The Retreat On Eight Mile Creek Road is located south of Missoula and east of Florence, adjacent to the Sapphire Mountain range in the Bitterroot Valley. In 30 minutes you can be in the city of Missoula, population ~73,000, which offers a thriving downtown community with local restaurants, shops and music venues. Missoula is home to The University of Montana, Snowbowl Ski Area and the Missoula International Airport.

Ten miles west of The Retreat On Eight Mile Creek Road, lies the town of Florence providing a warm welcome and easy access to amenities such as a gas station, grocery and hardware store and post office.

The ranch is accessible from Florence using paved roads via the Eastside Hwy and Eight Mile Creek Rd to the confluence with Granite Creek, then approximately 4 miles on a gravel road along Eight Mile Creek. Gravel roads and jeep trails provide reasonable access to all of the ranch north of Eight Mile Creek as well as a walking bridge across the creek to the southern portion of The Retreat. All mineral and water rights owned by the seller will convey.

Easy access to numerous hiking trails in the Bitterroot Valley including the Sapphire Mountain range and Welcome Creek wilderness area. From the ranch you can directly access the Eight Mile Saddle trailhead which offers sweeping views of the valley and the city of Missoula.

Over 1/4 miles of Eight Mile Creek run through the south side of the ranch with three small streams flowing out of the north side down into the creek providing critical watering spots for wildlife like elk and deer. There have been two wells established on the ranch as well.

Reconnaissance-scale geologic mapping and mineral assessment were performed on The Retreat On Eight Mile Creek Road bordering Eight Mile Creek during 2015.All mineral and water rights owned by the sellerr will convey

WILDLIFE
The Eight Mile Creek Ranch and adjoining Bitterroot National Forest are home to a variety of game ranges and habitats, from high mountain areas to meadowed valleys.

Big game species include elk, bear, white tail and mule deer, mountain lion and moose.

In the last few years, over 20,000 adjacent acres of commercial timberlands have been transferred into the hands of two large private landowners whose goal is to increase wildlife habitat and elk and deer herds in the area.

On Eight Mile Creek Ranch, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks estimates that 100 to 150 elk winter on the ranch due to the prime water resource of Eight Mile Creek. The State of Montana Three Mile Wildlife management area to the South makes this property a valuable corridor for elk migration.

FLY FISHING
With over 80 miles of world-class fishing and hatches all year long, the Bitterroot River is a fisherman’s paradise. Cutthroat and Bull Trout are native to the Bitterroot River but you can also expect large populations of Rainbow and Brown Trout, some topping 22 inches.

The Bitterroot River provides many river access sites, one only 10 minutes from Eight Mile Creek Ranch. Montana’s stream access laws provide easy access for wade and float fisherman alike.

The ranch lays within an hours drive of the Clark Fork, Big Hole and Blackfoot Rivers as well Rock Creek.

MOUNTAIN ACTIVITIES NEAR THE RANCH
In addition to Snowbowl Ski area in Missoula, a 45 minute drive from the ranch brings you to Lost Trail Ski Area, a family friendly ski area established on the historic Lost Trail Pass made famous by William Clark.

There is also access to 100+ miles of cross country skiing and snowmobile trails at Lolo Pass and Skalkaho Snowpark.

Same trails provide excellent mountain biking opportunities in the summer.