OVER THE CLIFF RANCH
Forsyth, Montana
$7,400,000 10,047± Acres
INTRODUCTION
Set in eastern Montana, Over the Cliff Ranch on Little Porcupine Creek encompasses 10,047± deeded acres, supported by 1,950± acres of state lease, 320± acres of private lease, and 3,669± acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. Established by the Gray family, the ranch carries a long-standing legacy of stewardship, productivity, and connection to the land. Today, it remains a large-scale, working cattle operation built on practical management and long-term sustainability.
The ranch is managed with a focus on grass health, water distribution, and soil improvements, supporting both livestock performance and the recovery of the native range. Productive pastures and reliable water sources enable consistent cattle operations while preserving the integrity of the landscape.
Beyond its agricultural strength, the ranch offers a lifestyle defined by space, privacy, and year-round usability. This eastern Montana ranch supports elk, mule deer, whitetail, antelope, and upland birds, creating strong recreational value without detracting from the operation. Water features and native cover consistently draw wildlife.
The terrain reflects the character of eastern Montana: open horizons, rolling grasslands, and a sense of scale increasingly difficult to find. Every acre contributes to a cohesive, functional unit.
Over the Cliff Ranch on Little Porcupine Creek stands as a combination of legacy ownership, operational integrity, and Western lifestyle, an opportunity to carry forward a proven ranching operation while enjoying the land.
1 Over the Cliff Ranch | Forsyth, Montana
QUICK FACTS
• Extensive livestock water system with pipelines and reservoirs supporting cattle and wildlife
• Elk, mule deer, whitetail, and antelope are present across the ranch
• Strong populations of upland birds and migratory species
• Operated as a productive cow/calf operation
• Year-round access via a graveled county road
• Petrified forest, with documented dinosaur fossils and buffalo wallows
• Functional corrals for shipping, branding, and livestock handling
• Two original early 1900s homestead cabins
• Located 24± miles north of Forsyth, Montana
• State record antelope harvested on the ranch
• 10,047± deeded acres, 1,950± acres State lease, 3,669± acres BLM lease and 320± acres private lease
www.fayranches.com | 800.238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
Over the Cliff Ranch | Forsyth, Montana
ACREAGE
• 10,047± deeded acres
• 3,669± acres BLM lease
• 320± acres private lease
• 1,950± acres state lease
• 15,986± total acre access
Over the Cliff Ranch runs along Little Porcupine Creek, where native grass and open country define the ground. This is a working cattle ranch managed with intent where grass has been rotated, water developed, and the land kept productive year after year. Pipelines and reservoirs are in place to support livestock and maintain consistent grazing across the property. The same management supports wildlife use, with good cover and dependable water throughout. It’s straightforward, functional country, built for cattle and native wildlife, sustained by good ground, and held together by long-term stewardship.
| 800.238.8616 | info@fayranches.com
Over the Cliff Ranch | Forsyth, Montana
Improvements include two updated 1900s homestead cabins, functional corrals, reservoirs, and an extensive pipeline system. Miles of new interior fencing have been installed.
INCOME OPPORTUNITY
Over the Cliff Ranch offers a straightforward investment in a proven piece of country. Spanning 15,950± acres, it supports a large cow/calf program, currently being leased out from May through October, or a well-managed yearling operation, with the scale and resources to run efficiently. Consistent water and grass production supports the livestock side, while strong populations of big game and upland birds add value through hunting leases. This is a ranch that carries its weight, with income from cattle, supplemental returns from recreation, and a land base that holds long-term value.
RECREATION
Over the Cliff Ranch offers a diverse hunting experience for enthusiasts seeking mule deer, whitetail deer, antelope, upland game birds, waterfowl, and elk. Upland game birds such as grouse and Hungarian partridges can be found throughout the ranch, and ducks and geese flock to the area’s numerous water bodies. For the ultimate big game hunt, the pursuit of elk through the eastern Montana terrain is unmatched.
Over the Cliff Ranch also offers room to cover country the way it was meant to be seen, by horseback or by UTV. Established trails and open ground make it easy to move across the ranch, whether checking cattle or riding for the day. The terrain rolls from creek bottom to open grass, giving you miles to travel without crossing a fence line. Near the improvements, the reservoir provides a quiet change of pace, wellsuited for paddleboarding or an evening on the water.
HUNTING | WILDLIFE
On Over the Cliff Ranch, the mix of creek bottom, grassland, and water development supports elk, mule deer, whitetail, and antelope, along with strong numbers of upland birds and waterfowl.
