Courtesy photo
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — An iconic property in the South Valley, known as Wildflower Meadows, has sold for $10.25 million, making it the second highest-priced residential home sale in the history of the Steamboat Springs MLS, according to the Steamboat Springs Board of Realtors.
The MLS record-holder is actually a working ranch off of Elk River Road, which Ryan Wood, the co-founder of Under Armour, sold for $11.25 million.
“This is a home that was bought by a family that’s going to live there,” said Traci Smith, director of marketing for Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty.
Wildflower Meadows sits on 155 acres along U.S. Highway 40 south of Steamboat and is an estate with a home and caretaker’s house but isn’t a ranch any more. It’s located across from Storm Mountain and includes a 10,000-square-foot home with a four-car auto plaza, water features and a tennis court.
“It’s the epitome of the Steamboat lifestyle encompassed in one property. It has trails, fishing, ponds, open meadows and pastures and views,” Smith said.
The property reaches from U.S. 40 on one side to Colorado Highway 131 on the other. And while a previous owner made it possible to subdivide the acreage into four lots, no owner has done so.
“Seems like everyone has wanted to keep it in one parcel,” said long-time realtor Barb Shipley of Steamboat Sotheby’s. “They totally appreciate that it is the most magnificent piece of property this close to Steamboat that’s right on the valley floor.”
In fact, most of the property that’s called Wildflower Meadows was originally owned by Steamboat rancher Don Lufkin. His home now serves as the smaller caretaker home. Lufkin’s father settled in Routt County in 1902, and Don would later go on to own 2,000 acres in the Yampa Valley. He eventually become an important supporter of local charitable causes before passing away in 2012.
David McDonald bought the original 120 acres from Lufkin in 1999 with plans to develop it. McDonald was given county approval to split the parcel into four 4 1/2-acre buildable lots with an adjacent 100 acres to be shared among the homeowners.
After building the Wildflower Meadows home on speculation, McDonald offered a buyer the option to purchase the home or the entire 120-acre property.
William and Catherine Behan opted to purchase the entire property in 2003 for $8.015 million, and later, the family bought an adjacent 35-acre parcel along Colo. 131, bringing the property’s total acreage to 155.
“The Behans are the ones that took it to the next level,” said Shipley, who listed the property with realtor Adrienne Stroock. “It was their family compound, and they planted trees, built an auto plaza, put in meticulous landscaping and ponds. They did an amazing job with that property.”
Situated on the south side of U.S. 40, just past the Mesa Schoolhouse, the property has strong water rights and features a pond and lake.
Realtors involved in the sale of Wildflower Meadows said a family from out of state bought the home with plans to settle in Steamboat Springs.
Frances Hohl is a contributing writer for the Steamboat Pilot & Today.