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Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy!

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Property grounds
Full-sized fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Smart TV, fireplace, ping pong, books
Property grounds
Games room

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 6139 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Fireplace
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen
  • Parking available

Explore the area

View in a map
Tarpley, TX
  • Place, Frio River
  • Place, Lost Maples State Natural Area
    ‪36 min drive‬
  • Place, Garner State Park
    ‪56 min drive‬

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About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy!

Deep in the heart of the Texas Hill Country a whole new world awaits with the promise of adventure. A little more than an hour NW of San Antonio, Shadow Dance Ranch offers a private self-catered escape from the city. The newly remodeled private 3/2 guest house decorated in "Cozy Texas Ranch House" offers all of the amenities of home. Surrounded by mountains, rivers, lakes and rugged terrain, Shadow Dance offers wide open spaces to be explored and incredible views from every angle, sunup to sundown. Twenty-five acres of spring-fed lakes and three miles of Hondo Creek afford an opportunity for swimming, paddle boating, canoeing as well as catch and release fishing.

The guest house includes 2 bedrooms with a queen bed in each as well as a third bedroom with bunk beds. Other amenities include a full kitchen (pots, pans, dishes, full size refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher and coffee/tea service), a large living room with a wood burning fireplace, poker table and satellite TV, charcoal BBQ grill and outdoor seating. The guest house is very private and is the only guest house located on a 2000 acre working cattle ranch and former exotic hunting ranch. Because it is a working cattle ranch we have a strict "NO PETS" policy. WiFi is available and spotty cell service depending on your carrier.

Herds of Axis, Fallow, Black Buck and White-tailed Deer, Aoudad and Native Wild Turkey create an excellent atmosphere for wildlife viewing.

Birding opportunities on the ranch and at nearby Hill Country and Lost Maples State Natural Areas and Garner State Park are abundant throughout the year. The Texas Hill Country is home to approximately 430 bird species, the most popular being the Golden-cheeked Warbler and the Black-capped Vireo.

Due to the dark skies at Shadow Dance Ranch star gazing is popular year-round and great for viewing annual meteor showers.

Poker table, ping pong table, cornhole boards, paddle boats and large outdoor charcoal/wood BBQ grill, picnic table and hammock will ensure you don't have to leave the ranch to have a good time.
This holiday home features laundry facilities. The holiday home includes amenities such as free WiFi and a kitchen.
  • Air-conditioned home with kitchen, washing machine and 2 bathrooms
  • Free WiFi
  • Amenities include laundry facilities
  • On-site recreation includes a playground
  • 28.8 miles (46.3 km) from Garner State Park and 16.3 miles (26.2 km) from Tarpley Crossing Park
Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy! offers its guests barbecue grills and laundry facilities. The front desk is open around the clock.

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach towels

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Car required
  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Full-sized refrigerator/freezer
  • Hob
  • Kitchen island
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Fireplace
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Books
  • Games
  • Smart TV with cable/satellite channels

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Fenced yard
  • Firepit
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Patio

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Housekeeping (on request)

Location highlights

  • In a rural location
  • Near a health/beauty spa
  • On a lake
  • On a river

Things to do

  • Boat
  • Table tennis
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Water tubing nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Housekeeping (on request)
  • Unit size: 1,500 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Minimum check-in age - 28

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Rules

NO PETS.
No guns, fireworks, ATVs or dirt bikes. Street bikes o.k. No hunting, fishing is catch and release only. Do not pass through closed ranch gates.
All outdoor activities will be at the guests' own risk.

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions. You will also receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, which will enable you to manage your booking.
If you cancel your booking, you'll be subject to the host's cancellation policy. In accordance with EU regulations about consumer rights, property booking services are not subject to the right of withdrawal.

We should mention

  • On-site cash transactions can't exceed USD 999.99, due to national regulations. For more details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation.

Property is also known as

Vrbo Property

Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy! Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 49 out of 51 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 51 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 51 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 51 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 51 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Harrison F.

Liked: Cleanliness
Phenomenal ranch!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Senisa S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Always a good experience
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Gary M.

Liked: Cleanliness
The place was very comfortable and peaceful. The night sky was unbelievable. We fished on the lakes and took a day trip to the Frio River.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Becky O.

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

John F.

