Stunning 360 Views, Solitude, Comfort - Big Bend National Park Terlingua, Texas Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 144954

Twilight moon view, W porch

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Location: Terlingua, Big Bend Country, Texas, USA (27 mi. N of Study Butte/Terlingua; 67 mi. S of Alpine)

Accommodations:  House, 1 Bedroom + Loft, 1 Bath (Sleeps 2-3)

Absolute solitude in stunning setting, near Big Bend National Park. Off-the-grid new construction (completed in 2006). Cozy one bedroom retreat home located on 90 acres offers unparalleled hilltop 360 degree views, quiet, and comfort in a remote setting, with no lights to interrupt the starlit sky. Sleeps two people in upstairs bedroom queen, but there is a twin/daybed with a high-density foam mattress and also an inflatable mattress (maximum 3 people due to composting toilet capacity). The nearest house is miles away and you can go weeks without a car going by -- and then usually because the occupants are lost!

House is light and modern, with bamboo floors, tile, and modern ceiling fans. The retreat is oriented so that at any time of the day, one of the two porches is in the shade. One is screened and the other open.

This is a great vacation rental, an escape from everyday life, with a beautiful view of Nine Point Mesa to the north, Jack Eden Mesa to the northeast and Corazones Peaks to the south. The property is true to its desert climate, with dozens of species of cacti, along with ocotillo, yucca, and many varieties of prickly pear, strawberry pitaya, and rainbow cactus in abundance. In addition, bluebonnets, the Texas state flower, and resurrection ferns are found on the 90 acres. The property provides ample opportunities for watching birds and wildlife. We see foxes and deer regularly, and now and then at night you hear the coyotes howling in the distance.

To explore West Texas, the house is 30 miles from the Big Bend National Park gate; 23 miles to Study Butte/Terlingua ghost town and 35 miles to the famed Lajitas Resort.

PLEASE NOTE: The house is located three-quarter mile along a dirt road from the main ranch paved road, and the dirt road takes you over a rise so that traffic on the paved road is not visible or audible. All vehicles can make the short trip (but as always in this part of the world, have a spare tire or two just in case). The property's solar and wind energy power the lights, fans, appliances, and the radio/CD player, while propane gas powers the stove, refrigerator, wall heaters and hot water heater. The composting toilet (Envirolet) is modern and odorless -- not the primitive drop toilet you may know from national or state parks.

We do have a very quiet gas-powered generator for window air conditioners in the hottest months. Thank you for understanding that there is a burn moratorium in Terlingua Ranch, and no campfires are allowed due to dry climate's fire danger and fragility of desert vegetation. Finally, the stairs to the upstairs bedroom are slightly steeper than normal and may not be the best for those who have difficulty managing stairs.

Vacation Rental Features

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• Amenities
  • Air Conditioning: Evaporative cooling ("swamp cooler") and ceiling fans, but also in hottest times two window air conditioners cool entire house, require use of very quiet Honda generator.
  • Linens Provided
  • Off Street Parking
• Beds
  • Queen Bed: Comfy Tempur-Pedica mattress.
  • Twin/Single Bed
• Entertainment
  • CD Player
• Kitchen
  • Full Kitchen
  • Cooking Utensils Provided
  • Refrigerator
• Outdoor Features
  • Gas/Electric BBQ Grill: Please, no charcoal grilling or fires. This is a very delicate ecosystem and we have spent weeks cleaning up coals and ashes. Thanks for your understanding. Gas is good!
  • Deck/Patio
• View/Location
  • Mountain View: 360 degree views: Corazones Mountains, Nine Point Mesa, Jack Eden Mesa, and more.
• Communications
  • Telephone: No TV. Other than CD player and FM radio, we really try to maintain it as a retreat from the demands of everyday life. Cellphone coverage is pretty good along the paved road 3/4 mile from the Retreat.
  • Free Long Distance: Free long distance is for domestic U.S. only. Thank you.
  • Broadband Internet
  • WiFi (Wireless Internet)
• Other Amenities
  • Indoor bathroom has a shower, but there is also a hot/cold outdoor shower with N views.
• Suitability
  • Pet Friendly
  • Minimum Age Limit for Renters: Somebody must be 21.
  • Smoking Not Allowed: Please be careful with smoking outside and dispose of all smoking materials in trash, not on ground. Thank you!
• Activities (on site and nearby)
  • Rafting
  • Biking
  • Mountain Biking
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Hiking
• Other Activities
  • Please note lists below of activities and amenities. But must stress wonderful hiking in Big Bend N.P. Also please note that stairs up to bedroom are somewhat steep and shallow. They have sturdy railings and non-skid runner and should be fine for most everyone.

