Hidden Creek Ranch

The ranch has a wonderful variety of ecosystems that include a large lake, old-growth forest, and more open grasslands. The lake is approximately 67 acres of surface water that includes a lot of shallow areas that create ideal wetland areas that attract a huge variety of waterfowl and other wetland fowl. The lake has an abundance of aquatic vegetation that creates an attractive habitat for waterfowl. Approximately 446 acres of the property is covered with various old-growth forests. Approximately 160 acres of the wooded area is found in the floodplain along the banks of Gibbons Creek. This area is dominated by towering water oaks, hackberries, elm, loblolly pines, and black hickory trees with an undergrowth of primarily yuapon, american beautyberry, trumpet vine. The remaining 286 acres of mature woodlands are found along the higher country to the east side of the property and is a unique mixture of an evergreen-deciduous woodland area. This area holds an assortment of post oak, water oak, blackjack oak, hickory, persimmon, tupelo, red oak, willow oak, elm and loblolly pine. The undergrowth here is much sparser than the west side and is easy to walk through. The remaining acreage is primarily open grasslands.

The tremendous variety of trees and undergrowth over the ranch creates an excellent habitat for white-tailed deer. No hunting on the ranch has occurred in the last two years and the deer are plentiful. Waterfowl hunting on the property is tremendous with the huge shallow lake that creates an outstanding habitat for ducks that migrate through the area during the winter. With Gibbons Creek Lake so close and numerous other large private lakes, this area is one of the best duck hunting places in the Brazos Valley. Dove, hogs, alligators as well as predators are very common on the property. The ranch’s diverse ecosystems are home (year-round or during annual migration) to all types of other animals and birds. Bald eagles and osprey are very common on the property.

The primary feature of Hidden Creek Ranch is the roughly 65-acre reservoir. This lake was originally built to be much larger so the dam is over-engineered for the water being held. It currently holds just below the 200 acre-feet threshold so no special permit was required to finish the lake. The lake was created out of damming up Peach Creek, which runs most of the year and only quits running during times of extreme drought. The lake is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, and redear sunfish and is an excellent fishery. Approximately 2,400’ of Gibbons Creek runs through the west side of the property (both sides of the creek are on the ranch), and this waterway runs year-round. Both sides of Peach Creek run through the middle of the property into the reservoir. Several other small creeks on the property also run into Peach Creek before entering the reservoir and usually have running water through seeps that keep the water draining into the lake.

Turner-Peters Log Cabin was originally found on this property and has since transferred to Boonville Heritage Park as a historic site where the dog-house cabin can be visited by tourist. It was built on a hill on the property overlooking Peach Creek near a spring along the creek.