Recreational Land with Home for Sale in Fairburn, South Dakota

The Burnt Wood Creek Ranch encompasses 2124± deeded acres of open meadowland and pine forested mountainous terrain with excellent big game hunting, all just 25 miles from Rapid City, South Dakota. A tasteful 3 bedroom, 3 bath home along with a 1008 square foot detached garage complete the ranch. The ranch suits a buyer seeking a legacy holding, a cattle or horse operation, a recreational and hunting retreat, or a homesite with room to grow.

Land

The Burnt Wood Creek Ranch is poised to become an alluring destination for adventure seekers, for those looking for their next great getaway or those who wish to find solitude in the beauty of the majestic Black Hills, the banana belt of the Midwest. In the old west it was a gateway to the gold rush. Now it is poised to be the foundation to build your dream and legacy. Rarely does a Black Hills property of this size and caliber become available in this convenient location. The ranch encompasses 2124± deeded acres of open meadowland and pine forested mountainous terrain with excellent big game hunting, all just 25 miles from Rapid City. A tasteful 3 bedroom, 3 bath home along with a 1008 square foot detached garage complete the ranch. The ranch suits a buyer seeking a legacy holding, a cattle or horse operation, a recreational and hunting retreat, or a homesite with room to grow.

The ranch has unmatched views into Custer State Park to the west and Wind Cave National Park to the Southwest. The property is both secluded and easily accessible year around via Highway 79. About eighty percent of the ranch is comprised of gently rolling pastures and meadows, with the remainder in Black Hills spruce, ponderosa pine, birch, aspen, and oak–excellent habitat for the large elk, deer, mountain lion, antelope and wild turkey that abound here. Three wells and multiple ponds provide necessary water for livestock and big game. Elevations range from 3600 feet on the bottom to 4000 feet at the top of the ridge. The Burnt Creek Ranch presents the discerning buyer with distinct opportunities in one of the most sought-after areas in the region.

Life is what happens when you stop counting time and searching for your place in the sun. This is a place of inspiration and solitude. The possibilities and opportunities are as endless as the western sky. Steeping ourselves in beauty is one of the most practical investments one can make. By sharing this beauty with other loved ones you will be developing memories and building eternal legacies. Burnt Wood Creek Ranch is where you and your family can make memories that will last a lifetime, a place where your dreams can become reality. This property offers many possibilities such as premier cattle ranch, development, and multiple streams of income. Truly one of the most spectacular views of the Black Hills.

Burnt Wood Creek Ranch in Custer County, South Dakota has 2124± deeded acres and excellent big game hunting, all just 25 miles from Rapid City, the gateway to the Black Hills. The ranch has unmatched views into Custer State Park to the west. The ranch presents the discerning buyer with distinct opportunities in one of the most sought-after areas in the region. The property rises from Lame Johnny Creek on the southwest boundary through rolling pasture, stands of ponderosa pine and hardwood timber, and interior canyons the western slope.

Perimeter fencing encloses the ranch, and multiple division fences support rotational grazing management. Two established building sites are each served by electricity and a well. Interior access is provided by a minimal number of two-track roads typical of the use and the area. The elevated benches and ridge lines offer building-site potential with long southern and western views, subject to the conservation easement restrictions described below.

A portion of the ranch is protected by a “Grassland Reserve Program Conservation Easement” held by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation. The Grassland Reserve Program was a voluntary conservation program that helped landowners protect, restore, and enhance grassland habitats while keeping the land as working grazing, forage, or seed-harvesting operations. The easement is over 1134.39 +/- acres of the ranch. The easement is perpetual and prohibits future splits of the 1134.39 +/- acres. It also prohibits building improvements other than as necessary for grazing operations and approved by Commodity Credit Corp.

Improvements

The main residence was built in 2015 and has 2772 square feet of finished living space. There are a total of three bedrooms and three full bathrooms. The main floor features an open design with vaulted ceilings and a rock fireplace. All three bedrooms are on the main floor along with two of the full bathrooms, including the handicap accessible Master bathroom. There are hardwood floors throughout the main floor and wood beams on the vaulted ceiling creating a warm and rustic feel. Patio doors lead out from the living room to a large 360 sf covered deck without outstanding views to the south and west. The lower level has a large walkout living room and full bathroom. A two car drive under garage is also located on the lower level. The home is served by a back up generator and propane tank.

The detached garage has 1008 square feet, a concrete floor add two overhead doors. North of the main home is a cabin and open front shed. Neither of these buildings have been used for some time. There is also a corral system located in the north pasture. Electric and telephone service are available along the Highway 79 frontage.

There is electricity and a well present at each of the two building sites. In addition to the wells, there are several springs and multiple ponds for livestock water. Interior access is via a minimal number of “two track” roads, typical for use and the area. There is perimeter fencing and multiple division fences for grazing management.

