A sprawling Colorado ranch once owned by the Walton family is now on the market for $48.5 million. Situated in a picturesque alpine valley in the Front Range, about 30 minutes from Boulder and just outside the historic town of Nederland, this expansive property includes several buildings and a range of recreational amenities. Historically, it has served as an 1880s mining base camp, an Arabian horse-breeding operation, and a recording site for legendary musicians like Michael Jackson and Stevie Nicks.
“The Caribou Ranch’s return to the market is an exceptionally rare opportunity,” says listing agent Jeff Buerger of Hall and Hall. “The rarity of this property is highlighted by its location, accessibility, privacy, landscape, views, infrastructure, diverse topography, abundant surface water, unique history, and overall physical features.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, the 1,700-acre ranch is owned by a Colorado-based LLC linked to Walton Enterprises, the family office of the Walton family, who are renowned for founding the Walmart retail empire. With a combined net worth of approximately $267 billion, the Waltons are among the wealthiest families in the world.
Indian Peaks Holdings acquired the ranch in spring 2014 in two transactions totaling $32.5 million from music producer Jim Guercio, who originally purchased over 4,000 acres in 1971. Under Guercio’s ownership, the ranch was a renowned recording studio hosting more than 150 artists, including Elton John and John Lennon, who recorded “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” there in 1974. Although the studio was damaged by a fire in the mid-1980s and later refurbished, it was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2017.
The ranch features a large, though dated, two-story main home with 9,133 square feet of living space, including three bedrooms, two bathrooms, stone fireplaces, a front porch, and a walk-out basement. Additional structures include five guest cabins ranging from 554 to 3,126 square feet, a six-bedroom lodge with a gathering space, two horse barns, and a couple of equipment buildings.
The property also supports a diverse array of wildlife such as moose, deer, turkeys, mountain lions, black bears, and elk. It offers various outdoor activities including hiking, horseback riding, and fly fishing in its numerous streams and ponds. Notably, the ranch includes 10 acres of land with conservation easement protection, where new development may be possible with Boulder County approval.
Buerger did not confirm the owner’s identity to The Denver Post but mentioned that the ranch was purchased for family use. With his children now grown, the current owner is ready to sell. “For my client, it’s family first,” Buerger said. “They’ve enjoyed it, but that phase of their life is moving on, and so are they.”
