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Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy!

Photo gallery for Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy!

Lots of acreage to explore and 2 private lakes.
Property video
Property grounds
Property grounds
Outdoor dining

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 6

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Air-conditioning
  • Barbecue
  • Fenced yard

Explore the area

View map
Tarpley, TX
  • Place, Medina River
    ‪16 min drive‬
  • Place, Tarpley Crossing Park
    ‪16 min drive‬
  • Place, Mansfield Park
    ‪16 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bunk Room

1 Single Bunk Bed

Guest Room #1

1 Queen Bed

Master

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms

Ensuite

Shower only

Main Bathroom

Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Dining area

About this property

Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy!

Deep in the heart of the Texas Hill Country a whole new world awaits with the promise of adventure. A little more than an hour NW of San Antonio, Shadow Dance Ranch offers a private self-catered escape from the city. The newly remodeled private 3/2 guest house decorated in "Cozy Texas Ranch House" offers all of the amenities of home. Surrounded by mountains, rivers, lakes and rugged terrain, Shadow Dance offers wide open spaces to be explored and incredible views from every angle, sunup to sundown. Twenty-five acres of spring-fed lakes and three miles of Hondo Creek afford an opportunity for swimming, paddle boating, canoeing as well as catch and release fishing.

The guest house includes 2 bedrooms with a queen bed in each as well as a third bedroom with bunk beds. Other amenities include a full kitchen (pots, pans, dishes, full size refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher and coffee/tea service), a large living room with a wood burning fireplace, poker table and satellite TV, charcoal BBQ grill and outdoor seating. The guest house is very private and is the only guest house located on a 2000 acre working cattle ranch and former exotic hunting ranch. Because it is a working cattle ranch we have a strict "NO PETS" policy. WiFi is available and spotty cell service depending on your carrier.

Herds of Axis, Fallow, Black Buck and White-tailed Deer, Aoudad and Native Wild Turkey create an excellent atmosphere for wildlife viewing.

Birding opportunities on the ranch and at nearby Hill Country and Lost Maples State Natural Areas and Garner State Park are abundant throughout the year. The Texas Hill Country is home to approximately 430 bird species, the most popular being the Golden-cheeked Warbler and the Black-capped Vireo.

Due to the dark skies at Shadow Dance Ranch star gazing is popular year-round and great for viewing annual meteor showers.

Poker table, ping pong table, cornhole boards, paddle boats and large outdoor charcoal/wood BBQ grill, picnic table and hammock will ensure you don't have to leave the ranch to have a good time.

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 28
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
NO PETS.
No guns, fireworks, ATVs or dirt bikes. Street bikes o.k. No hunting, fishing is catch and release only. Do not pass through closed ranch gates.
All outdoor activities will be at the guests' own risk.

Important information

You need to know

Property # 9395521
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

About the area

Tarpley

Located in Tarpley, this holiday home is in a rural area and on a river. Tarpley Crossing Park and Bandera Sports Complex reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Bandera Beach Club Tubes, Kayaks & Shuttle and Love Creek Orchards Cider Mill and Country Store. Travelling with kids? Consider Bandera Natural History & Art Museum, or check out an event or a game at Bobcat Stadium. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking and water tubing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking and cycling.
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Map
Tarpley, TX

What's nearby

  • Medina River - 16 min drive - 33.0 km
  • Tarpley Crossing Park - 16 min drive - 33.4 km
  • Mansfield Park - 16 min drive - 34.5 km
  • Bandera Beach Club Tubes, Kayaks & Shuttle - 20 min drive - 38.7 km
  • Bandera City Park - 20 min drive - 39.0 km

Getting around

  • San Antonio International Airport (SAT) - 86 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Mac & Ernies Roadside Eatery - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪WCD West - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Steel Horse Cafe - ‬5 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy!?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy!?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Shadow Dance Ranch-Private 2000 Acres and 2 Lakes with Plenty of Water to Enjoy! located?