Big Game – District 701 (typical dates):
• Archery (deer & elk): early September – mid-October
• General Rifle Season (deer & elk): late October – Sunday after Thanksgiving
• Antelope: mid-August (archery) through November (rifle, by regulation)
Bird Hunting:
• Upland Game (including sharp-tailed grouse and Hungarian partridge): early September – January 1
• Wild Turkey (Fall): September 1 – January 1
• Waterfowl (ducks and geese): late September –January, split seasons
Over the Cliff Ranch provides a turnkey setup for both big game and bird hunting. Established water sources hold game, while the scale of the ranch allows for multiple hunters without pressure.
Over the Cliff Ranch | Forsyth, Montana
Conveniently located in Forsyth, the Rosebud East Fishing Access Site grants access to the Yellowstone River for fishing and recreation with a boat launch and on-site camping. Fishing access is open year-round.
Photo not taken on property
Photo not taken on property
Photo not taken on property
AREA HISTORY
Little Porcupine Creek, near Forsyth, Montana, has a rich history that intertwines with the area’s indigenous peoples and pioneering settlers. Initially inhabited by various Native American tribes, Little Porcupine Creek served as a crucial water source and hunting ground for centuries. With westward expansion in the 19th century, the region witnessed the arrival of EuropeanAmerican explorers and settlers who recognized the land’s potential for farming and ranching. As the settlement of Forsyth began to take shape, Little Porcupine Creek played a pivotal role in supporting agricultural growth and providing water for livestock.
Dinosaur Fossil
T-Rex Fossil
Over the Cliff Ranch | Forsyth, Montana
LOCATION
Over the Cliff Ranch offers the privacy and scale of eastern Montana with practical access to town services. The ranch is located just 24± miles north of Forsyth, Montana, via a graveled county road. Forsyth sits along I-94, approximately 44± miles from Miles City and 102± miles from Billings, providing convenient regional access while maintaining a quiet rural setting.
As the county seat of Rosebud County, Forsyth serves as a reliable hub for dayto-day needs, with healthcare services, dental care, a post office, hotels, fuel, restaurants, banks, and grocery stores. The community also offers parks, walking trails, a golf course, a local museum, and access to fishing and boating on the Yellowstone River.
For families, Forsyth provides an established K-12 school system with dedicated faculty, extracurricular opportunities, and a strong sense of community. Together, the ranch’s seclusion and Forsyth’s dependable amenities create a balanced Montana ownership opportunity—private, accessible, and well supported.
GETTING THERE
From Forsyth, Montana, take Highway 12 north for approximately 0.5 miles. Turn right onto Cartersville Road and travel approximately 0.5 miles, then head north on Little Porcupine Creek Road approximately 23 miles to the turnoff.
AIRPORT SERVICES
Tillett Field Airport is located 3± miles east of Forsyth with a 4,799’ x 75’ asphalt runway and is open to the public. Billings Logan International Airport is located 104± miles west of Forsyth via I-94 and is a public airport located in Billings, Montana. The airport serves as a major hub for air travel in Montana and the surrounding region. Several major airlines operate at Billings, providing flights to various domestic destinations, including Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Dallas/Fort Worth.
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.
A complete list of water rights is available upon request.
MINERAL RIGHTS
All mineral rights appurtenant to the property and owned by the seller will convey to the buyer at closing. Mineral rights are not guaranteed. It is suggested that the buyer conduct a mineral search with a title company.
CONSERVATION | STEWARDSHIP
Over the Cliff Ranch is unencumbered by a conservation easements.
Each of us at Fay Ranches 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 Ranches has guided owners toward a legacy of conserving wide-open spaces, enhancing and creating fisheries and wildlife habitats, and implementing sustainable agricultural operations. Fay Ranches 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.
Over the Cliff Ranch | Forsyth, Montana
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Over the Cliff Ranch on Little Porcupine Creek traces its origins to the early 1900s, when the Gray family established a homestead and working cattle operation in eastern Montana. Built around dependable water, native range, and open country, it developed into a steady cow/calf ranch and remains one today. The property reflects more than a century of continuous ranching use, where production and stewardship have gone hand in hand. Native grasslands, creek bottom, and developed water sources support both livestock and strong wildlife populations, including elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, antelope, and upland game birds. Over the Cliff Ranch remains a working example of eastern Montana ranching heritage.
Over the Cliff Ranch | Forsyth, Montana
Over the Cliff Ranch | Forsyth, Montana
PRICE TERMS CONTACT NOTICE
Please contact Kebi Smith at (406) 671-2436 | ksmith@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.
TAXES
$5,200±
$7,400,000 Cash
Conventional Financing 1031 Exchange
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.
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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