frijole ranch

We visited in December, so it was very cold and chilly and the ranch wasn't open, but we still enjoyed our visit. It was amazing and relaxing to hear the spring water running along the front of the house (6 gallons per minute!). There was a sign outside the the ranch explaining the history behind it. Since we were the only visitors are the time, it was nice to to just stroll around slowly and look into the windows to get a peek at what's inside.Frijole Ranch is a short, easy walk (5 mins) from the parking lot, wheelchair accessible. No real bathroom facilities in the area, only primitive toilets at the parking lot. However, the main visitor center is only 10-15 minutes down the road with very good facilities.

The ranch is a beautiful little oasis in the middle of the desert. We sat in the yard and watched the spring fed creek roll by for some time. The house itself is a great little piece of history. There is elk and other wildlife that can occasionally be seen when hiking behind the house. Be sure to take lots of water!!! The dryness makes it feel deceptively cooler than it is, and you dehydrate quickly. The nearest food and lodging is about 1/2 hr away in the town of Carlsbad, NM.

This is the best homestead location in Texas. There are at least 3 springs within a mile or so and one spring right next to the house. The house has been furnished to fit the era of its building and they sometimes have a ranger to give tours of the house. Spring right next to the house is lovely and there are big trees for shade and places to sit near the spring and under the shade. There is also a small school house on the property you can look into. With the cool water of the spring and the great shade trees, I would have chosen this spot for my family. Too bad it was taken years ago by the Smith Family but thankful that it is now part of the National Park System and is shared with all of us.

We tried to visit this museum.But we were advised at the visit center that this museum was closed on wednesday. Too bad.

We were lucky enough to visit when a ranger was at the ranch, and the ranch house was open. The house is not furnished, but rather has a small museum exhibit inside. The exhibits included an Indian exhibit, information about ranching in the Guadalupe Mountains, and pictures of the family that used to live on the ranch. Only the first floor of the house is open. The kitchen had an old fashioned sink, and another room had a nice built in bookcase.The rest of the buildings were not open, but we could look at the outside. The buildings included a school and a springhouse.From the ranch, we took a short paved path to Manzanita (?) spring. It was an easy hike, and the spring was pretty. There's also a picnic area and bathroom near the ranch house.

This historic ranch houses a small pioneer museum "open occasionally," but never in the several times we stopped by. The grounds of the ranch house are lush relative to the scrub which surrounds it. Constant water flows from springs into fruit tree orchards, attracting many birds. We were hoping to see a sage thrasher, and though we never did, were happy for the upclose views of a couple of Townsend's solitaires. There's also a gentle, paved path through the scub to another spring nearby, which several families enjoyed while we were there.