HANGING J RANCH
Condon, Montana
$7,250,000
480± Acres
INTRODUCTION
Located in Montana’s Swan Valley, the Hanging J Ranch consists of 480± deeded acres. It has a custom log home with some of the most beautiful views you can find anywhere. This sizable and exceptional property has been in the same family’s ownership since 1974, it provides a combination of privacy and natural beauty set in a region with endless recreational opportunities.
The Swan Valley lies between the Mission Range to the west and the Swan Range to the east. It’s a spectacular region with towering mountains framing the valley floor. Highway 83 runs north and south through the region, and it’s considered a scenic corridor in one of the most beautiful areas of Montana. The property lies just southwest of the town of Condon, Montana. At the heart of the property is an 11± acre wetland lake, fed by two seasonal tributaries that provide exceptional beauty and quiet wildlife observation. The landscape combines timbered areas, meadows, and riparian corridors, all in a private setting with scenic vantage points.
The charming log home, built in 1976, sits perched in an ideal location, capturing the stunning views of the wetland lake and the dramatic mountain backdrop.
The ranch directly abuts 2,080± acres of U.S. Forest Service lands and is just a short 5± minute drive to thousands of additional acres of public lands, featuring 4x4 roads, hiking trails, and high mountain lakes. It is minutes from the Swan River, which originates high in the Mission Range from Gray Wolf Glacier, flows past Lindbergh Lake, and winds north through the valley to Swan Lake before reaching Flathead Lake in Bigfork.
Despite its very private and peaceful setting, the ranch is conveniently close to key destinations in western Montana; Bigfork, Kalispell, Whitefish, Missoula, and Seeley Lake are all within easy reach.
Combining privacy, incredible scenery, direct access to public lands, and a beautifully sited log home, the Hanging J Ranch represents a rare opportunity to acquire a large tract of land in one of Montana’s most coveted valleys.
1 Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
QUICK FACTS
• 480± acres in the Swan Valley
• Adjacent to 2,080± acres of USFS
• Less than one mile from the Swan River
• 11± acre wetland lake
• Very private and secluded setting
• Stunning views of the Swan and Mission Mountains
• 90± minutes from two international airports
• 1± hour to Bigfork and just 30± minutes to Seeley Lake
• First time offered in 52± years
• Log home with 2,941± square feet and detached garage
• No conservation easement
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
ACREAGE
The ranch features a diverse topography, with a timbered perimeter and scattered ponds, transitioning to an open interior characterized by expansive grassy meadows and a large wetland area fed by two seasonal creeks. According to Montana Cadastral, the acreage is broken down as 54.2± acres of agricultural land and 425.8± acres of forested land. There is a lovely private drive that brings you in through the timber, into the open meadows and up to the home, which is positioned at approximately 4,000± feet in elevation. The majority of the property varies in elevation by only about 100± feet.
TIMBERLAND
The Swan Valley hosts very diverse forests. In upper elevations, you’ll find foothills blanketed with ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and lodgepole pine.
As you get closer to the valley bottom you’ll notice a change in the species with western red cedar, hemlock, quaking aspen, subalpine fir, cottonwoods, and maples thriving in the wetter areas.
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
SCENIC VISTAS
The Hanging J Ranch boasts some of the most beautiful views you will find anywhere in the West. The panoramic view to the east captures the dramatic and rugged Swan Mountains. These ridgelines and peaks mark the gateway to the Bob Marshall Wilderness and help define its western boundary. Notable mountains include Wolverine Peak, Carmine Peak, Waldbillig Mountain, and Gyp Mountain, all of which are around 8,000± feet in elevation.
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
IMPROVEMENTS
This classic, 2,941± square foot, log home was built in 1976. It is considered a 1.5-story building with four bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. The main floor is approximately 1,600 square feet and features the kitchen, dining room, living room, a sitting room, a bedroom currently used as an office, a half bathroom, and a covered entryway. The upper floor measures 1,341± square feet, featuring three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. A large deck was positioned to the east to take in the views and absorb the morning sunshine. A detached garage was built in 2003 and measures 20’ x 40’, with an attached carport that measures 8’ x 40’. Both the home and garage have power, and a backup generator is also in place.
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
RECREATION
The “Seeley-Swan” area, combining the Swan and Seeley Valleys, is connected by Montana Highway 83. This entire region is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts.
