A vastly improved, high fenced hunting and fishing showplace located high in the hills northwest of booming Boerne, Austin Lakes Ranch is the perfect turnkey recreational retreat with ultimate privacy at the end of two county roads. This ranch includes about 10,000 square feet of high-end residences, one a five-bedroom stone lodge, the other a three-bedroom “bunkhouse.” These fine homes are complemented by a thoughtful layout of crushed base roads, cored lakes, help houses and functional outbuildings, all in good shape. The land is inhabited by improved whitetail deer (up to 230 B&C), axis, red stag and fallow deer, and there are eight lakes, six stocked with bass, perch and catfish, with the record bass being 13 pounds. This is rugged, scenic Balcones Canyonlands country where deep canyons and distant vistas abound, with a total elevation change of 320 feet and gorgeous lacy oaks, walnuts and elms decorating the lush canyons. Ridgetops have been cleared of brush, leaving compelling viewsheds all over the ranch. The largest lake is almost five acres when full and has handled jet skis in the past. All lakes fluctuate four feet or less even in the driest of times. The ranch offering includes most of the fine furniture in the houses, ranch equipment, deer herd and help houses, and everything is in good to excellent condition. As far as turn-key showplaces go, Austin Lakes Ranch cannot be surpassed, so if you seek the best. . . come on!
What a spectacular, high country ranch...with massive ridges splitting deep canyons full of clear water springs and large lakes. The “tops” are manicured, allowing for maximum viewing of wildlife and distant hills, with only scattered oaks breaking up the wide open scenery. Drama is around every corner, and the nooks and crannies are full of fascination and intrigue.
One will see a tremendous variety of healthy hardwoods on this ranch, including the beautiful lacy “blue” oak, live oak, Spanish oak, sycamore, walnut, pecan, cherry and burr oak...truly stunning in the fall! The hillsides are steep and thick with mixture of cedar/oak, while the bottoms are smooth and sculpted, with scattered large trees and deeper soils. The total elevation change on the ranch is about 340’ from top to bottom, and it is one of the largest feeling 1,000± acres we have seen.
Soils on “top” are stony clays with pockets of silt, and there are several scenic limestone cliffs observed alongside the streams throughout the ranch. A cave has been located, and others are likely present in this area known for karst limestone features. The deeper clay/loam soils of the valleys harbor lush native grasses, humongous trees, and just the right amount of woody shrubs, allowing for excellent wildlife cover, including various species of songbirds and varmints.
The ranch has been stocked with whitetail deer, with the ranch record being 200+ B&C, and common sightings in range of 160-180. Also present are sika, blackbuck, axis, and red stag. The area is known as prime turkey habitat, and huntable numbers of doves are present occasionally. During winter months, waterfowl are usually present on the larger lakes as well.
If you are looking for ultimate turn-key seclusion coupled with 35-minute access to the nation’s seventh largest city at an affordable price tag, we suggest you join us for a tour of Austin Lakes Ranch. This place is shined up and ready to use, with almost-new improvements and infrastructure, and some of the prettiest lakes and vistas in the area. This is one of the better canyonlands ranches we have seen in quite some time, with superior water and aesthetics, and it won’t last, so come on!
This robust recreational ranch is located high in the spring-laden canyonlands of the Little Joshua Creek drainage, about eight miles northwest of surging Boerne (hospital, big box stores, good restaurants, shopping, supplies). The ranch is less than 30 miles from northern San Antonio (all else), about 30 miles from charming Fredericksburg, 20 miles from Kerrville, and 90 miles from Austin. Access is via a mostly paved county road (Possum Creek) to the north, and Bella Springs to the south.
The area is composed of small to large sized recreational tracts, and there is some development to the east, closer to I-10. Neighbors range in size from 1,000± acres to a couple of smaller tracts near the southeast corner, one of which is an inholding of about 3± acres that could easily be fenced out.
The crowning jewel of the mountaintop is the fabulous 5,800± square foot Hill Country-style lodge, overlooking the many fingers of the Little Joshua Creek drainage to the northeast. This fine home was completed in 2005, and is composed of four bedrooms and five bathrooms, and features a stone/wood exterior with standing seam metal roof. The interior is a cool mixture of stone/wood/plaster, with a huge kitchen opening into a spacious great room.
The ceilings are way up there...the feeling is expansive and open with striking Hill Country views through huge picture windows from almost every room. The finishes and appointments are first class and well installed, with many details and special touches. The outdoor great room is awesome with its own fireplace, and extensive porches surround one side of the home. A very impressive porte-cochere greets you upon arrival, and the landscaping of the area is exceptionally well done and maintained.
Nearby is the approximate 4,500± square foot Bunk House, which is simply an awesome game/great room with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a full wet bar, constructed in 2013. This uber cool addition features a wall of folding-up doors that can totally open up, an Argentinian-style grill, and pro shuffleboard, amongst many other unique and fun features.
An extensive network of improved base roads allows easy access to all parts of the ranch, which has about 1,050± acres under high fence. A stone, 2/1 foreman’s house is near the south ranch entrance, and there are two nice, clean mobile homes on site for workers and/or guest spillover from main house. Two implement sheds of about 30’ by 100’, plus a large approximately 10,000± square foot shop/barn/shed comprise the working headquarters. There is also a pair of overhead bulk feed storage bins included in the sale, as well as numerous nice blinds and feeders, not to mention the deer herd itself.
At an acceptable price, all equipment (less a couple of pieces of rolling stock), furniture and accessories will convey, with the exception of select personal items and art.
Austin Lakes Ranch contains a significant portion of the headwater springs of Little Joshua and Possum Creeks, several of which continue to have visible flow through the drought of 2011. The deep canyons harbor numerous springs, which feed seven gorgeous lakes ranging in size from 2± to 5± acres, all stocked with bass, catfish, and perch. The ranch record bass is 13.4 lbs.! There are four other smaller ponds, several of which could be expanded/deepened, and two of which currently hold water.
The springs issue forth beneath small limestone ledges and cracks, surrounded by maidenhair ferns and riparian shrubs, in exquisite settings reminiscent of semi-tropical gardens, bubbling forth sweet, clear water. The lakes are stunning in the steep canyons, surrounded by huge lacy oaks, cypress, walnuts and sycamores, and there are numerous splendid homesites with potential lake or long distance views.
The ranch is also blessed with deep groundwater from the Cow Creek/Trinity aquifer, with a total of five water wells, ranging in depth from 300± to 1,000±feet. One 930’ deep well jetted at 60± GPM and has a three horsepower submersible pump, and there are two other deep wells of unknown production capabilities, plus two shallow wells.
Property taxes are approximately $28,168 based upon past years.
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