Rate Details (In US Dollars)

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Personal Currency Assistant™

Truly a stunning place; guests tell us the views beat our descriptions!
$129/night .. $775/week (one night free)
May 15-Sep 15 (2 night minimum); Sep 16-May 14 (3 night minimum)
3-person maximum (due to capacity of composting toilet). 13% hotel
tax and $65 cleaning fee additional. 50% deposit; 100% refund for cancellations
30 days in advance of arrival. We accept checks, Visa and Mastercard.
Dogs by arrangement. To reserve, please email with dates.
For availability, please see calendar below; we do our best to keep it up to date.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.

• Credit Cards Accepted:

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Property Photos

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Guest Comments (10)

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• 10/26/09
  Positive Rating
  Kathy and Jason Lund , Marion, Texas
  • WOW!! We spent 3 nights at the retreat and enjoyed every moment. It's everything and more. You need it, trust me it's there. Dee and Wayne you did a great job with all the info, thank you. We hated to leave, but came home with a new outlook and spring in our step. Again thank you!!! Can't wait to go back.
• 05/08/09
  Positive Rating
  Charlie Warren , Little Rock, AR
  • Photos of the house, as good as they are, do not begin to show the beauty of the setting. A camera cannot capture the 360-degree panorama view. It’s like trying to photograph the Grand Canyon. You can only get a small part in a photo, but the awe is in the panorama. I am in my 60s, married for 38 years, but this was my first ever vacation without my wife and/or children. I love them dearly, but it was nice to be alone for awhile and do what I pleased whenever I pleased. It was fantastic to get away from the pressures of my job and chill out in such an awesome environment. I recommend the house highly and hope to return someday.
• 01/25/09
  Positive Rating
  Donna Hebner , Austin Texas
  • Everyone has already articulated quite well the serenity of the retreat. So I will just add some comnments for folks who are on their way. The directions were great...the 7 mile marker is yellow and on the right. We set the odometer to .2 and saw the road. We did not realize that Dee meant the poles with the red markers...we were looking for poles with red flags...duh...but we found it easily. The road in is a bit bumpy...we had an SUV. But no worries...all manageable. We always had hot water...everything worked. All user friendly. Had everything available for cooking, etc. And the books on Big Bend and surrounding areas are many. You do not need to purchase any. The Book that Dee and Wayne have made is very good...So you really don't need to bring anything unless you have personal reading you want to take care of. Cell phones do not work except in the area of Study Butte. Computers do...if you need that contact. I realize that some do, like my husband. We cooked our meals at the house except for the last night when we went to the Starlite in Terlingua Ghost Town...nice country music with good food. We walked the area around the house..and concur with one of the guests who requested a marking of the perimeter. Labyrinth is fantastic. We saw very few animals...while hiking big bend we saw two coyotes...did hear them howling at the ranch..a beautiful sound. Saw scat of Jackrabbits and finally saw one on the final day. Saw Mule deer. The area is really dry but did take a few pictures of bluebonnets if you could believe that. All in all...a great place. Thanks Dee and Wayne and Daryl also even though we did not meet him. Donna and Bob from Austin Texas
• 12/17/08
  Positive Rating
  Kathryn Sublett , Waco, Texas
  • My husband and I fell in love immediately with this beautiful property. No matter what direction you look, from any window or either porch, the views are truly beautiful. Lowlands to mountains, it's all gorgeous. The quiet is soul-soothing. We were there during a no-moon phase so at night you can see every star in the universe and it literally will take your breath away. I love seeing the Milky Way arcing across the sky. The cabin is so comfortable and cozy. The bed upstairs is very, very comfortable as is the little day bed downstairs. I loved having coffee out on the porch in the mornings. The sunsets are fabulous from the west porch...colors changing minute by minute and welcoming Jupiter and Venus to the night sky. We look forward to our next visit which we are already planning. I highly recommend this vacation spot!