Located on a river, this family-friendly holiday home is within 20 mi (32 km) of Tarpley Crossing Park, Bandera Beach Club Tubes, Kayaks & Shuttle and Bandera Sports Complex. Mansfield Park and Ranger Crossing Park are also within 20 miles (32 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 51 out of 54 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 54 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 54 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 54 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 54 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kim B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful property!! The house, lakes and animals were such a treat!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 4 January 2026
Thank you for the great review, Kim. We are so happy that you enjoyed your stay and the property!
Verified

8/10 Good

Angela S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Enjoyed the quiet and relaxed under the stars. Such a beautiful property. It is a working ranch, so watch for cows around your vehicles.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 13 November 2025
Glad you had a relaxing time. Thank you for reminding future guests about it being a working cattle ranch.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Bruce M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What a wonderful place for a family get away! Being from Alaska we enjoyed the morning welcome from the horses , cows, and deer. The property was perfect, our boys loved the lakes and paddle boats.Everything needed to get started was at the ranch house, coffee, coffee filters, pots, pans, paper products, and it was nice having laundry facilities.Beds were comfortable with lots of blankets.Very cleanWe could not have asked for anything more.Thank you for sharing the ranch with us.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 4 February 2026
Thank you for your review! We appreciate you taking time to let us and others know about your experience at Shadow Dance Ranch. We are so happy to know how much you enjoyed your stay.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful spot close to everything the root river provides.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The property was lovely - we enjoyed the livestock and peacefulness of the ranch.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Senisa S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Always a good experience
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gary M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The place was very comfortable and peaceful. The night sky was unbelievable. We fished on the lakes and took a day trip to the Frio River.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

kadon l.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quite and Relaxing

This property was a nice escape.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Howard K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful

Very nice property to stay at for people wanting to be in a quiet area and enjoy the Texas Hill Country
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Howard K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Private hiking

Very nice place I re-rented it in October
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Natalie A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Weekend getaway

We enjoyed the cabin! My kids loved it! Very nice scenery.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 21 August 2021
Thank you for your 5 star review Natalie! We appreciate you taking time to leave your comments and are so pleased that you and your family enjoyed your stay :)
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brenda M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Stay at Shadow Dance Ranch!

Relaxing visit on the ranch! Truly enjoyed the scenery and great atmosphere, especially evenings on the patio. Thank you for offering such a special place!
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 15 January 2024
Thank you for the 5 star review Brenda. We are beyond pleased to know that you enjoyed your stay with us. You were a great guest and we'd welcome you back anytime!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Misty L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great getaway!

We loved the property and the house! The house was very clean and spacious. The location is perfect for visiting Utopia, Lost Maples State park, and Bandera, Hill Country state park. We really enjoyed our stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 3 April 2023
Thank you for the great review and taking time to let others know about your stay. We're happy to know that you enjoyed your stay.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Vacay

Loved this property! Secluded and beautiful. If you like being out in nature this is the ticket. Love the pastures and cows and horses. Also enjoyed swimming in the lake.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 21 July 2024
We are beyond pleased to know that you enjoyed your stay at Shadow Dance Ranch Guest House. Please keep us in mind next time you are planning a getaway.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Maria R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Weekend getaway

This is our second stay, and it did not disappoint! If you are looking to disconnect from your weekday routine, and enjoy some peace and quiet, this is your place to stay! We enjoyed the paddle boats, ping pong, and just coming home to relax after a day of floating on the Frio! Will definitely stay here again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 13 July 2023
Thank you for the 5 star review and letting others know what you enjoyed about Shadow Dance Ranch. We would certainly welcome you back for a third stay!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Christina W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Relaxing break

Built for relaxing, surrounded by natural beauty. We saw wildlife and stars and migrating butterflies, and the only noise came from the many birds. Wonderful getaway from the responsibilities of daily life.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Charles S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great time in Tarpley

We enjoyed our stay and the home was very comfortable and the host was very responsive and nice to work with. The ranch is very nice and we enjoyed the wide open space and night sky and saw plenty of meteors. Thanks and we hope to be back at some time in the future.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 7 September 2023
Thank you for the 5 star review and letting others know about your stay and the things that you enjoyed most. Please keep us in mind next time you are planning a getaway!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved the ranch

