Eco-Ranch Sustainable Living Educational Center

**Summer is ending and that means that OUR tourist season is beginning! Temperatures are dropping into pleasant, Spring/Fall like temperatures and enjoying the Texas Big Bend is no longer a battle with heat. Here at the Eco-Ranch, we have just finished getting everything ready for you campers and guests! The electrical system and water supply in the bath house have been upgraded and there are new goat kids for YOUR kids to enjoy! The COVID virus is still unpredictable, the flu season is forecast to be bad. However we are vaccinated and thoroughly clean the common areas daily. No one knows how the National& State parks will allocate their tiny, noisy campsites, so just come here to our scenic, spacious campground, we are ready& waiting for YOU!!
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Our ranch is located around five miles from the main highway and about 25 miles from the gate into Big Bend National Park. We are very secluded & private, with virtually no nighttime "light pollution", so you can view our awesome night sky. This, plus our location, affords a 360 degree panoramic view of the legendary Big Bend night sky. The camping/RV parking area is about 100 yards from the main house, on a point of land overlooking our unique "mini badlands", a 12 acre arroyo. Spectacular views of many mountains are in every direction, with 4885' Agua Fria dominating from about five miles to the southwest. Sunrise is a spectacular event, made more quaint by the gentle crowing of our roosters, who sometimes think sunrise is arriving far earlier. You are a distance from them though! Sunset is the same. The campground has uninhibited views of both events and if you are lucky enough to be here during the 3-4 days of the full moon, moonrise is a once-in-a-lifetime event! The ranch & campgrounds are 100% off-grid and very remote. We recently completed a toilet/bath house/kitchen facility, with two rental rooms planned for completion in the Fall of 2020. The new, lighted kitchen features a two burner propane stove, full-sized double sink, counter space, cookware & place settings, along with USB, 12 volt& 110 volt ac plugs with a counter to place your devices on while charging. The two new toilet facilities are: one “half bath”, featuring a flush toilet(a rarity in the Big Bend), a sink and counter space. The second is a large, complete bathroom with a large shower with solar hot water, as well as a flush toilet, sink and expansive counter. We are an owner-operated, "Mom& Pop" campground where your stay with us is appreciated & the income needed & re-invested locally. We started the campground to give Big Bend visitors and idea of what the Chihuahuan Desert really is like, away from the manicured, tiny, noisy camping spots available in the parks. The response has been overwhelming and we will be continually improving your camping experience with us! There is a great "swimming hole" about three miles from the ranch and most campers say their visit to it was the highlight of their trip, so be sure to ask us for directions!! We built this campground for tent &“open air” campers and those with campers on vehicle or small trailers. We can accommodate & will welcome several larger RVs, though “bus length” ones will find the road in difficult. Hook-ups or sewage disposal are not available and the 110 volt electrical system produces just 8 amps. You really need to be fully contained. This is a 100% off-grid working poultry/goat/aquaponics ranch! We usually have fresh eggs, seasonal vegetables and even poultry meat available for you to purchase. Ice blocks are available as well. We can provide limited electrical power (8 amps) from a small solar electric system in new bath house/kitchen structure, 100% off grid! However, you CANNOT run an RV refrigerator, electric heat, or air conditioning. Medical devices like a CPAP machine will require that you provide 200' of extension cord, as due to their high wattage demands, must be connected to the main ranch electrical system. Hikers can explore many miles of road, but must bear in mind that in Texas, ALL land is privately owned and you must be respectful of that at all times. We are also 3 miles from a spring-fed "swimming hole" that may be enjoyed, so long as you respect the land and pack out what you pack in. Many campers book here because they could not get a site IN the National park, then cancel their stay when the desired, noisy, tiny spot opens up in the Park. This is truly their loss as our space and scenery far outweigh the short drive to the Park gate. We really are a destination spot on our own and we urge you to give our campground a try! You WILL return again!! However, if you book with us, then cancel within 24 hours (like if the site you really wanted in the National Park opens up), you will be charged for the booking. The Big Bend Parks are about 25 miles from here. The McDonald Observatory is about 100 miles from here and the mysterious "Marfa Lights" about 80 miles from us……. but still close enough that some stray into view at times, depending on your alcohol intake. We are retired, which means older hosts. We get tired in the evenings. This is also a working poultry & goat farm, which requires our attention in the early morning and early evening. We request that campers arrive BEFORE 5:00 PM, as we have to attend to our farm as our first priority. You may arrive later, but there are no lights in the camping area, so setting up your stuff can be difficult after dark& we won't be able to help or do a proper "meet & greet" until morning. Tours of the entire facility are available and free of charge. We WANT you to see a working 21st century sustainable farm! PLEASE,PLEASE, PLEASE, do NOT try to come here using a map program or GPS unit!!! These will route you down non-existent or impassable roads & our 18 year old pick-up cannot pull you out if you get stuck! Just call or write us and we will send you safe, detailed directions down easily traversed roads. Our entire property is a NO FIREARMS ZONE. We DO NOT allow firearms(or fireworks) on the property and NO ONE may carry one on their person while on our property.(If you insist on having a firearm with you, just lock it IN YOUR VEHICLE when on the property)