26-acre riverfront parcel is the main homesite of the historic River Ranch and perfect property for a large group—kids camp, church retreat, eco village or just as a private retreat on the river. 2 houses, office, accommodation buildings, conference hall and much more.
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This 26-acre riverfront parcel is the perfect property for a large group such as a kids camp, church retreat, eco village or just as a private retreat on the river.
This offering is the main homesite for the historic river ranch which includes the following buildings:
The property has a first class off-grid setup with solar and generators. As a testimony to its great location and beauty, the property was operating as a spiritual retreat offering yoga, meditation, tai chi, martial arts, and enjoyment of the wonderful outdoor recreation the area has to offer. The accommodation buildings and conference centre were built for this purpose.
This is a rare opportunity to grab your slice of British Columbia’s rich history. River Ranch was owned by famed BC writer and rancher Rich Hobson, author who wrote memoirs of his life as a rancher in British Columbia. His books, Grass Beyond the Mountains, Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy and The Rancher Takes a Wife, inspired the CBC drama series Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy. Rich called the ranch home for many years where he ran a cattle herd of 400 head on the productive fields up and down the spectacular Nechako River.
There’s no light pollution out here, leave the city behind and experience the night sky and array of stars like you were intended to. Spend your days enjoying the Nechako River, fishing, canoeing or just sitting in a lawn chair as the salmon swim past. The Nechako River is home to over 20 species of fish, including Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and the Nechako white sturgeon. The ranch is home to a wide array of wildlife including moose, deer, bears, waterfowl, thousands of geese, sandhill cranes with the Nechako River coming alive in the fall salmon run. The area also has excellent hiking, hunting, horseback riding and a network of logging roads and ATV trails that will take you a lifetime to explore.
Thanks to Elon Musk and Starlink‘s amazing high-speed satellite Internet, you can get back to your house after a day out enjoying nature and call loved ones, catch up on work emails or stream your favourite Netflix show.
68241 Kenney Dam Road - Vanderhoof, BC
From Vanderhoof, turn south on Nechako Road which quickly turns into Kenny Dam Road. Stay on the road at about 55.3 km you will pass the Greer Creek Recreational site and at 59.4 km you cross through ranch property for a short distance.
We are happy to provide a Google Earth map file so you can know exactly where the boundaries of the property are located.
Vanderhoof is an historic ranching and farming community at the geographic centre of British Columbia junction of Highway 16 and Highway 27 and on the CN Railway to Prince Rupert.
Due to nearby rural communities without services, Vanderhoof supports nearly 10,000 people. Forestry is the number one industry, followed by ranching and farming. Vanderhoof is in a rich, fertile valley known for its cattle ranches, hay, and dairy farms. It is the second largest forage crop production area in the province with agriculture as the second largest industry in the region. Hay farms exporting hay on containers via CN Rail through the Port of Prince Rupert have been in operation in for several years.
Vanderhoof’s strategic location on Highway 16 and the northern main line of the CN railway makes it an important transportation, supply and service centre with several government offices, schools, hospital, medical clinic, shopping centre, 17 restaurants, 7 hotels/motels, theatre, bowling alley and a golf course. The area is served by rail and air (land and float planes).
The Vanderhoof Airport has a 100 ft wide 5,018 ft asphalt runway that can accommodate most planes.
Vanderhoof is the “Heart of it All” offering affordable housing, reasonable tax rates, great education, superior health services, government services and a strong retail and service sector. Vanderhoof is rich in culture, history, natural resources, and recreational opportunities abound.
Hayland, grassland, forested grazing, timber is predominantly aspen and lodgepole pine.
This area is popular with residents and tourists alike, due to the rare combination of natural, unspoiled beauty and the many and varied year-round recreational activities available. Fishing and hunting attract sportsmen from all over North America. Within a 60-mile radius of Vanderhoof, there are numerous lakes and rivers and many of these lakes offer rainbow trout fishing where you can catch your limit in less than an hour by fly fishing or casting. Moose deer and elk are prevalent throughout this area. Activities vary from hiking, camping, boating, canoeing, golfing, horseback riding and water-skiing in the summer to cross-country skiing, curling, skating and snowmobiling in the winter.
