ALPINE COUNTY, Calif. – A premier stretch of the East Fork Carson River has been permanently protected following Western Rivers Conservancy’s (WRC) conveyance of the 1,688-acre Park Ranch to Alpine County using funding provided by the Wildlife Conservation Board.
Alpine County is excited to welcome the public to enjoy the property once a comprehensive management plan has been established to guide public access and the long-term stewardship of the land.
The effort protects habitat for native fish, conserves a key link in a migratory corridor for mule deer and other wildlife, expands public access to 1.6 miles of the East Fork Carson River, and helps reduce wildfire risk for the community of Markleeville.
“On behalf of the residents of Alpine County, the Alpine County Board of Supervisors, and Alpine County staff I want to thank the Wildlife Conservation Board and Western Rivers Conservancy for supporting the County’s acquisition of the Park Ranch. This funding will create a permanent, community-managed wildlife preserve that reduces wildfire risk through compatible grazing and expands public access for future generations,” said Samuel Booth, Alpine County CEO.
The East Fork Carson River is one of the few major rivers in the Eastern Sierra that remains undammed, and Park Ranch lies along one of its finest stretches. The ranch includes nearly three additional miles of Markleeville Creek, Pleasant Valley Creek and Hot Springs Creek, key tributaries to the East Fork. The river and creeks together are home to federally threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout as well as other native fish like Paiute sculpin, mountain whitefish, mountain sucker, Tahoe sucker, Lahontan redside shiner and speckled dace.
With its intact stands of cottonwood and willow, mixed conifer forests, sagebrush-steppe and expansive mountain meadows, Park Ranch is important for wildlife. The property makes up a key link in a migratory corridor that mule deer, black bear, western monarch, and numerous other species rely on for survival and seasonal movement.
“This project shows what can happen when state, county and non-profit partners share a common vision for a landscape,” said Jennifer Norris, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Board. “WCB’s investment will ensure Park Ranch is protected forever, keeping a vital corridor open for native species while giving the local community year-round access to outdoor recreation.”
WRC purchased Park Ranch in two phases beginning in 2025. During its ownership, WRC continued compatible livestock grazing to reduce wildfire risk to the town of Markleeville. With the help of a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and volunteers from the Patagonia Distribution Center in Reno, WRC removed fencing to improve wildlife movement across the property and installed wildlife-friendly riparian fencing to protect Markleeville Creek from erosion.
With funding from the Wildlife Conservation Board and broad support from the community, local businesses, angling groups, and nonprofits across California and Nevada, WRC successfully transferred the property to Alpine County for permanent stewardship.
Now owned by Alpine County, Park Ranch will be managed for conservation and recreation, with compatible grazing playing a role in both improved habitat and wildfire fuels reduction. Protecting the property will significantly expand public access, connecting Markleeville Campground and hiking trails that begin at Hangman’s Bridge, just upstream of the ranch. Park Ranch’s future will now be one that benefits fish, wildlife and recreationists alike, while maintaining the open space and character of the area’s ranching legacy.
“Our efforts at Park Ranch show how conserving a river can strengthen both the natural landscape and the communities that depend on it,” said Nelson Mathews, president of Western Rivers Conservancy. “We’re deeply grateful to Alpine County and the Wildlife Conservation Board for their commitment to the East Fork Carson River. Conserving Park Ranch will protect cold water for native fish, keep an important migration corridor open for wildlife, strengthen Markleeville’s resilience to wildfire and ensure this remarkable stretch of river remains a place where people can fish, explore and connect with nature for generations.”
This project was made possible through funding and support from the State of California Wildlife Conservation Board, Richard King Mellon Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The McCabe Walls Family Foundation, Park Ranch Holdings, LLC, and the generosity of individual supporters.