Palo Duro Canyon Ranch

Price reduction from $695 per acre to $595 per acre. 

We are honored to have obtained an exclusive listing on one of the most unique and highly desired ranch properties in the Texas Panhandle. The Palo Duro Canyon Ranch contains approximately 50 square miles and offers some of the most stunning views of the scenic Palo Duro Canyon from all parts of the property.

The Palo Duro Canyon Ranch is situated primarily within the Palo Duro Canyon. As the second-largest canyon system in the United States, the Palo Duro Canyon is roughly 120 miles long and has an average width of 6 miles but reaches widths of 20 miles at places. The canyon was formed by the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River, which initially winds along the level surface of the Llano Estacado of West Texas, then suddenly and dramatically runs off the Caprock Escarpment. Water erosion over the millennia has shaped the canyon’s steep and colorful canyons and bluffs.

Due to the nature of the canyon, the Palo Duro Canyon Ranch offers an extremely diverse topography which may be the most rugged topography of any large ranch property in the State of Texas. Beginning on the south end of the ranch, approximately 10% of the property is described as fairly level upland plains country, which dramatically descends to steep jagged canyon walls, rolling and hilly transitional country, and finally productive creek bottom country as the ranch nears the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River along the north boundary of the property.

From the elevated uplands on the south portion of the property overwhelming panoramic views showcase the Palo Duro Canyon and the winding creek bottoms.

Elevation change on the Palo Duro Canyon Ranch is a spectacular 1,000 feet.  The upper plains country has an elevation slightly above 3,200 feet. Along the canyon floor near the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River, the elevation falls to approximately, 2,200 feet. This ranch is solely located in Briscoe County. Annual precipitation for the area is in the range of 22 inches.

From the elevated uplands on the south portion of the property overwhelming panoramic views showcase the Palo Duro Canyon and the winding creek bottoms.

Elevation change on the Palo Duro Canyon Ranch is a spectacular 1,000 feet.  The upper plains country has an elevation slightly above 3,200 feet. Along the canyon floor near the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River, the elevation falls to approximately, 2,200 feet. This ranch is solely located in Briscoe County. Annual precipitation for the area is in the range of 22 inches.

The ranch contains a good variety of native grasses along with desirable browse for wildlife. The native grass turf is in excellent condition over much of the ranch due to timely moisture this spring and a conservative stocking rate. Buffalograss and various grama grasses are found on the plains above the Caprock escarpment and on the flat, mid-level divides. The bottomland along the creeks support tall and mid-level grasses, which include Indiangrass, Canada wild-rye, little bluestem and alkali sacaton. The canyon breaks have a scattered to sometimes dense canopy of juniper and mesquite, with wild plum thickets, cottonwood and hackberry trees being found along the bottom country.

The ranch has historically been utilized as a year-round cow/calf operation with typical stocking rates of 500-600 cows, depending upon weather conditions and patterns. The ranch could also be utilized for seasonal grazing of yearlings.

Location

The Palo Duro Canyon Ranch is located approximately 65 linear miles southeast of Amarillo, Texas, and 8 linear miles east of Silverton, Texas. Access to the property is provided by State Highway 256, which runs along the ranch’s southern boundary. This property is located in the “big ranch country” of the Texas Panhandle, with several ranches in the area being of substantial size. Several similar-sized ranches adjoin the property on its north, west and east boundaries.

History

Native Americans were drawn to the Palo Duro because of its water source, ample game, edible plants and protection from the harsh weather of the Texas plains. The first European explorers to discover the canyon were members of the Coronado expedition, who visited the canyon in 1541. At the time, the Palo Duro was inhabited by Apache Indians who were later displaced by the Comanche and Kiowa tribes. The land remained under American Indian control until a military expedition led by Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie was sent in 1874 to remove the Indians to reservations in Oklahoma. The Mackenzie expedition captured approximately 1,200 head of the Indians’ horses and then slaughtered them in nearby Tule Canyon during the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon. The Comanche and Kiowas conceded and soon left the area.

Soon after, in 1876, famous cattlemen, Charles Goodnight and John Adair established the JA Ranch in the Palo Duro Canyon. At its height, the JA Ranch encompassed approximately 1,325,000 acres, which grazed more than 100,000 head of cattle. The Palo Duro Canyon Ranch was once part of the historic JA Ranch and has been under the current ownership for nearly 40 years.

