Buying a ranch near Cody can feel like taking on a second job. The acres, water, and views are only part of the story. In Park County, details like legal access, water rights, grazing permits, minerals, and fencing can make or break your deal. This guide gives you a practical, field-tested checklist tailored to Cody and Park County so you can move from interest to closing with confidence. Let’s dive in.
Legal access and roads
Buying land without confirmed legal access is risky. Start here and clear it early.
- What to verify
- Recorded legal access to a public road or a private road easement you can rely on.
- Who maintains the road, how it is maintained, and any seasonal limits.
- Any segments crossing public land where separate travel rules apply.
- Documents to request
- Deed, recorded easements, right-of-way agreements, county plat, and county road records.
- Any private road maintenance agreements.
- Red flags
- Access by permission only with no recorded easement.
- Easements that do not allow vehicle use or that terminate before reaching the parcel.
- Long private roads with no maintenance agreement.
- Who to consult
- Title company, land surveyor, county road department, and a land-use attorney.
- Timing and costs
- Boundary/access survey typically 2 to 6 weeks. Costs vary by acreage and terrain, often 2,000 to 15,000 or more.
Water rights, wells, and irrigation
Water is value. Wyoming follows prior appropriation, so priority date and historic use matter.
- What to verify
- Surface water rights, priority dates, decreed uses, irrigable acres, and diversion points.
- Ditches, headgates, capacities, maintenance, and ditch company bylaws.
- Well permits, well logs, pump tests, static levels, and water quality for livestock and domestic use.
- Any wetlands or riparian areas that could affect use.
- Documents to request
- Water-right certificates or abstracts from the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office, ditch company records, and recent irrigation assessments.
- Well permits, completion reports, pump curves, and maintenance logs.
- Red flags
- Very junior surface rights in basins with senior claims that often curtail supply in dry years.
- Unpermitted wells or missing well logs.
- Physical ditches with no decreed irrigation acres.
- Who to consult
- Water-rights attorney or hydrologist, well driller, State Engineer’s Office, and the local irrigation district or ditch company.
- Timing and costs
- Records pulls can take days to weeks. Pump tests and groundwater work can range from 1,000 to 10,000 and may take several weeks.
Grazing leases and public permits
If cattle or sheep are part of your plan, confirm the paperwork and carrying capacity early.
- What to verify
- Private grazing leases, stocking terms, and animal unit months.
- Federal permits with the Bureau of Land Management or U.S. Forest Service, including allotment maps, permitted use, season, and required maintenance.
- Whether permits can transfer with the sale and what agency approvals are needed.
- Documents to request
- Copies of leases, federal permit files, utilization records, and any agency correspondence.
- Red flags
- Noncompliance on permits, unpaid range-improvement obligations, or pending enforcement actions.
- Key infrastructure located on federal land without clear responsibility.
- Who to consult
- Range specialist, NRCS field office, BLM or Shoshone National Forest grazing staff, and a grazing attorney.
- Timing and costs
- Agency confirmations can take weeks to months. Specialist review often runs 500 to 3,000.
Fencing, boundaries, and infrastructure
Good fences make for easier ranching. Poor fences can turn into surprise costs.
- What to verify
- Exact boundary location and the condition of perimeter fences.
- Cross-fencing, water troughs, corrals, lanes, and loading facilities.
- Any wildlife-friendly fencing needs in migration areas.
- Shared fence responsibilities with neighbors.
- Documents to request
- Recent survey or plat and any fencing agreements.
- Red flags
- Encroaching fences, missing corners, or miles of fence in poor condition.
- Fencing that blocks wildlife movement in known corridors.
- Who to consult
- Surveyor, experienced ranch fence contractor, and a wildlife biologist for design guidance.
- Timing and costs
- Fence inventory can be completed in days. Replacement costs often range from 5,000 to 20,000 per mile depending on materials and terrain.
Title, minerals, and easements
Understand what you own above and below the surface, plus what others can do on your land.
- What to verify
- Chain of title, liens, judgments, recorded easements, and any covenants.
- Mineral ownership and any existing oil, gas, coal, or other leases.
- Conservation easements or deed restrictions that affect use or subdivision.
- Documents to request
- Full title commitment and exceptions, recorded easements, mineral title report, and any conservation instruments.
- Red flags
- Severed minerals with leases that allow surface access and development.
- Unresolved boundary issues or undocumented utility routes.
- Who to consult
- Title company, real estate attorney, and mineral-title specialist.
- Timing and costs
- Title commitments are often ready in 1 to 2 weeks. Mineral title work varies with scope.
Wildlife corridors and habitat
The Cody area has important big‑game movement and seasonal use. Plan with wildlife in mind.
- What to verify
- Any migration corridors, winter ranges, or seasonal concentration zones.
- Past depredation issues and current mitigation steps.
- Hunting rights, access agreements, and any agency collaboration on the property.
- Documents to request
- Maps and reports from Wyoming Game and Fish and any local depredation documentation.
- Red flags
- A key corridor crossing your parcel that limits where you can place fences and infrastructure.
- Repeated predator conflicts without a plan to manage risk.
- Who to consult
- Wyoming Game and Fish district biologist, wildlife consultant, and livestock extension staff.
- Timing and costs
- Agency consultations often take days to weeks. Biologist site visits commonly run 500 to 2,000.
Range health, soils, and weeds
Healthy range supports sustainable operations and long-term value.
- What to verify
- Rangeland condition, historic stocking rates, erosion, and riparian health.
- Soil types for hayfields, pastures, and septic suitability.
- Noxious weed presence and county control requirements.
- Forage production and realistic carrying capacity.
- Documents to request
- NRCS soil maps, conservation plans, range monitoring, and weed-control records.
- Red flags
- Large infestations of state-listed noxious weeds like leafy spurge or spotted knapweed.
