A Wyoming ranch larger than the state of Rhode Island has been sold, ending months of speculation over the identity of the buyer. Christopher Robinson, a local elected official, purchased the 916,000-acre Pathfinder Ranches through his family-owned company, The Ensign Group L.C., according to KPCW.
The deal closed on 14 January for the sprawling property, which was listed last summer for $79.5 million. The final purchase price was not disclosed. Stretching across four counties, Pathfinder Ranches covers roughly 1 per cent of Wyoming’s total land mass, at 1,431 square miles – nearly the size of Delaware. By comparison, New York City spans about 300 square miles, while Rhode Island covers just over 1,000 square miles.
The property even eclipses the fictional Dutton Ranch from the TV series Yellowstone, which was depicted as between 775,000 and 825,000 acres. Robinson, a Summit County Council member who already controls roughly one million acres of land, acquired Pathfinder just four years after buying the neighbouring 86,000-acre Stone Ranch.
The ranch, named for 19th-century explorer John C. Frémont, comprises four main properties spread across the Rocky Mountain region and surrounds much of Pathfinder Reservoir. It contains over 20 miles of the Sweetwater River and includes portions of the Pedro, Ferris, Seminoe, and Green Mountain ranges. One of the most notable landmarks is Independence Rock, located along the historic Oregon, Mormon, Pony Express, and California Trails.
Robinson told KPCW that the purchase reunites the Stone Ranch with the heart of Pathfinder, which was sold off in 1975. “It’s now one big landscape,” he said. He added that the Stone Ranch will serve as a key connector between the eastern and western sections of Pathfinder, allowing the company to operate the land as a single, self-sustaining livestock range. Robinson emphasised that the deal reflects both business interests and long-term conservation goals, stating, “We love land and water. We think it’s a good long-term investment, and we like the opportunities it affords us to be stewards over a piece of God’s creation.”
