The Petersen Ranch
Location and Contact Info
130 Delaware Creek Rd.Blanco, TX 78606 830.833.0958 http://www.thepetersenranch.com
The Petersen Ranch is a private nature preserve in the heart of the beautiful Central Texas Hill Country. Located in the upper reaches of the Blanco River watershed, between Blanco and Fredericksburg, the Petersen Ranch displays an incredible diversity of plant and animal life not often seen on Texas Hill Country ranches.
Ranch Overview
Spanning nearly 800 acres, the upper elevations of the ranch feature ridge-top savannah pastures of tall native grasses, wildflowers and broad leaf plants dotted with stately Live Oaks. The rolling ridge-tops give way to hillsides, heavily forested with a mix of deciduous hardwoods. Rainwater, slowed down by the vegetation, percolates through the porous limestone hills and emerges from numerous seeps and springs to feed the labyrinth of creeks cut into the limestone over the millennia. Ferns grow along the shaded seeps of ancient grottos, waterfalls and crystal clear pools. The creeks feed a cascade of crystal clear lakes which serve as home to numerous waterfowl, shorebirds and beavers. Known for its incredible diversity of plants, animals and scenery, as well as the abundance of water, the Petersen Ranch is truly a special place to visit.
Photo Opportunities
The Petersen Ranch offers a wide variety of photo opportunities. Our diverse habitat is home to 136 different species of birds, 21 species of mammals, 58 species of trees and shrubs, 29 species of reptiles and amphibians, as well as numerous butterfly species and other interesting insects.
The scenic vistas, heavily wooded hillsides, abundance of water, wildflowers, cacti, ferns and native grasses offer the landscape photographer a broad pallete of subjects from which to choose.
The Petersen Ranch has professionally designed photography blinds at several locations around the ranch. These blinds can comfortably accomodate two photographers and all of their gear. Each blind has been positioned to take advantage of the prime lighting that is present early or late in the day. Some blinds are located to position the photographer close to existing natural features, while others are located at custom designed photo sites. These sites have dedicated water sources and supplemental feed is provided year around to entice wildlife to frequent the area.
Photography Workshops
The Petersen Ranch offers top quality Photography Workshops designed to expand your photographic skills and enhance your ability to capture the beauty of the natural world. Workshop instructors are chosen, not only for their expertise behind a camera, but also for their ability to educate and inspire their students. Our state of the art facilities, provide an outstanding venue for photography workshops. Our friendly staff is dedicated to make your visit to the Petersen Ranch enjoyable and to allow you to focus on the reason for your visit, photography. Please visit our website for the schedule of upcomming workshops. http://www.thepetersenranch.com/pages/workshops.html
Texas Hill Country Nature Photography Alliance
The Texas Hill Country Nature Photography Alliance is a group of ranchers that offer their property to guests for the purposes of nature photography and tourism. Most of the ranches have several established photography sites with food and water to attract wildlife, and one or more professionally established photo blinds carefully situated for optimal photographic opportunities. Many of the ranches also offer overnight accommodations, allowing guests the chance to enjoy hill country scenery with privacy.