Hiking opportunities abound in both the Mission and Swan mountain ranges, while the Swan and Clearwater Rivers, along with Swan Lake, Seeley Lake, and Salmon Lake, offer excellent fishing for Montana trout and northern pike. Canoeing, kayaking, and boating are popular on these lakes and rivers, and several local outfitters provide horseback riding adventures throughout the valleys and into the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
Holland Lake is a special place and is located about 6± miles from the ranch. The historic lodge has recently been sold, and the new owners intend to keep it operational and open it to the public. This has long been a popular wedding destination, offering fine dining on weekends. There is excellent boating, fishing, and recreation on Holland Lake.
During the winter months, the Seeley-Swan transforms into a playground for snow sports, with over 350± miles of snowmobile trails, world-class cross-country skiing, and ice fishing for pike and trout on the frozen lakes.
HUNTING | WILDLIFE
The area offers a variety of hunting opportunities for black bear, elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, and mountain lion on both guided and public lands. Guided hunts often involve hiking or horseback, while the Swan River National Wildlife Refuge provides public archery hunting, and select areas allow waterfowl hunting.
The ranch receives a good amount of migratory waterfowl because of the wetlands and the timbered forest holds grouse, an ideal location for an avid bird hunter. For the big game enthusiast, there are resident elk and deer that frequent the property. With the adjacency to USFS lands, there is ample room for big game to roam on and off the property.
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
FISHING
The region boasts excellent fishing opportunities, particularly on the Swan River and its surrounding lakes, where anglers can catch rainbow trout, bull trout, and northern pike. The freestone Swan River ranges from cold, fast upper sections, ideal for trout, to slower, warmer lower stretches favored by northern pike. Local lakes offer additional options, including stocked rainbow trout in Van and Shay Lakes, as well as bass and kokanee salmon in Loon and Horseshoe Lakes.
Just 45± minutes south, you can access the legendary Blackfoot River, which is renowned for its trout fishing. The river passes through canyons and boulder-filled sections and supports westslope cutthroat, bull trout, as well as rainbow and brown trout. In spring and summer, anglers can fish during insect hatches, including salmonflies, Golden Stones, drakes, and caddisflies.
OTHER
Glacier National Park is a popular destination and is 85± miles north of the ranch. It is renowned for its dramatic mountains, glaciers, and pristine lakes. Established in 1910, the park offers more than 700± miles of trails and the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road. Visitors can explore by hiking, horseback riding, or taking boat tours, with opportunities to see wildlife such as bears, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep.
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
AREA HISTORY
The upper Swan Valley is rich in history, featuring Indigenous trails, trapper cabins, and marten-notched trees, as well as early 20th-century homesteads, Forest Service stations, logging sites, and dude ranches.
The valley has long been significant to the Salish and Pend d’Oreille tribes, who traditionally hunted and gathered here, a right recognized in the 1855 Treaty of Hellgate. Conflicts over hunting rights, including the 1908 Swan Massacre, are part of this history, and today the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes continue to maintain a strong connection to the land, applying traditional ecological knowledge in its stewardship.
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES
The Swan Valley region encompasses the Swan River, Swan Lake, and the town of Condon. At its southern end lies a subtle divide that separates the Swan Valley from the Seeley Valley to the south. Both valleys run north–south, framed by the glacier-carved Mission Range to the west and the rugged Swan Range to the east. The Clearwater River flows south into Seeley Valley, while the Swan River runs north through the Swan Valley.
The area is thickly forested, with open meadows offering striking views of the surrounding mountain ranges. Montana Highway 83 begins at Clearwater Junction and winds north for nearly 100± miles through this scenic corridor before joining Highway 35. A few miles before that junction, Highway 209 leads to the resort town of Bigfork, where the Swan River flows through downtown into Bigfork Bay on Flathead Lake.
Swan River
21 Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
The ranch is situated 30± minutes north of Seeley Lake and about 45± minutes south of Bigfork in Condon, Montana. Condon is a small town, but it does have a post office, a bar, a seasonal restaurant, and the Mission Mountain Mercantile offering a great grocery store, deli, and gas station.
Condon is about 90± minutes from Missoula and about the same distance to the urban amenities of Kalispell and Whitefish.
Take Montana Highway 83 to Kraft Creek Road, and head west on Kraft Creek Road for 1.1± miles. Turn North onto Elk Creek Road, and go about 275± yards to Glacier Creek Road and the chained gate on the west side of the road.
www.fayranches.com | 800.238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
AIRPORT SERVICES
The ranch is located between Missoula International Airport and Glacier Park International airport; both are a 90± minute drive from the property.
