased sites or existing homes goes on the market? Whether you'd like to connect to tour the neighborhood or get set up on listing alerts, we'd love to start the journey with you!
Posted by Angela McDonough (Sandstrom) on

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