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 reports.
The deal closed on January 14 for the sprawling property, which was listed last summer for $79.5 million. The final purchase price was not disclosed. Stretching across four counties, the ranch encompasses roughly 1 percent of Wyoming's total land mass and covers 1,431 square miles, nearly the size of Delaware.
Robinson, a Summit County Council member who already controls about one million acres of land, acquired Pathfinder just four years after buying the neighbouring 86,000-acre Stone Ranch. He described the acquisition as reuniting the properties, which were once part of a single landscape.
The ranch, named for 19th-century explorer John C. Frémont, includes over 20 miles of the Sweetwater River and portions of several mountain ranges. Notable landmarks include Independence Rock, located along historic pioneer trails that weave through the property.
Robinson said the deal reflects both business interests and long-term conservation goals. “We love land and water,” he told local media. “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.”
