Smoky Hills Lakeview Lodge

Property Description

In Ellsworth County, on the south side of Kanopolis Lake, is a beautiful home with incredible views! This isn’t your average lake lot. This unobscured view of the reservoir is one-of-a-kind. The view in all the other directions is just as magnificent; the large contiguous pastures of the Smoky Hills surround the land with no neighbors in view for miles. This is the definition of Kansas scenery.

The home was custom-built in 2005. It boasts 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. There is a bonus loft used as a fourth sleeping room. The kitchen is nicely sized with a raised breakfast bar for serving guests. Granite countertops in the kitchen match the bathrooms throughout the house. This dining room and kitchen lead into the great room. It is, in fact, “great”. The wood-burning fireplace soars to the top of the vaulted ceiling; huge windows bring the natural light into the heart of the sitting area. This room is enchanting, to say the least; there are few better places to enjoy a cup of coffee than a recliner in this spot, with the sun rising over the lake and deer chasing in the valleys below. The main floor has two full bathrooms, a hall bath and a master bath.

Built with oversized 2”x6” framing, heavy timbers, and solid steel beams. This fortress on the hill will stand the test of time. The walkout basement or “poker room” downstairs has another fireplace and is an excellent place to watch a football game. The basement boasts a very large bedroom with space for several guests to stay. There is a big mudroom, laundry, and a bathroom. During a timeout in the game, step outside for some fresh air. Sitting out here on a summer night, the stargazing is miraculous, and the sunsets are something written about in country-western music.

There is abundant outdoor living space. Just off the master suite is a hot tub, which is included, along with most other furniture pieces and appliances. Multiple areas on the deck are large enough for outdoor dining sets. This is the entertainer's dream. Family holidays, summer lake weekends, opening day of hunting season, private events, or just your everyday family life. This two-level system makes the possibilities endless. For storage, the finished 24’x36’ shop is wired and insulated; there is also a 20-foot lean-to and a smaller garden shed to keep equipment. All the outbuildings and home have attractive, low-maintenance metal roofing.

The property could be used to generate passive income from short-term rentals. This has Airbnb written all over it. The views, the seclusion, the nearby recreation amenities. This will rent for family vacations, company retreats, weddings, and individual hunters, anglers, and outfitters.

The land is 102 +/- acres. This makes it eligible for a non-resident landowner deer tag. This would make the ultimate hunting camp for you and your friends. Own this tract and know that you have a guaranteed buck tag and a good spot to hunt. Several mature whitetail bucks have been harvested on the property over the years. There is excellent elevation change that funnels deer just to the west and east of the house. Multiple blind locations have been hunted, but the best blind might just be the house. The deer herd has excellent habitat on the nearby managed Corps of Engineers Land; this is open to hunting and can provide you and your hunting party additional acres to hunt. The deer congregate heavily on this 102 +/- parcel during hunting season. Some of the acres have been hayed each year and produce excellent prairie hay. This hayfield could be enclosed to store your horses. The soils are capable of growing small grains and food plots, making this area behind the cedar tree grove a hidden destination food plot. The rest of the property hasn't been grazed in many years and has grown thick with brush and tall grass, providing excellent seclusion and bedding cover for deer. Central Kansas is known for its trophy whitetail genetics and age structure. The large ranches to the south also provide an excellent place for bucks to grow old, escape, and spend time undisturbed. Make this your home base of operations, get a landowner tag every year, then work on stringing together other properties to purchase or lease.

The recreation opportunities are just endless. Kanopolis State Park and Marina are just 4 miles away. Keep a ski boat at the dock, fire up the fishing boat, and enjoy a day catching walleye and wipers. The crappie bite in the spring is great. Horseback riding trails and challenging prairie hikes. The lake is 3,500 acres, and the wildlife area open to hunting is 12,500 acres. There is a nearby convenience store and bait shop, and dining and groceries in several nearby towns. There is a sizable airport in Salina that has United non-stop flights to Denver, Houston, and Chicago. This is also an easy drive to both Interstate 70 and I-135.

The history and geological formations in the area are compelling. This parcel was once part of the historic Sherman Ranch, a 40,000-acre operation in the early 20th century. Before that, the land was part of the Idavale Ranch, established after the Civil War. This site was a social epicenter for the early settlers. The ranch headquarters hosted horse racing and a Fourth of July celebration each year, drawing hundreds of neighbors. On the south side of the property along Avenue T, there are fascinating sandstone rock formations. This eye-catching spot is great for family photo sessions and wedding party photos. This combination of pioneer history and melodramatic scenery was written about in dime novels.

The opportunity to buy land in this area is not just rare. It is non-existent. The scarcity of this tract, in this size and location, is difficult to describe. The home is beautifully constructed and will make someone very happy. To view disclosures and schedule a tour, contact the Listing Agent, Sean Thomas, at (620) 712-2775.