Recreation

On the property, the mix of open meadow and timbered canyon supports big game hunting and wildlife viewing. According to the seller, the habitat supports elk, deer, mountain lion, antelope, and wild turkey, which use the cover and water across the ranch. The combination of forage, winter protection, and reliable water concentrates game and makes the ranch well suited to a private hunting and recreation program alongside its agricultural use.

Wind Cave National Park protects two distinct worlds that couldn’t be more different yet are forever connected: a vibrant mixed-grass prairie ecosystem stretching across rolling hills above, and one of the world’s most complex cave systems hidden beneath your feet. Established in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, Wind Cave became America’s eighth national park and the first created specifically to protect a cave. Spanning 33,851 acres of pristine Black Hills landscape, this remarkable park offers visitors a chance to experience the natural wonders of South Dakota from multiple perspectives. Above ground, one of the largest remaining natural mixed-grass prairies in the United States provides habitat for iconic American wildlife including bison, elk, pronghorn, and prairie dogs. Below ground, more than 150 miles of mapped passages (with new sections discovered yearly) create a three-dimensional maze adorned with rare formations found nowhere else on Earth in such abundance.

Agriculture

The open benches and meadow ground across the ranch support hay production and seasonal grazing in the rotation established under the current ownership. The combination of improved pasture, winter protection, and water makes the property adaptable to small-scale cattle, horse, or mixed livestock operations without the capital outlay required to develop agricultural infrastructure from a bare land purchase. Perimeter and division fencing, a corral system, and stock water from wells, springs, and ponds are already in place. The property’s agricultural utility is complementary to its recreational program. A buyer can run a modest cattle or horse operation alongside active hunting. The ranch is presently leased to a local rancher, with that lease set to expire at the end of the current grazing season.

Buyers seeking specific hay production history, carrying capacity estimates, or grazing rotation data are encouraged to request that information from the seller during the due diligence period.

Water/Mineral Rights & Natural Resources

The ranch has three wells and multiple ponds providing water for domestic use, livestock and wildlife. The well at the main house was drilled in 2015 to a depth of 300 feet. The static water level of this well is 150 feet and produces over 30 gallon of water per minute.

Mineral and subsurface rights currently held by the seller shall be conveyed to a new owner. A mix of ponderosa pine and mixed hardwood stands populate the canyon slopes. Open benches carry native and introduced grasses consistent with the Black Hills transition zone.

General Operations

Burnt Wood Creek Ranch is presently leasing the ranch to a local rancher. The lease will expire at the end of this grazing season.

The seller is making known to all potential purchasers that there may be variations between the deeded property lines and the location of the existing fence boundary lines on the subject property. Seller makes no warranties about location of the fence lines in relationship to the deeded property lines, nor does the seller make any we have to get some things placed warranties or representations about specific acreage within the fenced property lines. Seller is selling the property in an “as is” condition which includes the location of the fences as they exist.

Boundaries shown on accompanying maps are approximate based on the legal description and may not indicate a survey. Maps are not to scale and are for visual aid only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed.

Region & Climate

The Black Hills of western South Dakota are a forested uplift rising from the surrounding northern plains, producing a temperate semi-arid climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm with daytime highs typically in the seventies and eighties. Winters are cold with periodic snow, moderated somewhat in the foothill transition zone where this property sits. Annual precipitation in the region averages in the high teens to low twenties of inches, with the heaviest moisture arriving as spring rain and seasonal thunderstorms. The combination of elevation, aspect, and timber cover produces microclimates across the ranch that support the diversity of habitat and agricultural uses present on the property.

The surrounding region is one of the premier recreational corridors in the northern plains. Within 50 miles of the ranch there are two National Park System areas in addition to Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park. Jewel Cave National Monument preserves more than 125 miles of cave decorated with sparkling jewel-like calcite crystals and varied cave formations; cave tours are given. Mount Rushmore National Memorial features the monumental sculpture of American presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Hunting, fishing, trail riding, and backcountry recreation are woven into the local culture and calendar, and the Black Hills attract buyers from across the country who value proximity to this corridor as both a lifestyle amenity and a long-term land asset.

History

Burnt Wood Creek Ranch was assembled in the 1970s and, according to available records, has not been offered for sale since.The southern Black Hills carry a layered history: long home to Indigenous peoples, the region became a gateway to the Black Hills gold rush in the late nineteenth century and developed into ranching country across the twentieth century. The ranch’s long single-ownership tenure and its position within a landscape of protected public lands give it a settled, established character that is uncommon among holdings of this size in the region.

Location

Burnt Wood Creek Ranch is reached from South Dakota Highway 79, which runs along the eastern border of the property and provides dependable year-round access. The ranch lies near Fairburn in Custer County and is approximately 25 miles from Rapid City, which provides regional commercial amenities, medical care, professional services, and air travel. The broader recreational corridor extends from Sturgis and Deadwood to Custer and Hot Springs, placing the ranch within a comfortable drive of the region’s marquee parks and attractions. Buyers arriving by commercial air use Rapid City Regional Airport, which offers non-stop connections to approximately twelve destinations.