Mountain Spirit Lodge on the Navajo River

Listing Price: $5,000,000

Mountain Spirit Lodge on the Navajo River is truly a magical place where art and nature coexist.  Owner Gary Morris says: “With my opportunities to stay in the greatest hunting and fishing lodges in the world, Mountain Spirit Lodge showcases qualities from them all.  Some of the best gold medal fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout plus turkey, elk, Mule deer, black bear, lions are part of the magic.  It is much more than a lodge; it is a majestic retreat for a corporation, family or a tremendous destination lodge.”

Although predominantly known for its world class fly fishing and elk hunting, Mountain Spirit Lodge is home to many activities across the seasons.  Mountain Spirit Lodge is an exclusive cozy setting, which emanates a feeling of warmth and intimacy.  If you dream of hiking, hunting, fly fishing or relaxing, Mountain Spirit Lodge is the sportsman’s paradise for you.

The ranch is open meadowland with foresting noted along the Navajo River, which traverses the site. The property is suitable for livestock grazing during the summer months.  The Mountain Spirit Lodge on the Navajo River is adjacent to the San Juan National Forest to the east and the balance is bordered by other privately-owned ranches.  Views of surrounding mountains are breathtakingly beautiful and include Banded and Navajo Peaks.  The Continental Divide is readily visible as are a number of other mountain peaks and valleys.

The Mountain Spirit Lodge has 115 acres and provides endless opportunities for recreational enjoyment.  The lodge and the river house sit on 38 acres and include Navajo River frontage.  This parcel has a pasture for horses plus other outbuildings including a three bedroom and two bath trailer, barn and shed.  The remaining 77 acres also have Navajo River frontage and sit across the road on a hill overlooking the lodge and entire valley.  This parcel has wonderful potential to add additional homes or cabins.

The Mountain Spirit Lodge has two living quarters, the lodge and the river house.  The lodge is a one of a kind 6,000 square foot masterpiece with 4,908 square feet of living area on two and a half stories and a finished 2,709 square foot basement area.  The lodge was constructed within the past 10 years and is in excellent condition.  It features a 35-foot stone fireplace as the centerpiece in the great room and is built out of 100-year-old hand hewn logs that were shipped in from the south.  With a total of six bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms, the rustic elegance of each bedroom is uniquely its own with antique double-sized bathtubs and wood burning stoves to complement the comfortable beds.  The dining room seats fourteen people at its 17-foot black walnut table and breathtaking views of mountain ranges are afforded from the dining room windows.  All doors and window frames are custom made from black walnut.  Kitchen appliances include a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a Vulcan commercial range/oven, dishwasher and disposal plus a dumbwaiter from the basement level kitchen.  The building has an in-floor radiant heating system fueled by propane.  The exterior of the lodge has an open deck area, which leads to a tank-type hot tub and outdoor fireplace.

The second story of the lodge has three bedrooms, two with wood burning stoves and three baths.  Each bathroom has freestanding oversized tubs.  This level opens to the living room below and has walkways with wrought-iron railings obtained from “Opryland.”  The basement is a functional part of the lodge having a second kitchen with a walk-in refrigerated room plus an office for staff, laundry area, the heating mechanical room and several storage rooms.  The basement centers on a game and television room area with two bedrooms and one bathroom. 

The river house, located a short walk from the lodge, rests inches from the Navajo River.  Its location alone provides a unique and personal history of Southwestern Colorado.  The property was originally purchased from the United States government in the late 1800s for $.50 an acre by Charles William Price, better known as Will Price.  Will spent many years hunting Grizzly bear and elk in this valley.  The Chromo Valley, being a natural migratory path for massive elk herds, made for impressive sights.  When Will was not exploring the beauty of nature, you could find him writing stories of his adventures in these mountains.  Being a published writer, his hunting stories in this mountain range are legendary.  Even the forest service road bares his name as it travels across our magic mountains.  The river house, featured in many of his published stories, has been renovated into a soothing sanctuary.  The river house is a ranch style 2,824 square foot log structure estimated to have been constructed in the 1960s.  The roofing is galvanized metal and the exterior boasts decks and porches/patios. A hot tub on the rear area overlooks the Navajo River.  With four bedrooms each with private baths, three fireplaces, a hot tub and fully functional kitchen, the river house has become a family favorite.

The property boasts Navajo River frontage with gold medal trout fishing for brown, rainbow, cutthroat and brook trout.  Owner Gary Morris hosted the top-rated outdoor show North American Sportsman in the 1990s and is an avid fly fisherman.  He truly believes “fly fishing at Mountain Spirit is quite honestly some of the finest fishing in the lower 48.  These fish are strong and extremely aerial.”  There is an abundance of aquatic life in the river as well as the lakes. The caddis and yellow stone-fly hatches are a legendary, dry fly fisherman’s paradise.  The early season nymph fishing has always yielded giant browns as well.

Mountain Spirit Lodge on the Navajo River is a magical place, untouched and ripe for the high adventurer to grasp.  The lodge and the river house each provide its own rustic touch of elegance, with stellar fly fishing, hiking and big game hunting all onsite.  With incredible history, Mountain Spirit Lodge on the Navajo provides endless opportunities for recreational enjoyment.