Goodbye, Chico

A film by Peter Crosby.

In 1999, Duke Phillips III signed a 25-year lease on the Chico Basin Ranch, an expansive 86,000-acre ranch on the plains of southern Colorado. There he would raise his family and put into motion the process that would lead to the development of Ranchlands.

In 2023, the land board of Colorado voted not to renew the Phillips’ lease, accepting instead a higher financial offer from a rival bidder.

After 25 years living and breathing the land, 2024 was Ranchlands’ last at the Chico.

In this film, some of those who've called the Chico home for the last 25 years reflect on how this place changed them and their families.

The creation of this story was funded by generous donations to the Ranchlands Collective 501(c)(3) nonprofit, supporting our mission to bridge the gap between people and ranching through education and shared experiences.

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