Property Description
HUGE TEMPORARY PRICE REDUCTION!!! We have been authorized to reduce the price of this awesome ranch from $6,888,000 to $5,500,000 as long as it closes before the end of 2010. After that date, the price goes back up. This price is FIRM so ACT QUICKLY!!
Wolf Ridge Ranch is 1640 acres of visible proof that God has indeed blessed Texas. This fact is quite evident shortly after driving through the new automatic entrance gate off CR 410 just 2.2 miles south of State Hwy. 190 being 8.5 miles east of San Saba and about 1.5 hours from Austin, Texas. The ranch has almost a mile of road frontage on the well maintained CR 410 which dead-ends at a second entrance gate. The ranch is very secluded and private yet easy to find and accessible.
Terrain: The newly constructed main entrance road climbs so gently upward that a first-time visitor experiences a visual jolt when the road crests the hill and a spectacular view of the hill country is spread out below. The terrain includes everything to be expected from the best of the Texas Hill Country--gentle river bottomland, grassy meadows, acres of mature hardwood trees, water-carved canyons and soaring limestone bluffs. Extensive work shearing juniper cedar from around the hardwood trees has improved the pastures by allowing native grasses to flourish and gives many areas of the ranch a park-like appearance while much of the ranch remains wild and untouched. The ranch is in excellent condition supporting a variety of Texas native trees and brush: live oak, post oak, Spanish oak, pecan, elms, willows, mesquite, cedar, agarita, persimmon, etcâtoo much to nameâwhich in turn support an abundance of wild game: deer, turkeys, hogs, fox, bobcats, dove, quail, ducks, etc.
A road to a Scenic Overlook with a parking area has been constructed to allow vehicles to drive right up to the edge of a sheer limestone cliff that drops maybe more than 100 feet to the Colorado River below. The million-mile view across Lampasas County and the meanderings of the river as it winds its way southward through the hills is incredible.
Water: The Colorado River borders the ranch for over 3-1/2 miles and flows year-round with long stretches of deep water broken by shoals of fast-moving shallow water. There are many places to access the river easily but one particular place, a shoal of tumbled river rocks formed along a long sweeping curve of the river, has been dubbed âPebble Beachâ and is a great place to take the little ones for a day in the sun, or an overnight camping - trot line fishing adventure. The river offers all sorts of activities: fishing for granddaddy catfish and bass, kayaking, swimming, pearling, or just sitting and listening to the music of the rapids. You can take a float trip for over an hour and never leave the ranch!
There are 5 stock tanks/ponds to provide additional water for livestock and wildlife and seasonal creeks course through the draws. One of the primary creeks, Burnt Branch has carved out deep canyon as it runs toward the river. Some preliminary studies have been done exploring the possibility of constructing a dam along this creek to make a lake. A newly constructed bridge of steel beams on concrete piers spans 80 feet across Burnt Branch to make crossing possible during times of high water.
Infrastructure: Access to the various parts of the ranch is possible along a network of good ranch roads. Quite a bit of expense has gone into the clearing and construction of the roads, installation of tin horns, and efforts to prevent water erosion. Some of the work looks like that found in national parks. The road that runs for miles along the river edge is particularly scenic. The ranch has good or new low-fencing around the perimeter of the ranch as well as several cross fences. The neighboring ranches are also very large and low-fenced. Gates and cattle guards are in good condition. Electric and telephone service supplied to home site on river. Electricity is also at cabin & camp compound. Potable water is provided by well at cabin and river water system at house.
Production: The ranch is suitable for a cow/calf grazing operation and is currently leased for that purpose. This lease can be terminated with 30 days notice.
Most of the ranch is in native pasture but there is one large coastal field suitable for hay production containing approximately 80 acres that is fenced around its perimeter and cross-fenced. A second cultivated field of about 18 acres is planted primarily as a food plot for the deer and other game.
The color and quality of the sand stone found in large quantity on the ranch is much sought after by rock buyers for architectural and landscape purposes. San Saba rock is in high demand by these markets resulting in tons of rock being trucked out of the county daily. Only surface rocks from the recently purchased 50 acre tract have been gathered (none quarried). Gathering rocks from the original part of the ranch has NOT been done.
Recreation: It is not unusual to see several large white tail bucks, flocks of wild turkeys, ducks and doves as well as feral hogs roaming the ranch. Hunting prospects are awesome. Protein and corn feeders are filled year-round as part of an on-going game management program. There are plenty of blinds and feeders scattered about the ranch (four very new double blinds), but the ranch has been allowed to ârestâ for the past six years and hunted only lightly by the owner.
