A Bandera County ranch that once belonged to an early settler of the Sabinal River Valley has hit the market for nearly $20 million.
Lazy C Ranch, located just outside Utopia and Vanderpool, is up for sale for the first time in 40 years.
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It is the largest remaining contiguous tract of the more than 30,000 acres once owned by Gideon Thompson. Thompson was among the first group of non-Indigenous settlers who moved into Sabinal Canyon after William Ware established himself there in 1852, according to the Texas State Historical Association
The late Alma Jo and Roger Canter purchased the land in 1986. It’s now owned by Alma Canter’s sons, Kevin, Craig and Blake Stanford, who decided to sell after the family spread out across the country.
Family transformed ranch into private retreat
The owners transformed what was once a vast landscape with a simple hunter’s cabin into a 750-acre private family retreat tucked in a river valley, with some of the terrain exceeding 2,000 feet in elevation.
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They built a 3,451-square-foot main home with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, a glassed-in gym, sauna and wraparound porches, as well as a 1,974-square-foot guest cabin designed to sleep large groups. The sons are selling the ranch with the furniture included
“Someone can start enjoying it tomorrow,” said Ann Schneider, who is co-listing the property for Live Water Properties. “There’s plenty of places for people to sleep, so it’s perfect for big family reunions and summertime fun.”
Behind the main residence, a professional-grade Laykold tennis and basketball court, a pool and a hot tub anchor the compound. The 1,803-square-foot poolside cabana offers more room for guests with two en-suite bedrooms, a kitchenette, a bar, a game room, an outdoor shower and a covered porch with a fireplace
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Lazy C Ranch has private access to a mile-long stretch of the Sabinal River, which is home to spotted and largemouth bass. A 1,692-square-foot river lodge with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an expansive deck overlooks the water
“It’s got all the necessary recreational aspects of a Hill Country property, whether you’re interested in fishing and boating, want to enjoy the beautiful swimming hole or hike and bike around the property’s mountains,” Schneider said.
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Recent flooding in the area from heavy rain has resulted in necessary debris cleanup, but the ranch did not suffer any infrastructure damage, she said
While the family did limited hunting, instead opting to focus on land preservation, they did invite guests to explore the ranch’s population of whitetail deer, axis, aoudad, turkey and dove. Low fencing allows the game to roam freely on the property, which operates under a 1-D-1 wildlife exemption.
There’s also a small landing strip, which the family used for their twin-engine planes. The strip could be upgraded to handle larger private jets.
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Schneider and John Merritt, partner at Live Water Properties, imagine the buyer will be a Texan who wants to escape nearby city life, but the ranch also is being marketed nationally. Properties like this, on average, take 14 months to secure a contract
“This is a really magical pocket of the state, and I think it’s fit for someone who just wants a real piece of Texas,” Merritt said.
