4160 Stevensville River Rd, Stevensville, MT 59870

This exceptional BITTERROOT RIVER PROPERTY has it all with its unparalleled location on the Bitterroot River bordering the 2800 acre Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge; a twenty minute commute to the university town of Missoula, Montana with its world-class medical facilities, Missoula International Airport, shopping, and entertainment; and five minute drives to the Bitterroot-Selway Wilderness area or the small historic town of Stevensville, Montana. The 5100 foot exquisite custom home, with the original 1925 barn and other out buildings, only add to this rare and hard to find combination of location, privacy, beauty, and convenience. The land comprises 13.51 acres fronting the Bitterroot River and borders the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, providing protection from development in perpetuity on the east border. The property sports its own mini-wildlife refuge that can be enjoyed from the home's back deck, which overlooks the live pond and river bottom. Abundant deer, moose, elk, fox, raccoons, turtles, rabbits, coyotes, wolf, bear, and mountain lion all inhabit or have been spotted on the property. Wild fowl include the resident blue heron family on the pond, ducks, geese, pheasants, bald eagles, osprey, owls, hawks, and wild turkeys to name a few. If you love to fish, then you will find this property is exceptional as the river supports, rainbow, browns, cutthroat, brookies and pike. The terrain is perfect for fishing with its gentle sloping sand and gravel western riverbank which deepens gradually providing deep holes on the eastern banks. It takes only minutes to walk from your front door to the river for fishing, camping, sunning, or even putting a boat or tube in the water for a float down the river. However, it is not just the river frontage that makes this real estate offering exceptional. The 5100 square foot dramatic, light-filled custom home lives up to the beauty of the land itself. Built with passive solar energy in mind, the multitude of windows provides unobstructed panoramic views in every direction from the Bitterroot River, Sapphire Mountains, and live pond to the east, and the Bitterroot Mountains and farmlands to the west, south, and north. The home is situated to provide privacy without sacrificing convenience. There are no neighbors to the east or west, a few distant neighbors to the north, and southerly neighbors far enough removed to ensure privacy. The three plus bedroom, four and a half bath home was constructed by the current and only owners, and no corners were cut in the building from its Pella windows, inch plywood subfloors, extra insulation, maintenance-free siding, and 35 year roofing. Redwood decks in the front and back of the home provide ample space to entertain and enjoy the peaceful, natural surroundings. The entire first floor of the home was built for handicap accessibility and features nine foot ceilings, a professional cook's eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, formal living room with wood-burning fireplace, family room, jumbo laundry room, plus a full bath and a half. The attached two car garage is oversized, and the 700 foot basement is insulated, but unfinished. The second floor features soaring cathedral ceilings, a huge "bonus" room over the garage, loft with craft area, three more baths, and two bedrooms in addition to the sweeping master bedroom suite. There are plenty of opportunities to convert current spacing into additional bedrooms if needed. Wood trim, leaded glass and solid wood doors, tile and hardwood floors, granite, and other upgrades have been used throughout the home. The grounds surrounding the home and outbuildings have mature landscaping with underground sprinklers. Power lines that service the home and outbuildings have been buried. A paved drive affords easy and reliable access to the paved county road and nearby four-lane Highway 93.