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
WATER SOURCES
Two seasonal creeks flow through the property, feeding the wetland area and creating an 11± acre lake that serves as a private oasis for a variety of wildlife species. This water level can vary significantly throughout the year as the wetland area fills from mountain snowmelt in the spring. The water drains from the lake and flows northwards towards the property border, leaving the property and eventually connecting with the Swan River.
CONSERVATION | STEWARDSHIP
Each of us at Fay loves the land and wants to see it remain a productive agricultural ground and a quality fish and wildlife habitat. Through promoting thoughtful land stewardship, Fay has guided owners toward a legacy of conserving wide-open spaces, enhancing and creating fisheries and wildlife habitats, and implementing sustainable agricultural operations. Fay is proud to say that since our company began in 1992, our clients’ conservation ethics and land-use practices have significantly enhanced our work landscape.
WATER RIGHTS
Montana waters, in all their varied forms and locations, belong to the State for the benefit of its people. A water right is the right to use the water within state-established guidelines, and not any ownership of the water itself. Since water rights in Montana are guided by the prior appropriation doctrine, a person’s right to use a specific quantity of water depends on when the use of water began, establishing the relative priority date of use on the water source. The first person to use water from a source established the first right, the second person could establish a right to the water that was left, and so on. Additionally, water users are limited to the amount of water that can be beneficially used. Beneficial use includes, but is not limited to, agricultural, recreational, fish, wildlife and domestic purposes.
Montana is currently conducting a statewide adjudication of all water rights with priority dates prior to July 1, 1973. The statewide adjudication is a court process that prioritizes and quantifies all existing water rights in each Montana drainage basin. With 85 basins in Montana, and over 219,000 water right claims, the statewide adjudication is a massive undertaking that is expected to stretch well into the future. Until the adjudication process is complete, the status of any particular water right claim cannot be guaranteed. Fay Ranches, Inc., its brokers and salespersons do not warrant or make any representation concerning the quantity or quality of any water rights, nor any legal entitlement to use of water rights, permits to appropriate water, exempt existing rights, determination of existing water rights, nor any ditches, ditch rights, or ditch easements appurtenant to or constituting a burden on the property. Water rights claims appurtenant to the property may or may not have been fully or finally adjudicated, and any Buyer is advised to make any offer to purchase contingent upon and subject to such independent inspections, evaluations, and advice concerning the water rights and adjudication process as a Buyer might deem prudent. All Buyers should be aware that Fay Ranches, Inc., its brokers and salespersons involved in this offering have not conducted an expert inspection or analysis of the water rights for this property.
SUMMARY
This 480± acre Swan Valley ranch offers privacy, stunning mountain views, and direct access to nature, abutting 2,080± acres of U.S. Forest Service land and just 1.5± miles from access into thousands more acres of public lands, trails, and mountain lakes. The property’s wetlands draw in wildlife, and a charming log home is perfectly sited to capture the dramatic vistas.
Located between the Mission and Swan Ranges, the ranch is near the Swan River, Swan Lake, Holland Lake, and Lindbergh Lake, and within easy reach of Bigfork, Missoula, and Seeley Lake, combining seclusion, natural beauty, and convenient access to some of western Montana’s best recreational opportunities.
www.fayranches.com | 800.238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
Hanging J Ranch | Condon, Montana
Please contact Mike DeShore at (406) 543-8888 | mdeshore@fayranches.com or Daniel Mahoney at (406) 360-7373 | dmahoney@fayranches.com to schedule a showing. This is an exclusive listing. An agent from Fay Ranches, Inc. must be present at all showings, unless otherwise noted or other arrangements are made. To view other properties we have listed, please visit our web page at www. fayranches.com.
$7,250,000 Cash
$4,157.01
Offer is subject to errors, omissions, prior sale, change or withdrawal without notice, and approval of purchase by owner. Information regarding land classification, carrying capacities, maps, etc., is intended only as a general guideline and has been provided by the owners and other sources deemed reliable, but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Prospective purchasers are encouraged to research the information to their own satisfaction. TAXES
Conventional Financing 1031 Exchange
RELATIONSHIPS IN REAL ESTATE
As required by Montana law, a broker or salesperson shall disclose the existence and nature of relevant agency or other relationships to the parties to a real estate transaction. The various relationships and description of duties are as follows:
1. SELLER AGENT
A “Seller Agent” is obligated to the Seller to:
Act solely in the best interests of the seller; Obey promptly and efficiently all lawful instructions of the seller; Disclose all relevant and material information that concerns the real estate transaction and that is known to the seller agent and not known or discoverable by the seller unless the information is subject to confidentiality arising from a prior or existing agency relationship on the part of the seller agent; Safeguard the seller’s confidences; Exercise reasonable care, skill, and diligence in pursuing the seller’s objectives and in complying with the terms established in the listing agreement; Fully account to the seller for any funds or property of the seller that comes into the seller agent’s possession; and Comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations.
