Black Castle Ranch

Location

Black Castle Ranch is located just 45 minutes from the Gage Hotel east of Marathon on Highway 90 then south for 14 miles on a private well-maintained deeded easement road to the ranch’s entrance.  The Union Pacific Railroad forms the northern boundary just west of Tesnus, a historic abandoned railroad town.  This vast private area is bound by the House Top Mountains on the north and Shely Peaks to the south with an uninterrupted western view of the surrounding mountains. Big Bend National Park is 1½ hours to the south and Marfa is an easy drive to the west.

Acreage

1,020± Acres

Description

The ranch has an existing rustic retreat on the southwest shoulder of Castle Mountain called Cinco Camp, named for the five shipping containers that form the architecturally recognized modern compound which disappears into the landscape. The 800± square foot complex was designed by Mark T. Wellen, of Rhotenberry Wellen Architects, a neighbor to the north.

Each of the five 8-by-20-foot containers houses a different function and is connected by a steel walkway terrace with a built-in grill. The first container is for storage and utilities, the second contains kitchen facilities, and the last three feature a bedroom with its own bathroom in each.  The containers all include glass sliding doors and screens to keep out insects and animals. The original container doors can be fastened closed for security when the owner is off the property.

The wide, sloping roof above each container helps shade it from the West Texas sun for the hottest parts of the day while allowing ventilation underneath. The container interiors are simple with a minimalist design that is ideal for unwinding in the middle of beautiful mountain ranges and landscapes.

The property has a satellite internet connection, ensuring that the owner and guests can stay connected despite the remote location. This is a great place to disconnect from the bustle of city life, connect with nature, and find inspiration for creative work.

Wildlife and Habitat

This property is home to many species of birds, raptors, songbirds, and game birds such as blue (scaled) quail, mourning dove and white-winged dove as well as larger mammals such as desert mule deer, elk, javelina, aoudad, mountain lion, and black bear. The brush, forbs, and grass provide excellent habitat for these game and non-game animals. Black Castle is ideal for birdwatching during spring and fall migration with a myriad of neotropical songbirds.

Habitats here are diverse with lower- to mid-elevation desert grasslands, scrub and an array of Chihuahuan Desert grasses, forbs, shrubs, cactus, and trees.  Plants include dagger, yucca, lechuguilla, creosote, catclaw, javalina bush, mariola, sotol, ocotillo, and cholla with a mix of chino grama, black grama, red grama, bear grass, and sideoats grama.  Brush and trees include juniper, hackberry, mesquite, persimmon, sumac, mountain laurel, and oaks in the higher elevations and draws. In springtime this landscape is in bloom with a wide variety of cacti, yucca, dagger yucca, and native forbs.

Improvements

Besides the Cinco Camp, an elevated homesite has been developed with water and electricity, overlooking the western landscape, with a planned large future house designed by Mark Wellen. A full set of plans, including a pool and native landscaping, is included with the property.  There is also a road system throughout the ranch providing access to the water wells, improvements, and the recorded easement leading to Highway 90.

Water

There are two good operating water wells with pipelines and storage supplying water to Cinco Camp and the elevated homesite. There are also water troughs for wildlife