• 10/14/08
  Positive Rating
  Brian Hunt , Bellevue WA
  • VRBO is such a great resource and I'm delighted to submit comments about Terlingua Ranch Retreat. I was looking for quiet and solitude. The Retreat offered that in a wonderfully solid, contemporary, well-built house. I was so comfortable there, I didn't leave the property the entire week. The weather in early Oct was nearly perfect (hot, dry). The scenery, sunsets, and stars were magnificent. And the plants and critters were fascinating. There were wildflowers all over the place! The property is in the middle of the acreage and the only neighbors in residence were 1.5 miles away. This area of W Texas is starkly beautiful. Dee was wonderful in giving information and getting me booked. I ran into Daryl on the way into the property and had a nice chat about the house. I would happily spend another week here if I'm so lucky again.
• 08/06/08
  Positive Rating
  Mark Eggebrecht , Fort Worth. TX
  • If this place doesn't make you want to move away from the rat race, nothing will. My girlfriend and I stayed in early Summer and had an incredible time. If you don't enjoy cooking in a well-equipped kitchen, listening to Marfa NPR, watching the most amazing sunsets, all while enjoying a bottle of wine or two, try the HoJo down the road. But, if you want to experience how happy you can be without television and Starbucks, give it a try. The experience gave me hope and inspiration for a simpler life.
• 03/27/08
  Positive Rating
  Marie Beaver , Spring, Texas
  • We fell in love with the Terlingua Retreat. The views are incredible in every direction. Words can not describe how spectacular the sunrise and sunset colors dance across the sky. We were lucky enough to have a full moon illuminating the desert at night. One night we were awakened by coyotes howling outside our window. The cool desert breeze at night is a delight. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful and peaceful place with others. We look forward to many visits.
• 02/15/08
  Positive Rating
  Christi , Houston, TX
  • This was an amazing place to rent. We had a great time just walking through the area where the house was on as well as being relatively close to Big Bend. Our dogs were entrigued by the coyotes at night. We experienced an intense storm one evening and the windmill went like crazy. Awesome, awesome - we totally recommend it.
• 01/12/08
  Positive Rating
  R. Beck , New York, NY
  • Wow! I had an extraordinary time in The Big Bend area and wanted to thank you again for my sojourn at The Retreat. I don't know that I have ever enjoyed such sweeping vantages of both earth and sky. Perhaps it is akin to being at sea. (Two pictures were necessary to capture the full scope of sunsets and sunrises.) It is an inspiring place. I look forward to staying there again some time in the future.
• 10/28/07
  Positive Rating
  Wendy Harrelson , Quinlan, TX
  • The best way to describe this property is STUNNING! Mountain views are un-interrupted and there are only a few (3) houses that were in the far distance. We even enjoyed the outdoor shower without worrying that we were being overlooked. The house is beautiful and well maintained, the screened porch was great to keep the bugs away when we were enjoying the wonderful view, and at night there was complete silence (except for the coyotes we heard in the distance) and very few lights in the distance to interfere with the stars. We did have concerns with the Envirolet when we rented the house, but after using it those concerns vanished. It is like nothing I've ever used before and it truly had no odor at any time during our stay. The Owners and (local contact) Daryl were easy to deal with and made sure that all our needs were met. Overall, this is a WONDERFUL place to stay and we would recommend it to friends, family, and anyone else who will listen!

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