By CHRIS PETERSON

Hungry Horse News

A historic North Fork ranch is for sale. The Rocky Bar O Ranch, founded in the 19th century by the Ladenburg family, is being offered for $30 million.

It’s the second high-profile property overlooking Glacier National Park to go on sale this summer. A cabin on Lake McDonald also went on the market in May for $15 million.

Large parts of the ranch, which is a popular resting place for people driving to Polebridge in the spring because of the herd of elk grazing in its fields, are protected.

Then-owner Tom Ladenburg granted an easement on about 1,050 acres of land through the Nature Conservancy in 2000. The Forest Service also has an easement on about 513 acres, noted broker Matthew Hohnberger of PureWest Christies Real Estate.

Ladenburg died and his family sold the ranch. It is listed as the owner of Rocky Bar O Ranch LLC. Hohnberger declined to identify the individual owners.

The ranch was established as a homestead in 1890 by Ladenburg’s uncle Mike Berne. Ladenburg took over the ranch after World War II.

The owners have been expanding the acreage since buying it from Ladenburg’s heirs about 16 years ago. The Downes’ adjacent property is part of the ranch, which totals just over 2,000 acres.

According to Hohnberger, there is interest in the property; a potential buyer recently flew to the ranch by helicopter to view it.

The ranch offers great views of Glacier National Park and 2.6 miles of frontage along the North Fork of the Flathead. It is off the grid and the homes on site are primitive. The ranch looks much as it did when Ladenburg ran it as a cattle ranch 24 years ago.

It is home to a herd of elk, many white-tailed deer, and a variety of other wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, black bears, and mountain lions.

Most of the ranch borders on forestry or state lands.

The list can be found at: matthewohnberger.com