One of the largest ranches in the Austin area has sold less than six months since it first hit the market.
Smith Ranch sits on 2,894 acres in the Texas Hill Country, sprawling across both Lampasas and Burnet counties. When it first hit the market, it was the largest ranch listed for sale within a 75-minute drive of downtown Austin, according to TX Real Estate. It was listed for $42 million and sold for an undisclosed amount.
Before the sale, Smith Ranch had the same owners for more than 20 years. It has never been operated as a commercial hunting ranch, as its previous owners chose to reserve it exclusively for family and guest use.
In addition to its eye-popping size, the property boasts two private lakes of approximately 8 and 12 acres, 13 clay-lined ponds, a sandy beach and picnic area plus more than 12 miles of creeks.
Natural features are only part of the appeal. The new owner will also gain access to a 4,500-square-foot lodge, a 4,500-square-foot entertainment barn, a guest house, a ranch office, as well as two registered airstrips, deer breeding facilities, and a private shooting complex designed with skeet, trap, pistol and rifle ranges.
“Smith Ranch brought together the things that are increasingly difficult to find on one property near Austin — size, water, wildlife, privacy, major improvements, and accessibility,” said Stieler Harris, a partner at TX Real Estate.
The ranch is fully enclosed with a high fence and offers ample opportunity for fishing and hunting. Whitetail deer, as well as exotic animals such as kudu, axis, blackbuck, gemsbok, fallow deer, aoudad, oryx, and zebras, call Smith Ranch home. Even the ranch’s own breed of ram can be found grazing.