10 of the largest ranches in Texas

Is everything actually bigger in Texas? When it comes to ranches… pretty much. Not only is Texas home to some of the biggest ranches, but it also has some of the most extraordinary ranch properties for a number of reasons in addition to size.

When most people think of cowboying, ranching, or large swaths of land, Texas is one of the places that quickly comes to mind. Over 93% of land in Texas is privately owned. These 10 properties combine for nearly 2.5 million acres or over 3,900 square miles. And when it comes to their value, well, it may be too high to count.

From the largest ranch in the U.S. in South Texas and mini Grand Canyons in West Texas, to the world’s most expensive ranch in North Texas and the state’s largest privately-owned lake in East Texas, these ranches are nothing short of legendary. Keep in mind, you can visit some of these ranches even though they’re not public land. As an added bonus, we included honorable mentions at the end.

Enjoy our list of some of the largest and most incredible ranches on the planet.

Being the largest ranch in Texas would be a feat in and of itself, but at 825,000 acres, the King Ranch is the largest ranch in the U.S. as of 2022. It’s larger than the entire state of Rhode Island. Located in South Texas, it consists of 4 divisions and includes portions of 6 Texas counties.

Its history dates back to 1853 and although it’s known for cattle ranching, farming and hunting are a big part of the King Ranch’s agribusiness as well. It’s responsible for developing the Santa Gertrudis breed, a special breed of cattle, as well as producing thoroughbred horses.

The King Ranch is not only one of the most famous cattle ranches in Texas but one of the most iconic properties in the world.

Brewster Ranch spans 424,000 acres and 57 miles in West Texas, making it one of the biggest ranches in Texas. Not only is it enormous, but the acreage is contiguous, which is rare for a property of this size. It’s been assembled from 22 historic ranch properties, many dating back to the settlement of the frontier in the late 1800s.

What’s more, as of September 2022, the ranch is for sale for a whopping $413,400,000.

The property includes 10 headquarters and everything from limestone hills, massive mountains, and grasslands, to forests, deserts, and the Rio Grande River. You’ll also find rugged canyons and deep gorges that may remind you of a small version of the Grand Canyon.

The ranch includes traditional cattle ranching as well as Texas hunting land and is essentially just a continuation of Big Bend National Park.

Nicknamed the “largest ranch under one fence,” the Waggoner ranch covers 535,000 acres, making it not only one of the largest ranches in Texas but one of the largest contiguous ranches in the United States.

It had been owned by the same family from 1849 until 2016, when it was sold to Stan Kroenke. Although the details of the transaction were undisclosed, the asking price was $725,000,000, likely making it the most expensive ranch ever sold.

Located in North Texas, the property spans 6 counties and is extremely diverse. Historically, it has included over 30,000 acres of Texas farmland, a variety of recreational opportunities from large lakes and wildlife, a working ranch operation running thousands of cattle, an oil operation, and a nationally recognized horse program. To learn more, take a look at the W.T. Waggoner Ranch website.

The Four Sixes Ranch is truly worthy of being called a legendary property. Located in King County, TX, the 6666 Ranch itself is comprised of 142,372 acres, although it’s part of a larger land holding with the 6666 Dixon Creek Ranch Division (Dixon Creek Ranch) and 6666 Frisco Creek Ranch Division (Frisco Creek Ranch).

In total, it encompasses approximately 266,255 acres of Texas land. 1,000 acres are typically farmed in wheat for grazing; 700 acres are bluestem pasture, and the remaining 140,000 acres are native pasture.

Not that it needed any more prestige, but it gained even more notoriety recently when it was featured in the TV series “Yellowstone.” In 2021, the Four Sixes Ranch along with the other land holdings sold for the first time in its history. The total asking price was $341,000,000.

The 350,000-acre Longfellow Ranch is a recreational hunting paradise. It’s located in the heart of Big Bend Country in West Texas and is not only a wildlife retreat but also a working cattle ranch. It provides guided hunting for a variety of different game including elk, javelina, whitetail deer, turkey, mule deer, and barbary sheep.

A 4,700-square-foot lodge offers 5-star rooms and dining facilities for events and guests. The land includes everything from upland plateaus and deep canyons to native grassland and limestone ridges. The ranch also includes the Piñon gas field.

The Mesa Vista Ranch in the Texas Panhandle is the essence of a luxury ranch. It took nearly 50 years for oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens to assemble the 64,809 acres, which is a property like no other.

