$58 million ranch north of Jackson sells

CASPER (WNE) — An iconic dude ranch north of Jackson listed for $58 million has sold — marking the sale of the most expensive home on the market in Wyoming.

The Grand View River Ranch, listed for sale in August, is 118 acres along the Gros Ventre River. The property lies between Grand Teton National Park and Bridger Teton National Forest, making it one of the few properties that lies within federal land.

The property has operated as a dude ranch for decades and includes pastures, a riding arena, hiking trails and fishing.

GVRR is composed of 24 buildings — a mix of houses and lodges for staff and the owner and nine lodges for up to 50 guests.

The sale of the ranch was made through an undisclosed buyer and the final sale price of the ranch is not publicly available, as Wyoming is one of 12 states where publishing a property’s sale price is not public record.

The property was originally homesteaded by William Smith in 1910, and he was given the property deed five years later. The property was later sold to William Woodward in 1920, then to John Barnes of Washington, D.C., in 1932 — who used it as a hunting camp.

Claude Wham, a cowboy, won the property from Barnes in a card game in 1944 but sold the property to his employers, brothers Roy and Reese Chambers, in 1959.

The Chambers used the property to access their Turpin and Ditch creek grazing allotments.

In the early 1960s, the road into the Gros Ventre area was improved and phone lines were constructed, allowing the Chambers to begin operating a dude ranch they called the Flying V. The current owners of the property purchased the ranch in 1986 and expanded the dude ranch to accommodate more guests and add amenities.

This story was published on March 30, 2024.