Chico Basin Ranch facts for kids

The Chico Basin Ranch is a busy cattle ranch located about 30 minutes southeast of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Colorado State Land Board owns this ranch, and a company called Ranchlands manages it. They raise grass-fed cattle, meaning the cows eat only grass and are not given hormones. Cowboys work with the cattle, mostly using quarter horses that are born and trained right on the ranch.

The Chico Basin also has a special horse sanctuary for older or injured horses. Besides being a working ranch, it's also a wildlife preserve. The ranch partners with the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies to band migratory birds. This is a cool activity that schools and universities can join to learn about birds. The ranch also offers free programs for kids and adults to learn about wildlife and life on a ranch.

How the Ranch Started

The Chico Basin Ranch is owned by the Colorado State Land Board. This board was created in 1876. Its job is to manage land given to the state by the federal government. The money earned from this land helps fund important things like public education in Colorado.

Cattle first grazed on the Chico Basin lands in the mid-1800s. A famous cattleman named Charles Goodnight brought many of his cattle here. Over many years, the ranch land changed owners several times. Eventually, it came under the care of the Pueblo Army Depot.

Today, Duke and Janet Phillips manage the Chico Basin Ranch. They really care about protecting the land. In 1999, the Colorado State Land Board bought the 87,000 acres of land. They then made a special 25-year lease agreement with the Phillips family to manage it.

Raising Cows at Chico Basin

The Chico Basin Ranch sells its grass-fed beef through a company called Lasater Grassland Beef. This company sells beef from both the Chico Basin and the Lasater Ranch. The cattle raised here are very natural. They are not exposed to antibiotics, pesticides, or hormones. They are also never fed animal by-products.

To keep the beef fresh, it is dry-aged for about two weeks. Then, it is quickly flash-frozen. This is an old way to preserve meat, making sure it stays tasty and safe.

Horses on the Ranch

The quarter horses used to herd cows at the Chico Basin Ranch are born and trained right there. About 25 horses are available for guests to ride. These horses are trained to be ridden with a western saddle. They can be ridden by people of all skill levels, from beginners to experienced riders.

If you're new to riding, lessons are available. If you're an experienced rider, you might even get to help round up cows! You could also take part in the branding of calves, which is how young cows get their ranch mark.

A Safe Home for Horses

The Chico Basin Ranch recently opened a special horse sanctuary. This is a place where horses who are old or injured can live out their lives. They get to roam freely on the open range.

The horses are not just let out all at once. They are slowly introduced to large pastures. Ranch staff keep a close eye on them to make sure they are safe and healthy. All their needs are met, including extra food, hoof care, and any medical treatments. The main goal of the sanctuary is to give these retired horses a natural home. Here, they can run, sleep, and eat as much as they want.

Staying at the Ranch

Guests at the Chico Basin Ranch can stay in a renovated adobe house. This house has two bedrooms, one bathroom, a full kitchen, a dining room, and a sitting area. There are also washers and dryers available for guests to use.

For staying connected, guests can use wireless internet and a telephone. Outside, there's a cozy fire pit and a screened porch where you can relax.

Fishing and Hunting Adventures

Fishing and hunting at the Chico Basin are managed by Box T Cowboys, a part of Ranchlands LLC. You can go on different types of hunts here. These include hunting released upland game birds or even big game like mule deer. Hunting for waterfowl (like ducks) is also an option.

Local guides say the fishing here is excellent for warm water fish on Colorado’s Front Range. There are five lakes filled with fish like bass, crappie, and bluegill. The Box T Cowboys work with groups like The Colorado Division of Wildlife and Ducks Unlimited.

Watching and Learning About Birds

The Chico Basin Ranch is a bird banding station for the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. Bird banding is a way for scientists to learn about how birds migrate and about bird anatomy. They use special Mist nets to catch birds gently without harming them.

Once a bird is caught, a small, numbered metal band is placed on its leg. If the bird is caught again later, scientists know when and where it was first banded. They also check the bird's weight and measurements to see how healthy it is. These banding stations are also great for education. Teachers are encouraged to bring their classes to learn about birds and their homes. There are over 300 different kinds of birds that have been seen on the ranch! Anyone can visit throughout the year to watch local or migratory birds.

Learning at the Ranch

The Chico Basin Ranch offers free programs for children of all ages and for college students. These activities combine different school subjects like science, math, and geography.

Some of the topics you can learn about include:

• Aquatic invertebrates (small water creatures)
• Grasslands ecology (how grasslands work)
• Botany (the study of plants)
• Livestock grazing (how animals eat grass)
• Ranch animal anatomy and physiology (how ranch animals are built and how their bodies work)
• Natural art
• Prairie dog studies
• Pioneer studies

Activities can be changed to fit what a class needs to learn. There's also a program called "Teaching Environmental Science-Naturally." This program helps teachers give students hands-on experiences with local natural resources. It lets students learn in a classroom and then experience it outdoors.

Some camps offered include:

• On the Wing: A summer camp for bird watching.
• Scouting: For boy and girl scouts.
• Ranch Camp: Teaches about life on a working cattle ranch.

For adults, the Chico Basin offers classes in holistic resource management, grazing planning, horsemanship, and ranch roping. Experienced teachers lead all these classes.

The Ranch's Main Goal

The main goal of the Chico Basin Ranch is to have a natural environment that helps the local economy. They want to keep the landscape beautiful with wide open spaces. They also aim for people to live full, meaningful lives with freedom, peace, and privacy.

The ranch believes that farming should be both creative and traditional. The Chico Basin wants to create an ecosystem that supports both human communities and wildlife. The staff at Chico Basin are experts who can teach others about the land and the people who live on it.

Ranch Partners

The Chico Basin Ranch works with many important organizations:

• The Nature Conservancy
• Rocky Mountain Bird Observation
• American Birding Association
• Colorado State Department of Agriculture
• Pikes Peak Birding Trail
• The Quivera Coalition
• The Allan Savory Center for Holistic Management
• Lasater Grasslands Beef
• Sustainable Beef Productions
• Cattle Industry of the American West
• Colorado Historical Society
• Colorado Adventure Guide
• Colorado Film Resources
• American Cowboy

Recommended Places to Learn More

• The World Outdoors
• Ranchweb
• American Roundup
• Gordon’s Guide
• Hidden Trails
• Working Cattle Ranches