Liked: Cleanliness

Serenity

The stay exceeded our expectations. The ranch is incredible, the fishing was great . My four year old caught his first largemouth bass , he was ecstatic! Oh yeah , the swimming is awesome too. There’s great hiking if that’s your thing . The place is the type where you actually hate leaving. We stayed 8 days and it was not enough, the views , the water , the animals, the evenings on the porch are all magical. Everything was perfect, hopefully we can return one day very soon. If you like getting away from it all this is a great place for that , the pictures online don’t even come close to the beauty that awaits. Bandera is a short extremely scenic drive away providing all you need. The guest house is extremely comfortable and has everything you need for a super relaxing stay , Couldn’t be more pleased , worth every cent “.
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer R.

Liked: Cleanliness
The property was lovely - we enjoyed the livestock and peacefulness of the ranch.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jessica A.

Liked: Cleanliness

Amazing Spot

I booked this place thinking we could stay the night, but spend our days at Garner State park mostly. We got in at sunset on Friday and instantly fell in love. We were greeted by three sweet horses, and the most beautiful sunset. We decided the next morning not to leave and instead to enjoy all this beautiful ranch had to offer. It was magical! I can’t wait to go back. Oh and on top of the ranch being amazing, the hosts were wonderful and the house was perfectly cozy. We can’t wait to go again.Thank you!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

kadon l.

Liked: Cleanliness

Quite and Relaxing

This property was a nice escape.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

JP & Jenn Sourdellia, Where do you live?

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Howard K., Georgetown texas

Liked: Cleanliness

Peaceful

Very nice property to stay at for people wanting to be in a quiet area and enjoy the Texas Hill Country
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Howard K., Georgetown texas

Liked: Cleanliness

Private hiking

Very nice place I re-rented it in October
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christina W.

Liked: Cleanliness

Relaxing break

Built for relaxing, surrounded by natural beauty. We saw wildlife and stars and migrating butterflies, and the only noise came from the many birds. Wonderful getaway from the responsibilities of daily life.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Susan L.

Liked: Cleanliness

Family Vacay

Loved this property! Secluded and beautiful. If you like being out in nature this is the ticket. Love the pastures and cows and horses. Also enjoyed swimming in the lake.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Virginia B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Little Piece of Paradise

We always enjoy our 4th of July celebration at Shadowdance Ranch. Love fishing in the ponds, watching the sunsets, petting the horses, and enjoying the magnification Texas Hill Country views.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Roxanne A.

Liked: Cleanliness

Something For Everyone

Our stay at this beautiful home in Texas Hill Country was wonderful. We relaxed outdoors in the shade watching so many different birds and had fun researching their names. The cows came to water and four horses came by one day for a stroke along their face. We fished with tackle we brought along. Ping pong, horseshoes, hiking, paddle boating, and card games filled our time too. At the end of the day we slept in such comfortable beds with plenty of pillows. We enjoyed the serenity this wonderful location offered.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jason W.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great Hill Country Getaway

What a great getaway to the Hill Country! We really enjoyed our stay, especially the lakes and hiking around the ranch. Wildlife - we saw an armadillo, a few deer, and several bird species. The ranch house was clean and comfortable. The porch and grill/firepit were nice as well as the separate, screened gameroom. It's a long way from home, but hopefully we can visit again!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lanette J.

Liked: Cleanliness

Fantastic Property

This was our second time visiting and we absolutely loved our stay!! The owner stopped by to welcome us when we got there and to make sure everything looked good in the house. They have made some improvements which were very nice and the scenery was just as beautiful as we remembered. We did not leave the ranch for our 4 day stay and enjoyed hiking, bird-watching, fishing, wildlife viewing (saw a beautiful blackbuck) and just being on a working cattle ranch. We definitely plan to return! This is a 5-star property!!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brenda M.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great Stay at Shadow Dance Ranch!

Relaxing visit on the ranch! Truly enjoyed the scenery and great atmosphere, especially evenings on the patio. Thank you for offering such a special place!
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Virginia B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Fall in the Texas Hill Country - GORGEOUS!

