Rolling hills, dotted with white-tailed deer and turkey, and a stretch of Cypress Creek lined with towering bald cypress trees is protected forever. The 200-acre Sombrilla Ranch is located between Austin and Marble Falls in the heart of the Texas Hill Country—one of the fastest-growing regions in Texas.

With the protection of this iconic ranch, in partnership with the dedicated landowner, Colorado River Land Trust has ensured clean water protection along 1,500 feet of Cypress Creek, an important tributary to the Pedernales River, and high-quality habitat for wildlife.

The ranch is home to hilltops with steep canyons and broad valleys as well as several springs along Cypress Creek, providing significant water flow directly into the creek.

Over the decades, the land has served as important habitat for wildlife and years of intentional brush management have restored the original grassland savanna, providing ideal habitat for upland birds and other wildlife.

This region, west of the metropolitan area of Austin, is one of the fastest growing in Texas. With this growth has come significant land use changes and rising land prices around the ranch. As these pressures continue to increase, the landowner’s commitment to the permanent protection of Sombrilla Ranch will ensure a protected source of clean fresh water to Cypress Creek, the Pedernales River, Lake Travis, and the entire Highland Lakes for future generations of Texans.