The River House on the Elk

Strategically positioned so that the sights and sounds of rushing water flow into every room, this custom 4,800-square-foot log home sits on 88 acres inside a gentle bend of the Elk River, only a few feet from the banks and just 7 paved miles from Steamboat Springs. Designed to capture sweeping views of the 1/3-mile river corridor and manicured grounds, the home features an intelligent floor plan with four bedroom suites on two levels and a recreation room over the three-car garage. Complementing the residence is a 2,520-square-foot Morton building offering extra storage, a woodworking room, and two horse stalls with adjoining wood-fenced paddocks. The property includes a highly productive irrigated native grass hay meadow that is perimeter-fenced, while the opposite side of the river—easily accessible after high water—remains protected and teeming with wildlife. Open meadows, aspen groves, and pine forests create a relatively undisturbed habitat that, together with the river corridor, serves as a critical sanctuary for an abundance of native species. The 6-acre parcel holds all the improvements, with the remaining 82 acres providing a surprisingly private buffer from neighboring properties. Just a half-mile away, the Red Dirt trailhead grants access to over one million acres of National Forest stretching into Wyoming, along with two additional miles of fishing on the Elk River. Steamboat Springs is an easy drive offering great shopping, excellent dining, and world-famous powder skiing, while the scenic 10-mile drive north to Clark reveals a quaint community with a store, deli, and summertime ice cream, with several high mountain lakes and two State parks lying just beyond. Properties with live water this close to a popular resort town rarely come on the market, making this extraordinary and magical setting truly one of a kind.