Alpine County finalized its acquisition of Park Ranch, a 1,688-acre property on the East Fork Carson River near Markleeville, on August 25-26, 2026. The purchase, funded by an 8 million dollar Wildlife Conservation Board grant awarded to Western Rivers Conservancy and Alpine County, marks the completion of a multi-year conservation effort that protects critical habitat while expanding public access to the river corridor. The property represents a significant addition to county-owned conservation land in the Eastern Sierra region. Western Rivers Conservancy, a regional land conservation nonprofit, purchased the ranch in phases starting in 2025 before conveying full ownership to Alpine County.
Table of Contents
- What You Are Looking at on the Map
- How the Deal Came Together
- Which Species Benefit
- Recreation Access and Community Safety
- What Happens Next
What You Are Looking at on the Map
Park Ranch encompasses 1.6 miles of the East Fork Carson River plus combined three miles of tributaries: Markleeville Creek, Pleasant Valley Creek, and Hot Springs Creek. The property sits in the Upper Carson River watershed, a drainage system that flows through Alpine County's high-elevation alpine and mixed-conifer forests near the California-Nevada border.
County ownership means the land is now permanently protected from private development. The East Fork Carson River corridor contains cold-water habitat that supports fish populations and serves as a wildlife movement pathway across the Sierra Nevada landscape.
How the Deal Came Together
An 8 million dollar Wildlife Conservation Board grant funded the acquisition, with Western Rivers Conservancy handling the purchase process. The conservancy bought the property incrementally beginning in 2025, then transferred ownership to Alpine County upon completion.
This structure allowed the county to acquire the property without taking on the initial purchasing burden or carrying debt. The Wildlife Conservation Board, a state agency that funds land conservation projects, determined the property met its criteria for protecting sensitive ecosystems and water resources.
Which Species Benefit
The ranch protects habitat for four sensitive species identified as regional conservation priorities: Lahontan cutthroat trout, Sierra Nevada red fox, western bumblebee, and monarch butterfly. These species depend on intact riparian (riverbank) ecosystems and meadow habitat that the property provides.
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Lahontan cutthroat trout, native to the region, require cold, clean water with minimal pollution and natural flow patterns. The riverside acreage preserves the water quality and habitat connectivity these fish need to survive in the Upper Carson watershed.
Recreation Access and Community Safety
County ownership expands public recreation access to the East Fork Carson River corridor, allowing residents and visitors to use the land for fishing, hiking, and river recreation where those uses are compatible with conservation goals. The specific access policies and permitted activities will be determined by Alpine County's management plan.
The acquisition also reduces wildfire risk exposure for nearby Markleeville residents and infrastructure by maintaining the property under active forest and fuel management rather than leaving it in private ownership with uncertain land use. The preserved riparian vegetation and water features can serve as natural firebreaks in a region vulnerable to large wildfires.
What Happens Next
Alpine County now develops a management plan that balances public recreation, wildlife protection, and long-term maintenance of the property. Residents can follow county meetings and public comment periods through Alpine County government websites and local government notices to learn details about access, trail conditions, and seasonal restrictions.
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