The town of Vanderhoof is known for hosting major year-round events, such as Wild West Week, Rich Hobson Frontier Cattle Drive, Slow-Pitch Tournaments, Central Interior Rodeo and Horse Show. Hockey, curling, figure skating, and ringette competitions and tournaments are held all winter. Community badminton, volleyball, basketball and indoor soccer take place throughout the winter season. Murray Ridge Ski Hill is located 60 km away and Vanderhoof residents can enjoy downhill skiing throughout the winter.
Many lakes and rivers too numerous to mention make it one of the best trout fishing areas in BC for rainbow trout and Dolly Varden including the Nechako River itself. Being 60 km southwest of Vanderhoof, the ranch is close to Cheslatta Lake, Knewstubb Lake, the lake systems created by the Kenny Dam, and numerous smaller lakes and rivers with excellent fishing.
This is a rare opportunity to grab your slice of British Columbia’s rich history. River Ranch was owned by famed BC writer and rancher Rich Hobson, author who wrote memoirs of his life as a rancher in British Columbia. His books, Grass Beyond the Mountains, Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy and The Rancher Takes a Wife, inspired the CBC drama series Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy. Rich called the ranch home for many years where he ran a cattle herd of 400 head on the productive fields up and down the spectacular Nechako River.
Early settlers came in from the south, over the western end of the Telegraph Trail. They traveled up the west coast to Prince Rupert where they boarded river steamers to take them to Hazelton; then they trekked along the trail to Fort Fraser. Those bound for Fort St. James branched off and followed the pack trail between the two Hudson’s Bay Forts; other continued along the focal point of the Nechako Valley. The telegraph line was erected in the early days with the object of forming an overland connection between America and Europe. The Telegraph Trail followed the line from one end of British Columbia to the other and since it was the only trail into the country, it was also the main artery of travel. Many of the men who had been employed on the telegraph line remained in the north, trading, trapping, and prospecting for gold.
In 1906, the Village of Vanderhoof was only a survey line in the wilderness to mark the location of the planned railway. When the last spike was driven on April 7, 1914, it started a race for the land. The Grand Trunk Pacific Development Company offered cheap land and had one of their employees, Mr. Herbert Vanderhoof, lay out the town site. Vanderhoof is Dutch for "of the farm" which was very appropriate, since it was the first agricultural settlement in the province. The town grew and in 1926 the Village of Vanderhoof was born. With the arrival of World War II, many young men left and Vanderhoof came to a standstill. With the rise of lumber prices and the arrival of new people in the late 1940s, it started to grow again. The next boost to the population and the economy came with the construction of Kenny Dam in the early 1950s. At the peak of construction, it employed 1,500 men, and a number of them stayed in the area after the dam was built. The next expansion period came with a large influx of American immigrants in the 1960s, and since that time Vanderhoof has enjoyed steady growth.
Please see mapping section, all boundaries are approximate.
53°43'0.44"N and 124°45'26.43"W
Off-grid with solar power system and generators. Nine septic systems.
All information has been taken from information previously gathered, building details must be confirmed upon inspection.
Owner’s house, 1,916 ft2 bungalow circa 1976, kitchen, dining area, and living room, facing the river, four bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, porch, and pantry.
Managers House currently occupied by the caretaker.
Dining Building, renovated former barn converted into staff accommodation with dining hall, ten bedrooms and kitchen.
Equipment shed, workshop, generator, and power shed.
Small meeting room, versatile uses.
Guest cabin.
Smile House, guest accommodation building, with 8 rooms and each room has bathroom.
Guest accommodation building with 8 rooms and each with a bathroom.
Main conference hall.
Small meeting building. Sometimes used as sauna (wood fireplace inside).
Barn, corrals, and cattle handling systems. One room apartment with shower and sink.
TBD
No zoning.
Proposed Lot 3 to be subdivided from:
DISTRICT LOT 1155, COAST RANGE 4 LAND DISTRICT THE NORTH 1/2 OF EAST 1/2 OF DISTRICT LOT 1283
Proposed Lot 3 to be subdivided from PID 004-282-434 and 004-282-469
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Our property descriptions and geographical information are taken from the BC Assessment Authority, Land Titles Office, government maps and other sources. While LandQuest® does not guarantee the information, we believe it to be accurate, but should not be relied upon without verification. This communication is not intended to cause or induce breach of an existing agency agreement.
Lily Lake
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