48,520 Acres Comanche Trails Ranch, Pecos County
Hwy. 385, Fort Stockton/Marathon, TX
Comanche Trail s Ranch is ideal Texas cattle country and represents some of the best grasslands in West Texas. The ranch is in the limestone hills of Pecos County, just east and south of Madera Mountain with an average of 13 inches of rainfall annually. This is summer monsoon country with mild winters and wet summers, perfect for growing and curing the rich grasslands. The ranch has a deep history of incorporating the legendary Comanche Trail route, along which raiding bands of warriors swept from the high plains down into northern Mexico. The range improvements over the years are nothing short of extraordinary. There have been more than 6,000 acres of mechanical brush removal, and 10,000 acres of spike treatment throughout the ranch, creating open valleys and cleared grasslands surrounded by rolling hills of native trees and vegetation. New 3-inch poly pipe waterlines and valves distribute water over the entire ranch to elevated storage and to more than 100 water troughs designed for wildlife and livestock use. The road system is extensive, with huge caliche main arteries and smaller maintained roads providing access to the entire ranch. Fencing is mostly new or recently-improved across the ranch. A new set of pipe pens with scales make working and processing cattle a breeze.
Vegetation/Terrain: The landscape is wide-open rolling grassland, interspersed with hills and mountains surrounded by rugged wooded mountain ranges which can be seen from anywhere on the ranch. With classic vistas of the Old West, the region has maintained much of the environment and appearance of times past. This ranch lies at an elevation that supports a mix of vegetation from the mid-high Chihuahuan Desert, including century plants, Spanish dagger, yucca and cholla with a dominant grassland of tobosa, blue gramma, sideoats gramma, and cane bluestem. Areas of brush and trees like Pion Pine, Juniper, Mesquite, and Hackberry are also present. Endless valleys, mesas, hills, flats, and mountains with creeks and drainages, create a variety of habitats. The topography of the ranch ranges from 4,724 feet at the summit of the pine-covered mountains near the highway, to 3,321 feet along the broad rolling hills to flats to the north. Stunning views include Madera Mountain, as well as scenic beauty within the ranch.
Wildlife: This is quality Chihuahuan Desert grassland. The grasses, forbs, and brush provide excellent habitat for game and non-game animals and birds. Excellent herds of Mule Deer and elk are the main game animals on Comanche Trail Ranch, with coyotes, javelina, and bobcats all being present. Blue (scaled) quail and mourning dove are the game birds which, with recent rains, have exploded in numbers. Raptors include Golden Eagles and wide variety of hawks. Neotropical migratory birds such as orioles, hummingbirds, warblers, flycatchers, and many others make for a wonderful birding experience. The distribution of year-round water over virtually the entire ranch has resulted in growing populations of wildlife.
Improvements: Facilities include a hunter’s lodge, a staff house, and a 3 bedroom/2.5 bath foreman’s home with carport, plus several barns at the headquarters. The ranch has tremendous infrastructure from maintained roads, fences, water systems, and working cattle pens. There is a very nice 3 bedroom 2 bath foreman’s house with nearby hunter’s lodge and older home. Several barns and sheds round out the headquarters into an excellent working ranch. The roads are well-planned and maintained, providing the opportunity to drive for hours and not have to open a single gate. There are a few operating gas wells and pipelines on the west and south edges of the ranch but overall there are few impacts.
Water: Large water tanks are strategically located around the ranch. A new water system with 3-inch poly pipe and more than 100 troughs creates a day-one advantage and convenience for the new owner. Drought insurance over the past 10 years has provided significant ranch income as has a salt water disposal well located on the property.
Location: The ranch has excellent frontage on the east side oof HWY 385 between Ft. Stockton and Marathon
