THE PACKSADDLE BENCH IS AN APPROXIMATELY 6,000 ACRE PLATEAU LIKE AREA OF BEAUTIFUL GENTLY ROLLING RANCHLAND INTERMINGLED WITH WOODED AREAS AND CANYONS LOCATED AT THE NORTHERN MOST END OF THE SNAKE RIVER MOUNTAIN RANGE IN THE BIG HOLE MOUNTAINS. IT IS AN EXTRODINARY WILDLIFE HABITAT THAT RISES 600 TO 1200 FEET ABOVE THE SURROUNDING VALLEY FLOORS. THIS UNIQUE FORMATION IS PERFECTLY LOCATED FOR UNPARALLED VIEWS OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK AND ELEVEN OTHER MOUNTAIN RANGES IN THE THREE SURROUNDING STATES OF IDAHO, MONTANA AND WYOMING. IT IS LOCATED 27 MILES FROM YELLOWSTONE NP, 21 MILES FROM GRAND TETON NP, 6 MILES FROM THE TETON RIVER, 24 MILES FROM TARGHEE SKI RESORT, 12 MILES FROM THE NEAREST PRIVATE JET AIRPORT IN DRIGGS, AND 38 MILES FROM JACKSON HOLE.
WHEN THE HAYDEN EXPEDITION ARRIVED IN 1873 THE BENCH HAD ALREADY BEEN THE LOCATION WHERE HORSE THIEVES WERE HUNG BY THE CALVARY. THEIR PACKSADDLES HAD BEEN LEFT IN THE TREES WHERE THEY REMAINED UNTIL HAYDEN ARRIVED, INSPIRING HIM TO NAME THIS UNIQUE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION THE PACKSADDLE BENCH. ON THE NORTH END A WAGON AND STAGECOACH TRAIL CAME UP ON TO THE PACKSADDLE BENCH AND IT QUCKLY BECAME THE MOST DESIRED ROUTE FOR TRAVEL GOING INTO AND FROM THE TETON VALLEY AND JACKSON HOLE. PORTIONS OF THAT TRAIL REMAIN AND THE STAGECOACH STOP LOCATION AT MILK CREEK IS EASILY IDENTIFIABLE. ITS USE AS A CORRIDOR FOR TRAVEL HAS LEFT CONSIDERABLE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AND RESULTED IN MANY COLORFUL CHARACTERS TRAVELING THROUGH OR SETTLING ON THE PACKSADDLE BENCH. A RICH HISTORY WAS SET IN PLACE BY INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS BEAVER DICK LEIGH AND HIS FIRST WIFE JENNY WHO HAVE NATIONAL PARK LAKES THAT CARRY THEIR NAMES AND HIS SECOND WIFE, SUSIE AND THOMAS MORAN WHO HAVE MOUNTAINS NAMED FOR THEM, AND THE STAGECOACH STOP OPERATOR ED TRAFTON (THE YELLOWSTONE BANDIT).
MORE THAN TEN MILES OF NEW AND IMPROVED PUBLIC ROADS PROVIDE EXCELLENT ACCESS TO THE RANCHES ON THE PACKSADDLE BENCH AND THERE IS A COUNTY MAINTAINED PULIC TRAIL SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES A DIRECT ACCESS INTO PACKSADDLE LAKE AND THREE ACCESSES INTO THE 2.3 MILLION ACRES OF NATIONAL FOREST AND CONTIGUOUS PUBLIC LAND AREAS. THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE PACKSADDLE BENCH IS AN AREA OF LARGER RANCHES THAT ARE FROM ONE HUNDRED TO OVER FOUR HUNDRED ACRES IN SIZE. THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE PACKSADDLE BENCH IS AN AREA WITH A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF SMALLER RANCHES THAT ARE TWENTY ACRES TO ONE HUNDRED ACRES IN SIZE. EVERY EFFORT IS BEING MADE TO ENCOURAGE THE OWNERSHIPS OF THESE RANCHES TO MAINTATIN THEIR CHARACTER AND THEIR LONG HISTORY AS AN AREA SUITABLE FOR THE RANCH LIFESTYLE.
THERE ARE A LIMITED NUMER OF RANCHES ON THE PACKSADDLE BENCH AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PACKSADDLE BENCH OR THE RANCHES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, PLEASE CALL US AT 208-201-6088 or 307-264-8832. WE CAN ALSO BE REACHED VIA EMAIL AT
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