Kendra
Mitchell, Administration & Communications Manager
(307) 772-8751
kendra@wsglt.org
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
17,757 Acres
Conserved in Carbon County
Cheyenne,
WY – Nov. 4, 2025 – On
October 29, 2025, the Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust and Ryan Lance,
President and Manager of the Pathfinder Sand Creek Ranch, finalized a
conservation easement to permanently protect 17,757 acres in Carbon
County— safeguarding productive agricultural land, vital wildlife
habitats, and historic open-spaces.
“The
conservation of the Pathfinder Sand Creek Ranch builds on generations of
stewardship that define Wyoming’s history,” said Executive Director,
Christine Adams. “Through our wonderful partnership with the Pathfinder
Sand Creek Ranch, we’re ensuring that this working landscape continues to
support agriculture, wildlife habitat, and open space for generations to
come. Together, we honor the legacy of those who came before us while
conserving the Wyoming we love for the future.”
Located near the historic Sweetwater and North Platte
Rivers, the Pathfinder Sand Creek Ranch is rich in both agricultural and
cultural heritage. The property sits at the heart of one of Wyoming’s
most historically significant landscapes — where the Oregon, Mormon,
Pioneer, and California Trails, collectively known as the Emigrant Trail,
cross its northern boundary. These routes once guided nearly half a
million travelers heading west from the early 1800s through the 1860s,
leaving a lasting imprint on the land and Wyoming’s history.
Just 10 miles west of the property lies Independence Rock, a
famed waypoint along the Oregon Trail where more than 5,000 emigrants
carved or painted their names into the granite outcrop, marking their
passage through the frontier. Nearby landmarks such as Devil’s Gate and
Martin’s Cove — both recognized for their importance to the Mormon
handcart pioneers — further underscore the area’s deep historical and
cultural significance.
The Pathfinder Sand Creek Ranch also played a role in
Wyoming’s early ranching history, with its roots tracing back to the
1870s Tom Sun Ranch and Albert J. Bothwell, who began acquiring land in
the Sweetwater Valley in the 1880s. Bothwell’s endeavors in agriculture,
irrigation, and settlement helped shape the region’s ranching traditions
and contributed to key moments in Wyoming’s territorial history,
including the era of open-range conflicts that culminated in the Johnson
County Cattle War of 1892.
Today, the Pathfinder Sand Creek Ranch continues its
agricultural legacy as a working cattle operation. The land supports a
mix of yearling and cow/calf pairs that graze across its extensive
rangeland pastures. In addition to its ranching operations, the
Sweetwater River Conservancy Conservation Bank (SRCCB) operates on the
property to support a healthy, intact greater sage-grouse population. The
SRCCB’s conservation efforts benefit far more than sage-grouse; it also
enhances habitat for elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, 34 species of
waterfowl, including 16 migratory shorebird species, along with numerous
small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
“Pathfinder is pleased to partner with the Wyoming Stock
Growers Land Trust on the conservation easement on the Sand Creek Ranch,”
said Lance. “The protections created through the conservation easement
will not only ensure that greater sage-grouse and other habitats are
safeguarded in perpetuity, but the deep agricultural heritage of the
ranch endures in future generations.”
The Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust is honored to continue
working with landowners who share a dedication to conserving Wyoming’s
working lands and the history they represent.
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