US Highway 70 splits the property with over 15,700 acres in the eastern division and approximately 48,960 acres in the western division. One of its claims to fame is its world-class quail hunting. It’s been transformed into a wildlife paradise and has been quoted as “arguably the finest quail hunting spot in the known universe.”

The property features a main, 25,000-square-foot lodge with an additional 10,000 square feet of porches and patio areas. It also includes an 11,500-square-foot lake house, family house, pub, gun room, gate house, and even a chapel. Mesa Vista has also been described as a large water park with numerous lakes, ponds, waterfalls, and the Canadian River forming the north boundary.

As of September 2022, the ranch is under contract with an asking price of $170,000,000.

The Sandow Lakes Ranch may not be quite as large as the previous ranches on the list, but its 31,631 acres are incredible nonetheless. Located in Central Texas, this property is about as diverse as it gets, including recreational land as well as industrial, and agricultural opportunities.

What sets this ranch apart, though, is the water. It has the largest source of ground and water rights in Texas. Sandow features 14 deep water lakes with 48,379 acre-feet of water covering 1,960 surface acres and 44,000 acre-feet of permitted groundwater rights.

Along with abundant water sources, it has a turnkey industrial complex including 1.5 million square feet of warehousing. If you’re a farmer or outdoorsman, the ranch is home to abundant wildlife with deer, waterfowl, hogs, and even American Bald Eagles as well as thousands of acres of productive pasture, hay, and agricultural land.

This property sold in 2021 for a colossal $240,000,000. Sandow Lakes has been described by Bernard Uechtritz who marketed the property as one of the greatest land reclamation achievements in American history.

At 5,025 acres, Fairfield Lake Ranch is significantly smaller than the other 9 ranches but packs an awesome punch. At the heart of the East Texas property is Fairfield Lake, a 2,400-acre body of water that may be the largest privately-owned lake in Texas. It’s surrounded by 21 miles of shoreline.

But that’s not all. The ranch also includes its own official 1,800-acre state park—Fairfield State Park—leased to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Believe it or not, there’s still more. Within the lake are 2 private islands connected by a land bridge. One island is 150 acres while the other is 30 acres. Needless to say, the imagination runs wild with the development and recreational opportunities the ranch could offer.

As of September 2022, Fairfield Lake Ranch is under contract with an asking price of $110,550,000.

Turkey Track Ranch isn't just a premier Texas ranch; it’s a premier ranch anywhere. Located in the Texas Panhandle, it encompasses nearly 80,000 acres, all under one fence.

Not only is it well-known for its natural resources, but also for its historical heritage and legacy. It’s the site of the Battle of Adobe Walls, where Kit Carson led his forces in 1864.

The land is made up of fertile rangeland, mesa and cap rock country, rolling sandhills, diverse wildlife, and water. It features 26 miles of Canadian River frontage. In 2016, it was awarded the Cattlemen's Beef Association Environmental Stewardship Award for Region IV.

As of September 2022, the ranch is for sale for the first time after 120 years of stewardship for $200,000,000.

“Within its fences, anything is possible,” is how the Rancho Agua Grande ranch is described. It’s located in South Texas and is well-known for first-class hunting and an abundance of water. After all, agua grande means "big water." The property is 17,132 acres and includes Live Oak Creek, over 30 springs, and multiple lakes. To give you an idea of how large the “creek” is, it’s slowed by 10 dams along its 7-mile route.

The land is diverse and features rugged hills, deep canyons, pecan bottoms, limestone caves, and a variety of wildlife. Kangaroos, zebras, camels, water buffalo, and white bison are among the 40 species that call the ranch home. The highest peaks in both Uvalde and Kinney counties are located on the ranch—Salmon Peak and Boiling Mountain.

Don’t forget the 6,000-square-foot lodge with its own antique bar, and dance floor, as well as the 8 antique cabins that date back to the mid-19th century.

As of September 2022, this luxury ranch is for sale for $150,000,000.

It's worth noting these ranch sizes are based on data from September 2022. It's common for portions of the ranch to be split and sold, or for the seller to buy more land to add to the ranch.

While Texas may not be the wild west it once was, it’s still full of wide open spaces, expansive blue skies, desert landscapes, and some of the largest ranches in the United States. Whether it’s famous ranches in South Texas and luxury ranches in East Texas or dude ranches in the Texas Hill Country and working ranches in West Texas, life on the range is alive and well.

If you’re looking for your own slice of rangeland in The Lone Star State, check out our Texas ranches for sale. Or, if you're just looking for general property in the area, head over to our inventory of land for sale in Texas.