Montana law permits a real estate agent, after providing written disclosure to a seller and obtaining a seller’s written consent, to represent multiple sellers of property and to list properties for sale that may compete with the seller’s property, without breaching any obligation to the seller.
A “Seller Agent” is obligated to the Buyer to:
Disclose to a buyer or the buyer agent any adverse material facts that concern the property and that are known to the seller agent, except that the seller agent is not required to inspect the property or verify any statements made by the seller; Disclose to a buyer or the buyer agent when the seller agent has no personal knowledge of the veracity of information regarding adverse material facts that concern the property; Act in good faith with a buyer and a buyer agent; and Comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations.
2. BUYER AGENT (cont)
A “Buyer Agent” is obligated to the Seller to:
Disclose any adverse material facts that are known to the buyer agent and that concern the ability of the buyer to perform on any purchase offer; Disclose to the seller or the seller agent when the buyer agent has no personal knowledge of the veracity of information regarding adverse material facts that concern the property; Act in good faith with a seller and a seller agent; and Comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations.
3. DUAL AGENCY If a seller agent is also representing a buyer, or a buyer agent is also representing a seller with regard to a property, then a dual agency relationship may be established. In a dual agency relationship, the dual agent is equally obligated to both the seller and the buyer. These obligations may prohibit the dual agent from advocating exclusively on behalf of the seller or buyer and may limit the depth and degree of representation that you receive. A broker or a salesperson may not act as a dual agent without the signed, written consent of both the seller and the buyer.
A “Dual Agent” is obligated to a Seller in the same manner as a seller agent and is obligated to a Buyer in the same manner as a buyer agent, except a dual agent:
Has a duty to disclose to a buyer or seller any adverse material facts that are known to the dual agent regardless of any confidentiality considerations; and May not disclose the following information without the written consent of the person to whom the information is confidential; The fact that the buyer is willing to pay more than the offered purchase price; The fact that the seller is willing to accept less than the purchase price that the seller is asking for the property; Factors motivating either party to buy or sell; and Any information that a party indicates in writing to the dual agent is to be kept confidential.
4. STATUTORY BROKER
A “Statutory Broker” is not the agent of the Buyer or Seller but nevertheless is obligated to them to:
Disclose to: i. a buyer or buyer agent any adverse material facts that concern the property and that are known to the statutory broker, except that the statutory broker is not required to inspect the property or verify any statements made by the seller; and ii. a seller or a seller agent any adverse material facts that are known to the statutory broker and that concern the ability of the buyer to perform on any purchase offer; Exercise reasonable care, skill, and diligence in putting together a real estate transaction, and Comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations.
5. IN-HOUSE SELLER AGENT DESIGNATE Created when the agency holds both the listing on a property from the seller and a buyer broker agreement with the buyer, an in-house seller agent designate is a broker or salesperson employed by or associated as an independent contractor with a broker and designated by the broker as the exclusive agent for a seller for a designated transaction and who may not be considered to be acting for other than the seller with respect to the designated transaction.
6. IN-HOUSE BUYER AGENT DESIGNATE
Created when the agency holds both the listing on a property from the seller and a buyer broker agreement with the buyer, an in-house buyer agent designate is a broker or salesperson employed by or associated as an independent contractor with a broker and designated by the broker as the exclusive agent for a buyer for a designated transaction and who may not be considered to be acting for other than the buyer with respect to the designated transaction.
BUYER AGENT
A “Buyer Agent” is obligated to the Buyer to: Act solely in the best interests of the buyer; Obey promptly and efficiently all lawful instructions of the buyer; Disclose all relevant and material information that concerns the real estate transaction and that is known to the buyer agent and not known or discoverable by the buyer, unless the information is subject to confidentiality arising from a prior or existing agency relationship on the part of the buyer agent; Safeguard the buyer’s confidences; Exercise reasonable care, skill, and diligence in pursuing the buyer’s objectives and in complying with the terms established in the listing agreement; Fully account to the buyer for any funds or property of the buyer that comes into the buyer agent’s possession; and Comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations. Montana law permits a real estate agent, after providing written disclosure to a buyer and obtaining a buyer’s written consent, to represent multiple buyers interested in buying the same property or similar properties to properties in which a buyer is interested and to show properties in which a buyer is interested to other prospective buyers, without breaching any obligation to the buyer.
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