Looking for a Texas Location with Ample Trail Riding (Houston: real estate, buy)

[DuckWhisperer]

We are considering relocating to Texas from New England for better weather and a more conservative, Christian-friendly environment. Six months of Winter is getting old! We would need to be within one to two hours of Austin or Houston but are looking for a country location with at least 5 acres, preferably more. We have horses and like to trail ride - a lot. Our ideal location would be small town, not bone dry (grass, trees, lakes and streams), reasonable real estate costs (under $300K for a 3/2 with land), and with enough dirt roads and trails around that we could ride off the property without trailering out all the time. Schools are not an issue. Recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[High_Plains_Retired]

Based on what you are seeking, I can't help you much from out here on the high and dry Texas south plains but welcome to Texas if you decide to come. I have a small 20-acre place north east of Lubbock but no horses. Having been out here in west Texas, off and on, for the past forty years, I would say that the High Plains tends to be as conservative and Christian-friendly as Texas gets.

For $300,000 you could buy a really nice horse farm (probably with horses) in and around Lubbock. Most raw acreage goes for around $1000 and up although close in to the City it can get quite high.

Best of luck in your decision.

[DuckWhisperer]

Many thanks! I'll check out the high plains. I appreciate the welcome!

[TexasHorseLady]

The high plains, unfortunately, won't fit your criteria of one or two hours from Austin or Houston, I don't believe, unless you're talking about flying.

If you need to be within an hour or two of Austin or Houston, I'd recommend Blanco/Bandera (for the Hill Country State Natural Area - about 5,000+ acres of a state park that is, by requirement of the bequest, required to have trail riding available and has equestrian campsites, etc.) or a small town in that area. I'm not sure of the prices down there, though.

Near Houston, something near Sam Houston National Forest would likely fit the bill.

There's lots of shorter trails around Austin, of course. And if you can find that few acres a bit out in the country from a small town, there's plenty of places to do the kind of "hacking down the road" riding you're talking about. Close to Austin, I'd recommend east of I35, for the soil (better for horses than the limestone found predominantly west of I35). Several small towns, from Lockhart/Bastrop (though after the wildfires this fall, trail riding in that area is going to be not as much fun for a while) through the Elgin area up to Walburg/Weir/Taylor/Granger/etc. north. Prices in those areas would be well within your budget.

I don't know that much about similar areas near Houston.

[love roses]

Tomball, Rosenburg, Conroe are all near Houston and still small townish. You could also look around Pearland and Brazoria County towns would also be about an hour from Houston. Alvin, West Columbia, Lake Jackson, Santa Fe, Brazoria, Sweeny, Van Vleck. My moms cousin has a ranch in Van Vleck complete with horses. It's just outside Lake Jackson. I have a cousin here in Austin who has ranchland in Floresville. I think Floresville would be a little over an hour away from Austin.

[DuckWhisperer]

All great suggestions. Thank you so much! I've got some research to do...