Hidden In South Texas Is America's Largest Ranch Where Cattle Thrive In Desert Conditions

We all have our romantic visions of the American West: Riding in the saddle across a vast expanse of untouched natural landscape before hunkering down around a campfire for a night under a starlit sky. This allure has given rise to the popular phenomenon of an invigorating ranch vacation, an alternative to traditional getaways that dates back to the last days of the Wild West itself. Real-life cowboys have been inviting visitors to take part in their everyday activities since the end of the 19th century, but ranch stays have boomed over the past few decades due to the rise of social media and increased interest in adventurous holidays. Now there are many old-school ranches in America where you can always be sure of a hearty welcome and a taste of the Old West. One such place is King Ranch outside Kingsville, Texas, where cattle thrive even in the harshest desert conditions.

There are over 200 dude ranches in the United States and many of them offer vacations. The six Hs of the Dude Ranch Association provide a good idea of what to expect: Hospitality, Heritage, Honesty, Heart, Hats, and Horses. As the largest of its kind in America, King Ranch offers all that and more. It is regarded as the birthplace of American ranching and its vast site in Texas is now designated as a National Historic Landmark. Paying a visit is a great way to cowboy up and experience the ranch's deep cultural connections with the history of the United States.

Texas is home to many historic and illustrious ranches, but King Ranch invariably comes top of any list. Its birth is a true American success story: Richard King left behind a life of poverty in New York in 1835 when he was just 11 years old, stowing away on a cargo ship. His journey took him south, and over the next 12 years he worked his way up to become the captain of a steamboat. The enterprising King started his own line along the Rio Grande, but he wasn't content with just ferrying people and cargo. A trip across the Wild Horse Desert in the mid-19th century to Santa Gertrudis Creek presented him with a vision: Here was an oasis in the middle of the parched wilderness where he could raise a great herd of livestock.

In 1853, King established his namesake ranch with former Texas Ranger Gideon K. Lewis. They started out with a relatively meagre 15,500 acres and things went from there. Now the spread covers 825,000 acres, larger than the state of Rhode Island, and has around 35,000 head of cattle and 200 horses. In the latter category, the ranch bred the racehorse Assault, winner of the Triple Crown in 1946. Over the decades King Ranch has also branched out into other fields such as hunting, farming, producing turf grass, saddles, merchandise, and tourism. Which is where you come in if you want a taste of Old West charm.

King Ranch is tucked away in the far south of Texas around two-and-a-half hours' drive from San Antonio, not far from Corpus Christi and Kingsville. Its proximity to the two cities worth considering if you are planning to stay a while. Unlike many other dude ranches, King Ranch doesn't offer stays unless you are booked onto the overnight Deluxe Norias Birding Tour and the two-night King Ranch Birding Adventure. For a daytime visit, however, the range of ranch tours and nature tours offer a great opportunity to explore both the history of this landmark American institution and the wide open Texas landscape.

As you would expect, first on the list is the Daily Ranch Tour, which gives visitors a chance to see the day-to-day life of a working cattle ranch. It's a brisk 90 minutes and booking in advance is recommended. If you have a particular interest in any aspect of ranching, private tours can be reserved ahead of time. For a special day out, consider timing your visit for the Annual Ranch Hand Breakfast in November each year, where you can enjoy live music and roping demonstrations while tucking into eggs, refried beans, and biscuits and gravy. Before you head home, also check out the King Ranch Museum to find out more about its illustrious history and the King Ranch Saddle Shop in nearby Kingsville where you can pick up some exquisite leather gear for your next day out in the great outdoors.