Horse Properties for Sale in Ophir, Utah
Ophir is one of the most unusual horse-property markets in Utah. The town sits in a narrow canyon on the east side of the Oquirrh Mountains in Tooele County, with a year-round population in the low double digits and a footprint mostly surrounded by Forest Service and BLM land. For horse owners, that geography is the entire appeal — properties here tend to back to public land, which means you can saddle up at the barn and ride into the Oquirrhs without ever loading a trailer. Old mining roads above town connect to a network of trails running toward Lewiston Peak and the South Mountain ridgeline, country that sees a fraction of the traffic of the Wasatch foothills.
Expect rustic over polished. Most acreage in and around Ophir combines a modest cabin or single-family home with outbuildings, run-in sheds, and a mix of pasture and hillside. Water comes from wells or small shares tied to Ophir Creek, and winters at 6,400 feet require real preparation — heated tanks, hay storage, and a plan for snowy canyon driving. Prices vary widely depending on acreage, water rights, and whether structures are seasonal cabins or full year-round homes, but land with direct trail access carries a premium that's only grown as Tooele Valley has developed. Inventory is thin in any given month, so it pays to watch the market closely. Browse the active listings below to see what's currently available in and around Ophir.
December 2024 · Ophir market
Live from the Utah MLS — what's actually happening in Ophir right now.
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Common questions
About horse properties in Ophir.
How much land do most horse properties in Ophir include? ▾
Parcels around Ophir typically range from 2 to 20+ acres, with some larger holdings backing directly to BLM and Forest Service ground. Because the canyon is narrow, flatter pasture acreage is limited and most properties combine a usable building pad with sloped grazing or trail access. Expect to see a mix of fenced pasture, irrigated patches along Ophir Creek, and rougher hillside acreage.
Is water rights a concern for horse owners in Ophir? ▾
Yes — water is the single biggest due-diligence item. Ophir sits in Tooele County where most properties rely on private wells, shares in small irrigation systems, or rights tied to Ophir Creek. Confirm the well's gallons-per-minute, any stock water rights, and whether the seller's water shares transfer before writing an offer, since keeping horses requires reliable year-round supply.
What's the riding access like from Ophir? ▾
It's one of the main reasons buyers come here. The town sits at the mouth of Ophir Canyon in the Oquirrh Mountains with direct access to old mining roads, Forest Service trails, and thousands of acres of public land. Many owners can ride out from their own gate without trailering, which is increasingly rare along the Wasatch Front.
How does Ophir's elevation and climate affect keeping horses year-round? ▾
Ophir sits around 6,400 feet, so winters are colder and snowier than Tooele Valley below. Plan for heated waterers, a wind-protected shelter or barn, and hay storage that accounts for a longer feeding season — pasture typically isn't productive from late October through April. Summers are mild and dry, which horses generally tolerate well.
How many horse properties are typically listed in Ophir at one time? ▾
Ophir is a tiny historic town with roughly 40 residents, so inventory is extremely thin — often just one or two properties on the market, and sometimes none. Buyers serious about this area usually set up MLS alerts and are prepared to move quickly when something does come up. Nearby Stockton, Rush Valley, and Vernon offer additional options if Ophir itself has nothing active.
What's the commute from Ophir to Salt Lake City? ▾
Plan on about 60 to 75 minutes to downtown Salt Lake City via SR-73 and I-80, or roughly 45 minutes to Tooele for groceries and services. It's a real rural commute, especially in winter when the canyon road can drift. Most buyers here are either remote workers, retirees, or people who value the trail access enough to trade drive time for it.