Cibolo Creek Ranch

From the Hideaway Report

December 2012 Hideaway Report

Cibolo Creek Ranch lies 33 miles south of Marfa, in the Big Bend of West Texas, and was founded in 1857 by cattle baron Milton Faver both to safeguard his trade between Mexico and Fort Stockton and to protect his 20,000-plus longhorn cattle from raids by Comanche and Apache Indians. Three main springs, Cíbolo, Ciénega and Morita, provide the ranch with a constant supply of good water, and Faver constructed an adobe fort at each. Today, the 30,000 acres are home to wildlife such as elk, buffalo, javelinas, aoudad (Barbary sheep) and white-tailed deer.

Arriving at a gated entrance, we pushed the doorbell and, once admitted, drove slowly along a mile and a half of winding road, admiring the empty landscape. There was not a building or a person to be seen, just a meandering herd of American bison, which, despite our urging, declined to be hurried.

The main “El Cibolo” compound has 21 tile-floored accommodations, each individually decorated with authentic Spanish and Mexican antiques and bright handwoven Southwestern quilts. We stayed in “Pajaro,” which came with a bird-patterned quilt and carved wooden ducks beside an adobe corner fireplace. Overall, the room was spacious and inviting, with a king bed and a desk that supported a small coffeemaker, a radio clock and a vintage set of Dickens’ novels. The bath was adorned with colorful Southwestern tiles and provided double vanities and a combined tub/shower. Outside, a porch was appointed with daybeds and reading chairs, from which we gazed across a lake to the outdoor pool and fitness center.

On our first evening, we joined our fellow guests for cocktail hour. Having requested Sauvignon Blanc, however, we were taken aback to be handed two glasses of buttery Chardonnay. We then sat down for dinner family-style at a long wooden table, where the atmosphere was convivial and the house Cabernet flowed freely. In general, the menu at Cibolo Creek has a Mexican flavor, and game makes a frequent appearance. Our first meal began with a salad of butter lettuce, tomatoes and pistachios in a light vinaigrette. This was followed by beef tenderloin in a red-wine reduction. The meat was served well done, and we were slightly surprised not to have been asked how we prefer it. A dessert of “famous” Tres Leches Cake was unremarkable. At dinner on our second night, the same salad made an unexpected encore, followed by grilled split quail in a sweet chili-lime glaze accompanied by a rice pilaf and a bland side of steamed carrots. After dinner, we adjourned to the fire pit, where we found all the fixings for s’mores. A staff member had gathered guests around a Meade telescope set up beside the lake, and thanks to the clear desert sky, we were able to look at the moon in extraordinary detail, as well as at the rings of Saturn.

During the day, guests at Cibolo Creek pass the time by relaxing on the sunporch, swimming, horseback riding, skeet shooting, touring the property by ATV or Humvee and hiking to view Native American petroglyphs. We opted for a two-hour self-guided hike and, equipped with a map and a walkie-talkie for emergencies, we climbed up to a nearby waterfall, from where there were astonishing views across the Chinati Mountains into Mexico.  The elevation at the top was around 6,000 feet. (The property’s private airstrip is at 4,400 feet, and the ranch enjoys a moderate year-round climate with little humidity.)

In many ways, Cibolo Creek is the quintessential Texas guest ranch—there was even the requisite Lucchese bootjack by our bedroom door—and it is an excellent place to unwind and to experience the great outdoors. However, the staff seemed strangely passive, almost sleepy. No one was actively rude, but no one was conspicuously helpful, either. On the basis of our stay, some retraining is in order. And the chef needs to invent another salad.

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