Water Features

This property is considered to be very well watered. The ranch is primarily watered by several windmills and six wells equipped with electric submersible pumps. Well water cannot be located in some areas of the rugged canyon country. For this reason, an extensive waterline network with water storage reservoirs has been constructed. Some wells are located below the Caprock, but the majority of the water source comes from quality Ogallala water located on the upland plains. This quality and dependable water source supplies approximately 40 miles of buried waterlines used to transport well water to drinking troughs placed over many areas of the ranch. In addition to the water wells and waterlines, several dirt tanks have been constructed in places and several natural playa lake areas are found on the upland plains country. Barrel and Indian Creeks meander in a north, north easterly direction through the ranch, eventually draining into the Praire Dog Town Fork of the Red River. Live water and/or water holes are common throughout the creeks. Several other seasonal creeks and springs are scattered around the ranch. Overall, the property is considered to be well watered.

A 6-year old, Reinke brand pivot sprinkler system is used to irrigate about 125 acres just north of the headquarters. Irrigation water to the pivot is provided by two wells with a total pumping capacity reported to be around 1,000 gallons per minute.

With over 3,000 acres of the ranch being located on the productive upland plains, additional land is suitable for cultivation and the irrigated portion of the property could be expanded to enhance the overall carrying capacity of the ranch.

Hunting, Wildlife and Recreation

The wildlife features on the Palo Duro Canyon Ranch are excellent and hunting in the area is known to be outstanding. Both mule deer and whitetail deer thrive in this area, as do aoudad sheep. Quail, turkey and bobcat are also very common. The ranch is enrolled in the MLDP (Managed Lands Deer Program) through the Texas Parks and Wildlife. Through this program, the ranch is able to hunt deer earlier and later than the general season, extending through the rut.

While demand for commercial hunting is substantial, during the current 40-year ownership no commercial hunting has been allowed. The only hunting on the ranch has been the owner’s family and close friends.

Improvements

The ranch is improved by a nice headquarters located on the upland plains near the southern-most boundary. The headquarters house is a comfortable completely remodeled three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with attached garage. Other headquarter improvements include two large metal shops/barns and the main shipping pens, which are of pipe and sucker rod construction with a covered hydraulic squeeze chute and livestock scales. A 180’ x 400’ roping arena is located just off the main shipping pens. Several other good sets of working pens are located throughout the ranch.

Two additional houses are located near the rim, overlooking some of the most scenic portions of the Palo Duro Canyon. An older, completely remodeled three-bedroom, two bath home and a nearly new two-bedroom, two bath owner’s residence/lodge with a porch and attached two car garage offer comfortable housing for 10-12 people, if needed.

The property is fenced and cross fenced into approximately 14 pastures and traps. Overall, the fences are in fair to good condition. In some places, due to the rugged topography, canyon walls and rim rocks serve as natural boundaries and pasture divisions of the ranch.

The ranch has an extensive and well-maintained network of ranch roads that transverse most all portions of the property. The current owner has taken great care to keep all roads in good operating condition in order to provide access to different parts of the ranch for both humans and livestock. The ranch also has a large on-site caliche pit that furnishes quality road material for major ranch roads throughout the property.

Price and Remarks

This offering includes 50% of the seller’s owned mineral rights, along with all wind generation rights.

This unique, long term ownership ranch is market priced at $595 per acre. If you are looking for a large, quality cattle, recreation/hunting ranch, the Palo Duro Canyon Ranch deserves your immediate attention.

Broker Comments

Very seldom does a ranch of this size and quality come on the market in this area of Texas. The Palo Duro Canyon Ranch represents one of the most scenic properties in the Texas Panhandle. The famous Palo Duro Canyon State Park is located up the canyon, northwest of the Palo Duro Canyon Ranch. In our opinion, the Palo Duro Canyon Ranch is more diverse and more scenic than the state park. To our knowledge, no other privately-owned property in the canyon system compares to the Palo Duro Canyon Ranch from the standpoint of diversity and scenic views. The existing road network and waterline network are a major plus for the property, and everything appears to be in good operable condition. This ranch has been well maintained and ready for the new owner to enjoy and operate.