In addition to hunting and fishing opportunities, the ranch is suitable for many other outdoor recreational activities: trail riding, bird watching (especially the eagles that nest along the river cliffs), wildlife photography, hiking, camping, riding ATVâs, kayaking, swimming, rock climbing, exploring, star gazing (very low ambient light), arrow head hunting and more.
Structures: This is NOT one of those ranches where most of the value is tied up in over-done improvements but it does have enough amenities to make it immediately useable and comfortable.
The main structure is a beautiful native sandstone home tucked among the trees in a park-like setting on a high bank of the Colorado River. The very comfortable home is trimmed with cedar, has energy efficient windows and a metal roof. An open porch stretches across the front of the house and a large screened-in porch at the rear extends the living area outdoors and offers a nice view of the river below. The house has approx. 1637 sq. ft. of central heated and cooled living space plus 370 sq. ft. of enclosed porch and 312 sq. ft. of front porch for a total of 2007 sq. ft. Central in the house is a living room with stone wood-burning fireplace and floor to ceiling glass windows and doors opening to rear porch. A pass-through dining bar separates the kitchen from the living area. An exterior side door opens into a utility/mud room with washer & dryer connections, a laundry sink and attached bathroom with a step-in shower-- handy to come in from the river and shuck your dirty clothes and step into the shower or for cleaning up the little ones before they track through the house. The utility/mud room is located on one side of the kitchen and the dining room is on the other. The brightly lit kitchen features natural wood cabinets with glass fronts, two ovens and a glass cook top, and dishwasher. Another room is currently used as a study/bar but could be utilized as a third bedroom. A large master bedroom occupies one corner of the house with glass doors opening onto the back screened-porch. The windows afford awesome views of the woods and river. The attached master bath has a separate step-in shower and over-sized bathtub, plenty of floor space, and a nice walk-in closet. A second bedroom and full bathroom occupy the opposite side of the house. Attractive tile floors are in the living areas of the house; the bedrooms are carpeted. This house is very clean and has been well-maintained. A new septic system has recently been installed. Other improvements at the home park include a 24âx30â metal shop building on a concrete slab with roll-up door. A water well intended for house-use was drilled that produced plenty of water but the owner found it too salty to drink. Whether another well drilled further back from the river would produce good water is likely, but unknown. Rather than drill another well, the owner elected to install a system using water from the river which involves a settling tank and filter system. This system has worked well to date. Using water from the river for domestic purposes (house, garden, yard, livestock, etc.) is allowed without obtaining a permit or certificate of adjudication.
Further into the ranch is a fenced camping compound. Within the compound is a nearly new 1 bedroom all-electric frame cabin with a bathroom, kitchen facilities and sleeping lofts above either end of the main room. The cabin has a gigantic crushed granite outdoor patio with fire pit for outdoor dining and living. Also within the compound are underground RV electric/water hook-ups, picnic areas, a fire-pit and an unusual building called a âyurtâ that is a bathroom/bathhouse with a separate septic system. There is an insulated 40 foot secure/lockable shipping container for extra storage near the game station and rifle range. A good well and water storage system provides plenty of water for the cabin and camp sites.
A third structure, an old rock cabin, still stands solidly near the river. This cabin is remembered fondly by many of the local old-timers from 50+ years ago as a favorite place to spend weekends fishing and playing cards with the boys and watching the river flow by. It is used for storage now but may not be beyond restoring.
Another old frame house is situated adjacent to CR 410 on a 50 acre tract recently purchased. This house is currently rented.
Wolf Ridge Ranch is distinctive among premier Hill Country ranches not only for its unspoiled beauty and unlimited recreational possibilities but for offering such a wide variety of different Texas venues on one ranch. Family legacies are built on ranches like this one. Are you ready to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make this ranch part of your legacy?
Legal: There are no road easements crossing the property.
Mineral Interests: All mineral interests owned by seller will convey; exact interest to be determined by title search; believed to be 100% executive rights and 3/8 or more royalty interests
Ad Valorem Taxes: The taxes for 2009 were $3135 with Ag Use Exemption
Price: $4200/acre for a total of $6,888,000
Cash or Third Party Financing. Owner financing possible with 1/3 down.
Ranch can be divided.
THIS PROPERTY IS SUBJECT TO PRIOR SALE, CHANGE IN PRICE, OR REMOVAL FROM THE MARKET WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL INFORMATION IS DEEMED TO BE TRUE & CORRECT TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE AND FROM RELIABLE SOURCES. PROPERTY TAXES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE ANNUALLY. GENE STEWART REAL ESTATE WILL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY CHANGES OR DISCREPANCIES.