The house is super cute. We loved hanging out on the porch watching the sunsets and The kids had a great time exploring the property and watching the animals. We were sad to leave!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 5 April 2021
Thank you for your 5 star review Elizabeth! We are beyond pleased that you enjoyed your time at Shadow Dance. Please keep us in mind next time you are looking to get away :)
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jessica A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing Spot

I booked this place thinking we could stay the night, but spend our days at Garner State park mostly. We got in at sunset on Friday and instantly fell in love. We were greeted by three sweet horses, and the most beautiful sunset. We decided the next morning not to leave and instead to enjoy all this beautiful ranch had to offer. It was magical! I can’t wait to go back. Oh and on top of the ranch being amazing, the hosts were wonderful and the house was perfectly cozy. We can’t wait to go again.Thank you!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kim M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful, remote getaway

We really enjoyed all of the beautiful birds and wildlife on this lovely property. Lost Maples SP was only about 35 minutes away. Great for hiking! Clean and comfortable.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 25 May 2020
Thank you for your review Kim. We appreciate you taking the time to let us and others know about your stay. We're so glad that you enjoyed what we love most about the property.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Virginia B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Little Piece of Paradise

We always enjoy our 4th of July celebration at Shadowdance Ranch. Love fishing in the ponds, watching the sunsets, petting the horses, and enjoying the magnification Texas Hill Country views.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 11 July 2024
Thank you for the 5 star review Virginia. We always enjoy having you stay with us and look forward to seeing you next time.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jason W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Hill Country Getaway

What a great getaway to the Hill Country! We really enjoyed our stay, especially the lakes and hiking around the ranch. Wildlife - we saw an armadillo, a few deer, and several bird species. The ranch house was clean and comfortable. The porch and grill/firepit were nice as well as the separate, screened gameroom. It's a long way from home, but hopefully we can visit again!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 3 April 2024
Thanks for the 5-star review Jason. There's so much to see and do at Shadow Dance Ranch but coming during spring migration really allows you to experience the best of the best! So glad you enjoyed your time at the guest house.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

John F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Serenity

The stay exceeded our expectations. The ranch is incredible, the fishing was great . My four year old caught his first largemouth bass , he was ecstatic! Oh yeah , the swimming is awesome too. There’s great hiking if that’s your thing . The place is the type where you actually hate leaving. We stayed 8 days and it was not enough, the views , the water , the animals, the evenings on the porch are all magical. Everything was perfect, hopefully we can return one day very soon. If you like getting away from it all this is a great place for that , the pictures online don’t even come close to the beauty that awaits. Bandera is a short extremely scenic drive away providing all you need. The guest house is extremely comfortable and has everything you need for a super relaxing stay , Couldn’t be more pleased , worth every cent “.
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 22 July 2025
Thank you, John, for such a fantastic review. We are so very pleased that you enjoyed your magical time at Shadow Dance Ranch, and we appreciate you sharing your experience with others. We would love to have you back and look forward to the day.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jeffrey M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Get Away from City Lights

A comfortable ranch house with cattle, exotics, and wildlife at your front gate. Easily housed five adults, although the bunk beds might challenge some. Perfect for those seeking big, dark sky nights and rugged, beautiful Hill Country views.
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 7 December 2022
Thank you, Jeffrey for taking time to leave such a wonderful review. We appreciate your comments and your patronage. Please keep us in mind for a future stay.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Maria R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location

Perfect weekend getaway for our family! The guest house was clean and tidy. The boys had fun on the paddle boats and later enjoyed playing ping pong in the back shed. We were able to bbq and then ended the evening with some star gazing and storytelling. The host was quick to reply to questions— highly recommend if you’re looking to escape, relax and unplug. Will definitely be coming back!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 28 June 2022
Thank you for the great review, Maria! So very pleased that you and your family enjoyed your time at Shadow Dance Ranch Guest House. Please keep us in mind next time you are planning a getaway :)

About the host

Hosted by Jeralyn

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English

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