- Chronic overuse, severe gullying, or invasive annual grasses that reduce forage reliability.
- Who to consult
- NRCS local field office, range specialist, agronomist, or ecologist.
- Timing and costs
- NRCS assistance can be low-cost or free. Private assessments often run 500 to 3,000.
Improvements, utilities, and septic
Structures and services must work for daily life and financing.
- What to verify
- Permit status and condition of residences, barns, and other structures.
- Septic design, permit history, and remaining life.
- Availability of electric, propane or gas, phone, cell, and internet.
- Road maintenance and winter access plan, including snow removal.
- Documents to request
- Building permits, septic permits, inspection records, and utility easements.
- Red flags
- Unpermitted dwellings that can complicate financing and insurance.
- Aging septic systems or limited winter access.
- Who to consult
- County building and health departments, septic inspector, structural inspector, and utility providers.
- Timing and costs
- Septic inspections are often 300 to 800. Structural inspections commonly 300 to 1,000.
Taxes, conservation, and programs
Know how current and future uses affect costs and flexibility.
- What to verify
- Park County agricultural tax classification and any ag-use reductions.
- Conservation easements or program enrollments that guide future use.
- Any federal or state rules that may affect wetlands or species.
- Documents to request
- Assessor records, recorded easements, and federal program paperwork if applicable.
- Red flags
- Easements with strict public access or subdivision limits that conflict with your plans.
- Unpaid special assessments or pending tax classification changes.
- Who to consult
- County assessor, conservation-easement attorney, CPA with ag experience, and NRCS for program details.
Your due diligence timeline
Use this sequence to protect your contingencies and keep work streams moving.
- Before you offer
- Desktop screen: tax and zoning checks, preliminary title look, basic water search, GIS and aerial review. Plan your contingency window based on complexity.
- Days 0 to 7 after mutual acceptance
- Order title commitment and request seller docs: deeds, leases, well logs, permits, utility bills, fence agreements. Schedule a boundary or ALTA survey.
- Days 7 to 21
- Field work: structural and septic inspections, well pump test, NRCS or range visit, wildlife review if migration is suspected.
- Days 21 to 45
- Agency records: water-right files, grazing-permit file pulls with BLM or Shoshone National Forest, mineral title work, and fence contractor estimates.
- Days 45 to 60 and beyond
- Consolidate reports, resolve title exceptions, confirm transferability of leases and permits, negotiate repairs or credits, and finalize closing documents.
Typical cost ranges to budget
- Survey: 2,000 to 15,000 or more.
- Well test and hydrologic work: 1,000 to 8,000.
- Range or wetland and weed assessments: 500 to 3,000.
- Mineral-title work: several hundred to several thousand, depending on scope.
- Wildlife consultation: 500 to 2,000.
- Fence replacement: 5,000 to 20,000 or more per mile.
- Combined specialists and legal: several thousand to tens of thousands, depending on property complexity.
How Deirdre coordinates your purchase
A smooth ranch purchase requires sequencing and communication. Here is how your process runs when you work with a high-touch advisor who knows ranch details and Park County procedures.
- Pre-offer
- Rapid desktop screen for access, title red flags, water rights, and obvious permit issues. Recommend a contingency period that fits the property’s complexity.
- Early contingency
- Order title, survey, and all seller records. Schedule on-site inspections and pump tests. Start NRCS and range reviews and bring in a wildlife biologist if corridors are likely.
- Mid contingency
- Coordinate file pulls with the State Engineer’s Office, BLM, and the Forest Service. Begin mineral-title checks and fence estimates. Share findings with your attorney to shape negotiation strategy.
- Closing prep and handoff
- Resolve title exceptions, confirm any permit or lease transfers, secure needed insurance endorsements, and document repair credits or escrow holds. After closing, provide a contacts list and a prioritized capital project plan.
Quick buyer checklist
Use this to keep your Cody-area ranch purchase on track.
- Confirm legal access and commission a recent survey.
- Order title commitment and mineral-title report.
- Verify surface and groundwater rights with the State Engineer’s Office. Get well logs and a pump test.
- Review private grazing leases and federal permit files. Confirm assignability.
- Inspect fences, corrals, water systems, and roads. Get repair and replacement estimates.
- Order NRCS or range health assessment and inspect for noxious weeds.
- Consult Wyoming Game and Fish on migration corridors and wildlife-friendly fencing.
- Verify septic permits and building history. Complete structural and septic inspections.
- Confirm utilities and winter access plans.
- Review conservation easements, CRP or similar enrollments, and any deed restrictions.
- Include contract contingencies that allow time for all of the above.
Ready to explore ranch opportunities near Cody with a clear, coordinated plan? Reach out to Deirdre Griffith for a confidential conversation and a due diligence roadmap tailored to your goals.
FAQs
What should Cody ranch buyers verify about water rights?
- Verify priority dates, decreed uses, irrigable acres, diversion points, and historic beneficial use through the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office. Junior rights can be curtailed in dry years.
Do federal grazing permits transfer when buying a Park County ranch?
- Not automatically. BLM and the U.S. Forest Service generally must approve a transfer or issue new authorization, and you must meet agency qualifications.
How do mineral rights affect a ranch purchase near Cody?
- Confirm who owns minerals and whether leases allow surface access. Severed minerals can permit exploration or development on the surface without additional consent.
How do wildlife migration corridors impact fencing on a Park County ranch?
- Corridors often call for wildlife-friendly fence design and careful placement of infrastructure. Coordinate with Wyoming Game and Fish for site-specific guidance.
What contingencies are essential in a Wyoming ranch purchase contract?
- Include contingencies for title and survey, water rights and well capacity, septic and structural inspections, grazing-permit review, mineral title, and environmental or range assessments.
