Maravillas Creek Ranch

Maravillas Creek Ranch was once part of the legendary Stillwell Ranch that dates to the early 1900 where Roy and Hallie Stillwell lived the pioneer life that can still be experienced in the Hallie Stillwell Museum next to the Stillwell store. Hallie wrote several books describing her ranching days at Maravillas Creek Ranch over a century ago as she lived to be 100 years old.

Location

The Maravillas Creek Ranch is located approximately 52 miles South of Marathon, Texas on State Highway 385 for 42 miles, then by FM 2627 for 7 miles to the Historic Stillwell Store where the entrance is located.  Black Gap WMA is adjacent to this ranch for four miles and FM 2627 continues past the ranch to La Linda on the Rio Grande River which is the takeout for Boquillas Canyon river trip and the put in for the amazing Lower Canyons five days float designated as a Wild and Scenic River, arguably the most scenic river canyon landscape in the entire country.

This ranch is embedded in a landscape of public lands creating unlimited recreational opportunities right next door and just down the road.  Big Bend National Park, Black Gap WMA and Big Bend State park create the largest assemblage of public land in Texas.  The Stillwell Store and RV Park provides supplies, ice, and fuel located across the highway from the entrance to the ranch where you can sit on the porch check your Wi-Fi and relax.

Acreage

6,253.35 Acres

Description

The ranch has recently had a major overhaul of roads, fences, wells, water troughs, dams, tanks, and a new private building site up in the hills with electricity.  The ranch terrain varies from a nice combination of overflow flats next to igneous rolling hills. Maravillas Creek traverses through the heart of the ranch from west to east for approximately 4 miles. Maravillas Creek is a major drainage that begins approximately forty miles north that frequently overflows large areas along the drainage through the ranch caused by large rains to the north that provide above average moisture for native grasses and browse in the valleys and flats for livestock and wildlife.  There are miles of dams and diversions that help spread these rain events into tanks and out onto the rangeland for grass production.  These structures have all been recently improved and repaired.

There is road easement to the adjoining ranch across the ranch which was once part of the Stillwell ranch.  This easement road is well maintained and creates an excellent opportunity to divide several section size tracts from Maravillas Creek ranch which the owner would entertain.

Habitat

The Chihuahuan is the largest desert in North America-stretching all the way from the southwestern United States deep into the Central Mexican Highlands.  Classic “Big Bend Country” of the Old West, Maravillas Creek Ranch has maintained much of the environment and appearance of times past.  This is lower Chihuahuan Desert with 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, willow, mesquite, persimmon, and juniper can be found in the draws. In springtime this landscape is in bloom with a wide variety of cacti, yucca, daggers, and native forbs.

Wildlife

Mule deer have access to abundant water and feed creating a higher than usual population.  This property is home to many species of birds, raptors, songbirds, and game birds such as blue (scaled) quail, gambles quail, mourning dove, and white-winged dove as well as larger mammals such as elk, javelina, mountain lion, and black bear. The brush, forbs, and grasses provide excellent habitat for these game and non-game animals.

Improvements

The ranch today has a focus on recreation and hunting as the owner has transformed the neglected infrastructure with extensive new brush clearing, road building, new fencing, feeders, watering, pipelines, water storage, new 900 ft water well and build a location for a new camp. Old interior fences have been removed and several large dirt tanks have been cleaned out ready for summer monsoon rains.  Spreader dams are rebuilt and designed to slow down water for better grass and forb production.  This ranch is ready to go with the hard work behind you.

There are 9 water troughs and three wells with storage that spreads water over the entire ranch.

 

Disclaimer

This Ranch offering is subject to prior sale, change in price, or removal from the market without notice. While the information above was provided by sources deemed reliable, it is in no way guaranteed by the broker or agent.

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