Upon learning that the expansive Wyoming guest ranch owned by the late real estate mogul Gerald (Jerry) T. Halpin and his wife Helen had come onto the market for the first time in over fifty years, Thomas E. “Teddy” Gottwald felt a deep emotional connection. Beginning in the mid-1990s, Teddy and three generations of his close-knit family had made Lost Creek Ranch their cherished vacation spot, prompting them to acquire the property along with other family members. Originally listed for $39.95 million last summer, their goal is to preserve the ranch’s heritage by using it as a family retreat and continuing its tradition of welcoming visitors.
“We hold great admiration for the Halpins, their stewardship of the land, and their dedication to the Greater Jackson Hole area, as well as for creating Lost Creek, a premier Western guest ranch,” stated a letter introducing the family on the ranch’s website. “We aim to build upon this legacy, maintaining the nearly 100-year-old tradition at Lost Creek, introducing others to the West, and offering guests the same transformative experiences that have shaped our family.”
Located amidst the Gros Ventre Mountains, approximately thirty minutes from downtown Jackson, the 50-acre property features over 25 structures and offers a plethora of recreational activities, all surrounded by federally protected land with breathtaking views of the Teton Range in Grand Teton National Park to the west and Bridger-Teton National Forest to the east.
Originally purchased from San Francisco financier Albert Schwabacher in the late 1960s by the Halpins and their partners Karl and Tina Weber, the Halpins eventually became the sole owners of the tract in the late 1980s. Over the years, they generously donated 50 acres of the original 120-acre site to the park and placed another 20 acres under a conservation easement, ensuring its preservation. The remaining 50 acres include the main lodge and several rustic log cabins.
Noteworthy amenities include a spa with fitness facilities, a swimming pool, boat and well houses, a barn, a large corral, and access to activities such as horseback riding and scenic rafting on the Snake River. Known as the first real estate developer to build in Virginia’s Tysons Corner community outside Washington, D.C., Jerry Halpin passed away in August 2017 at the age of 94, followed by his wife Helen in 2018 after 67 years of marriage. They both rest on the ranch.
As for Teddy Gottwald, whose family ranks among the nation’s wealthiest with a net worth of $3.1 billion, he and his wife Ann Parker Gottwald also operate a boutique inn named The Georges in Lexington, Virginia. They have owned a ranch in Montana for nearly two decades as well.
