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Ranch History
Western tradition and rich natural resources have etched Flying Horse Ranch’s history.
Located in South Park Valley at the western foot of the Kenosha pass, the ranch site was part of the Ute Indian’s traditional hunting grounds; it contains one of the states most significant wetlands, home to considerable elk populations.
During the Colorado Gold Rush of the 1860’s the area became one of the main routes used by prospectors eager to reach the Placer gold fields near Fairplay. Traffic increased during the Colorado Silver boom, leading to the creation of a rail route in the late 1800’s. The railway line traversed the ranch. In fact, the train wold stop to load up with ice from the ranch’s lakes.
In 1883 Thomas Hyatt paid $100.oo for the ranch, removing it from public domain. It’s abundant native hay and grasses made it perfect for raising livestock; the ranch became and has remained a working cattle ranch to the present day.
After changing hands a number of times the ranch became known as the Whal – Coleman Ranch, consequence of a very generous inheritance gift. Mr Albert Whal and his wife Ada purchased the property in the 1920’s. After successfully raising Hereford and increasing their herd number the Whals sought help and employed Hylan ‘Dutch’ and Mary Catherine Coleman. Together they worked the ranch and built many of the structures (on the National Historical Society list) that remain on the property today. Albert and Ada never had children and decided to leave the ranch to their longtime hired hands under one condition: the scenic ranch, stretching from the foot of the Kenosha pass to the Continental Divide was not to become another blotch of urban sprawl. The Colemans kept that promise when they retired, deeding the 2,250-acre property to Park County with the provision it remain a working ranch.
A $5 million conservation easement funded by the Great Outdoors Colorado Program and Park County was signed to preserve the ranch and its natural resources for future generations. Today the ranch contains one of the highest concentration of rare plants in the lower 48 states, continues to be one of the states most important elk wintering grounds and preserves its historic homestead.
In 2002 the Smith family drove past the ranch site and fell in love with it’s sweeping views, pristine waters and mountain backdrop. Jeff Smith acquired the ranch for his family and has since endeavored to make it a sanctuary for family and friends to enjoy and learn from.
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