15201 Gardiner Rd, Randolph, KS 66554

Off-grid living, hunting, and lake access come together on this 52.8-acre Flint Hills property in Riley County. It sits on bluffs at the northwest end of Tuttle Creek Lake, borders the Fancy Creek Recreation Area of Tuttle Creek State Park, and has a public boat ramp next door. Randolph is only two miles away, close enough for convenience and far enough to feel secluded. The land is a mix of rolling native prairie and mature timber. Switchgrass, Indian grass, and bluestem grow among bur oak, pin oak, chinkapin oak, black walnut, elm, and hackberry, with rugged limestone and wooded draws adding varied terrain, cover, and edge habitat. A small pond on the east end waters the wildlife, and an established trail system runs through the property. Whitetail deer and turkey are well established, and migratory birds and waterfowl pass through the Fancy Creek and Blue River Valley confluence all year. An open grass area behind the east primitive guest cabin is a natural spot for wildlife viewing. The main cabin can also have lake views again. Cedars that have grown up over the decades now block them, and selective cedar removal would open the panorama back up. The main residence is 1,658 square feet, with a 1,358-square-foot main level and about 300 square feet of loft. It has two bedrooms, one bathroom, seven rooms in all, large windows for natural light, and a concrete foundation. Heat is propane and wood, a window unit handles summer cooling, and a composting toilet system keeps water use low [add shower, sink, and running water details]. Two small primitive cabins with wood-burning stoves stand nearby, and one of them is the two-story log cabin featured in the book "How To Build This Log Cabin for $3,000," written by the original owners. The off-grid systems are operational. A 3.48 kW solar array of eight 435-watt panels is professionally installed and paired with 15 kWh of battery storage, and a backup propane generator covers extended cloudy stretches. A private well feeds an elevated 500 gallon water storage tower, with a water heater and a booster pump serving the washer and dryer. The whole setup is built for year-round off-grid living. The property was designed and built by John and Geri McPherson as a working demonstration of self-reliance. John, a U.S. Army veteran, and Geri were outdoor educators and authors of books and manuals on self-sufficient living. John also ran SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) training here for years for Fort Riley. They built with the land rather than reshaping it, and it shows throughout the property. Hunting, hiking, wildlife watching, and fishing are all close at hand. You can launch a boat from the public ramp, hunt the timber and prairie edges, or walk the trails from your door. It would suit a full-time off-grid home, a weekend hunting lodge, a lake-country retreat, or a recreational investment. Access is by a private one-mile easement driveway, with potential for direct access from Gardiner Road