This is my third trip to Shadowdance ranch, but this time I came during the fall and brought my sister and cousin for a 3-day getaway. I usually come with my husband for 4th of July. It's SPECTACULAR in the fall! Gorgeous colors and cooler temperatures, a fire in the huge fireplace inside and another in the fire pit outside at night...HEAVEN! We went to Lost Maples for a day trip, but because of the drought, the maples were not particularly showy this year. We enjoyed the park, but were more than happy to return to the ranch where we spent the entire day by the little lake, enjoying the beauty, peace, and solitude. At night, we took our chairs into the back yard and gazed at the incredible stars. There was a meteor shower, so we saw tons of shooting stars...what a treat!!! But even without them, the sky was just fantastic. Shadowdance Ranch is truly the best place I've ever stayed, and I'll be back...soon and often!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Charles S.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great time in Tarpley

We enjoyed our stay and the home was very comfortable and the host was very responsive and nice to work with. The ranch is very nice and we enjoyed the wide open space and night sky and saw plenty of meteors. Thanks and we hope to be back at some time in the future.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Ashley H.

Liked: Cleanliness

Unplugged family vacation success!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this ranch. We loved seeing the cows, horses, deer, birds and fish. We hiked down the creek, hiked a bit around the property close to the guest house, fished at both lakes and went out on all of the little boats. The kids enjoyed the ping pong table and the hammock. Overall I would recommend this place to a family that’s wanting to spend your days in the peace and quiet of the country. The mornings were beautiful, 75-80. It hit 100+ each evening we were there and the ac struggled a bit but then cooled down by 10 or so. I messaged owner and they offered a window unit but we declined because it was still comfortable in the house. One other thing I noticed was there was small ants in the living room when we got there, not a huge trail or anything but enough to notice. But it is out in the country so it didn’t really bother me. One thing I would suggest to the owner would be to put a small pier or floating dock on the lake closer to the house to walk out to fish from. Thank you for sharing this property with our family, it is so beautiful!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Maria R.

Liked: Cleanliness

Weekend getaway

This is our second stay, and it did not disappoint! If you are looking to disconnect from your weekday routine, and enjoy some peace and quiet, this is your place to stay! We enjoyed the paddle boats, ping pong, and just coming home to relax after a day of floating on the Frio! Will definitely stay here again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Virginia B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Shadowdance Ranch - home in the Hill Country

I discovered Shadow Dance on VRBO last year, and now this is my 2nd Fourth of July there. This will become a family tradition. I feel so fortunate to be able to share my family's old ranch, built by F.L. Hicks in the 1850s, with my children. My family has sold off all our sections, so what a blessing it was to find out I could still visit the ranch and pass on the family history! This year, our aunt who still lives in Utopia turned 100 years old! She got to come out and see the place, possibly for the last time, and it meant so much to her! Besides the deep family roots, this place is a DREAM! My husband and daughter & her boyfriend caught HUGE bass in the ponds. We fished all day, and everything was so beautiful and tranquil, the time flew by. I feel 100% relaxed and rejuvenated. From our porch at the house, we watched cows, rabbits, hawks, hummingbirds, and all kinds of wildlife. This morning we woke to a visit from four friendly horses who let us pet them forever. At night, we watched the stars...not as brilliant as last year, but we got to enjoy a huge full moon. We went to Utopia for the 4th of July firework display. I can't understand how a small town can put on such an amazing, spectacular display! It's worth going there to celebrate the 4th every year! AND the house is just beautiful! Large windows overlooking the hills. Beautiful furniture and rockwork, and every kind of amenity imaginable. This really is the best equipped place I've ever stayed in!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness

Amazing

Shadow Dance Ranch was exactly what we needed for a relaxing stay accommodating six people mostly adults. The ranch was beautiful with two lakes including a paddle and Jon boat at each location, large rock formations, cattle and other wildlife, and wide open spaces to explore. The house was clean and fit for fun including indoor and outdoor games. We are looking forward to coming back!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Harvey H., Houston, Texas

Liked: Cleanliness

Very Private, with Access to Many Hill Country Attractions

The beauty of this ranch is not only the rugged hill country setting, but how private it is. We could relax, read, talk, and hike, all by ourselves. Children who are accustomed to living in a city would be amazed at how wide open you feel here. We took advantage of dining at an amazing restaurant in little Tarpley (New Zealand lamb chops??!!), and drove to Bandera for live entertainment at night. We drove by the peaceful, quiet Medina River, then headed west to Lost Maples State Natural Area, then down to Utopia for dinner, and back to the ranch that evening. If we're in the area, we will definitely stay here again. My only suggestion . . . ditch the Rival drip coffee maker and buy a new one that works better! But otherwise, no complaints!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023