The Rio Cielo Ranch is a spectacular example of a Hill Country live water paradise in the Cypress Mill area. Within an easy drive from both Austin or San Antonio, located on both sides of the Pedernales River and traversed by Cottonwood Creek, the opportunities for enjoying Rio Cielo are endless. Cottonwood Creek features several developed lakes and is located in front of the beautiful ranch home and cantina. LOCATION The property is ideally located approximately 45 miles west of Austin, 71 miles north of San Antonio and 7.5 miles east of Johnson City on Cypress Mill Road/Blanco County Road 301. The location checks the box for families wanting to be within an hour from home! TOPOGRAPHY, RANGELAND & HABITAT The rangelands and habitat are typical for this part of the hill country with trees including live oak, post oak, elm and manageable amounts of juniper. Typical brush species and native grasses can be found as well. The ranch has several drainages in addition to Cottonwood Creek and the Pedernales bottoms providing fantastic topographical relief across the ranch. WILDLIFE The property is managed primarily for wildlife with water troughs distributed across the ranch benefitting the wildlife. Native game includes white-tailed deer, turkey and dove. There are also some exotics including oryx, aoudad, blackbuck and hogs. Feeders are located throughout the ranch. With the exception of the Pedernales river bottom and the portion across the river the ranch is entirely high fenced. AGRICULTURE Cattle are grazed on the ranch periodically when conditions allow. There is a set of working pens conveniently located near the front gate. IMPROVEMENTS The property features a wonderful two-story stone and frame home situated where you can listen to Cottonwood Creek flowing over the dam from the screened porch. The home has six bedrooms and three baths, an open floor plan and large wood-burning fireplace. Between the home and the creek is a wonderful firepit for storytelling. Across the driveway from the home is a game room or party barn where many guests can be entertained. Elsewhere on the ranch is a nice vehicle barn, shop and game cleaning area with a walk-in cooler. At a high point overlooking the Pedernales is a gazebo that also doubles as a clay shooting spot. After the clays are shot and the guns put away there is no better spot to view a Texas sunset. Some of the ranch roads are paved and others are improved with crushed granite. WATER The property has both sides of the beautiful Pedernales River for 2,280 feet with the portion across the river providing protection and privacy that is rarely found. The river bank has deeper alluvial soils and a gentle slope to the river. In addition, the ranch is traversed by 2,000 feet of Cottonwood Creek. The creek has been dammed in two places creating deep pools for swimming and fishing. The property has two operating water wells, both producing between 30 - 60 gpm. The wells are 200' deep and 185' deep respectively. Both wells produce from the Ellenburger aquifer complex. ELECTRICITY Pedernales Electric service provides electric service to the ranch.
