Desert Aura is a classic adobe home with unique character and charm that can’t be duplicated with modern construction. Lovingly built by hand, over many years, by the family that still proudly calls it home. Thick adobe walls, stone floors, and surrounded by stone patios with unparalleled views of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park, Desert Aura lives up to its name by emanating the very character of Terlingua Ranch and the Big Bend. You will feel like you are part of the desert as you live like a true local here on Terlingua Ranch.
Not many vacation rentals come with their own guest house. You will have the option of just renting the main house and leaving the guest house vacant, or renting both. The main house will sleep up to four, with a queen-sized bed and a full-size fold out sofa bed. If there is one or two in your group, the main house is all you’d ever need. If you have three or four, you can use the fold out sofa bed in the semi-private den, or add the guest house for some extra room and added privacy. If your group has five or six, the main house plus the guest house will accommodate all of you with comfort and charm. Don’t worry though, the guest house is never rented separately. If you don’t rent it, nobody else will be there during your stay. You will have the entire compound all to yourselves.
The two homes are separated by a shaded breezeway that is an ideal place to relax outside or even share a meal. Views from the breezeway and the other patio areas are simply breathtaking. Wildlife is abundant and water and birdseed is provided for the birds. Please don’t straighten out the bent “shepherd’s hook” bird feeder holder. The home’s matriarch cherishes that bent hook as a reminder of the time that a Mexican Black Bear dropped by to sample the bird seed and bent the hook. Don’t worry though, the bears are extremely uncommon here. They are very timid and have never threatened anyone in the area. Mexican Black Bears are among the smallest of the bear species in North America, rarely exceeding five feet in length or three feet in height at the shoulder.
The main house has an open floorplan with a living room, dining room, and kitchen all open to each other. Perfect for spending time together. There is also a semi-private den that is ideal for a bit of privacy or for use as a second bedroom. The master bedroom has a comfortable queen bed and antique armoire. The bathroom with a large tiled shower and ample counter space is located between the bedroom and den and opens to both. There is even a utility room with a washer and dryer for use during your stay.
The guest house, if you should choose to add it to your rental, has a studio layout with a single room housing a queen bed, dining area, and kitchenette. There is also a private bathroom with a combination shower and tub. Stone floors and southwestern styling create a welcoming retreat. Thick adobe walls and separation from the main house provide guests with plenty of privacy during their stay.
Desert Aura is located just two miles from Terlingua Ranch Lodge. Guests will have use of the Terlingua Ranch pool for a small fee of $5 per carload per day. The lodge also offers a great little restaurant, The Bad Rabbit Café, with frequent live entertainment. Guests can register at the lodge for access to the Christmas Mountain conservation area, a 9,270 acre reserve owned by the Texas State University System. Vehicle access along a narrow jeep trail is permitted for only one vehicle at a time. Hikers can park at the trailhead.
Big Bend National Park, Terlingua, and the Terlingua Ghost Town are just a 40 minute drive away. Lajitas and Big Bend Ranch State Park are about an hour away. Adventure outfitters in Terlingua offer river trips in canoes or rafts, jeep tours, guided hikes, horseback tours, ATV tours, Jeep rentals, and mountain bike rentals. Terlingua, the Ghost Town, and Lajitas offer a variety of dining, drinking, and live music venues, plus shopping and art galleries.
While here, live like a local. There are ample adventures to keep you busy and leave you exhausted, or just relax around Desert Aura to escape the stresses of “civilized” life.