A Bitterroot family who have been ranching in the valley since the 1800’s have conserved their 540-acre ranch in Victor to offer permanent public access to the community, thanks in part to funding received from the Ravalli County Open Lands Program and the collaboration between several local partners in conservation. 

The Hackett family has a history of being generous with access to their property, located approximately 3.5 miles west of Victor. They have provided the public with a diversity of recreational opportunities, including hunting and fishing access on private lands and recreational access to adjacent National Forest lands including the trail to the scenic Sweathouse Falls, one of the most popular day hiking destinations in the Bitterroot National Forest.  

They were among the first in the state to sign up for FWP’s block management program over 25 years ago, with both elk and turkey hunters taking advantage of access to the private land through the program. Their vision to permanently allow this access was officially completed in November 2022 in partnership with BRLT, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Bitterroot National Forest, Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association, Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust, and the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Program.

“Our family wanted to preserve the property for future generations but needed to receive some compensation for retirement,” says landowner Scott Hackett. “The conservation easement was able to accomplish both goals.”

(Photo from L to R: Diane, Scott, Prescott, and Molly Hackett)

The new conservation easement on the property maintains the family’s history of providing hunter access, ensures permanent protection of the rolling foothills that serve as winter range habitat for elk and mule deer, and the property’s shared boundary with the Bitterroot National Forest ensures that the wildlife that currently benefit from this habitat will continue to use this property long into the future. The property also includes three-quarters of a mile of Sweathouse Creek and a small stretch of Gash Creek, both of which are important westside tributaries of the Bitterroot River and serve as habitat for native westslope cutthroat trout. 

Landowner Prescott Hacket, Scott’s father, says, “I had an airline pilot come up here and said he wanted just enough to build a house. And I said, yeah, that’s just the beginning of a subdivision, which I really don’t want up here. I just didn’t want it all broken up. I know somebody’s got to have a place to live, but dog-gone-it, I didn’t figure they had to live up here. I’d just hate to see this place all broke up into little chunks.”

Thanks to the vision and generosity of the Hackett family, the support from our partner agencies in conservation, and for our community’s dedication to local conservation and recent renewal of the Open Lands Bond, this gift of open space and access to the iconic mountain waterfall will continue to be enjoyed by future generations who explore the landscape, far into the future. 

Directions to Hackett Ranch conservation easement: 

  • From Stevensville: Travel south on Highway 93 for 5.6 miles and turn west (right) onto Bell Crossing W. Go 0.5 miles and turn south (left) onto Meridian. Travel 1 mile and turn west (right) at Sweathouse Creek Rd. Follow for approximately 4 miles. Veer left on dirt road that passes over the creek. Park along road next to gate with FWP and Open Lands Program signs. Please be sure to close gate behind you upon entry to keep cattle in pasture.
  • From Hamilton: Head north on Highway 93 for 11 miles. Turn left at Victor onto 5th Avenue. Travel 1 mile. Turn right onto Pleasant View Drive. Travel 0.5 miles. Turn left onto Sweathouse Creek Rd. Follow for approximately 2.8 miles. Veer left on dirt road that passes over the creek. Park along road next to gate with FWP and Open Lands Program signs. Please be sure to close gate behind you upon entry to keep cattle in pasture.