Dixie Dude Ranch in Texas: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Dixie Dude Ranch is a 725-acre working cattle ranch about nine miles west of Bandera in the Texas Hill Country that also hosts guests. Texas Highways says it has been in the Conoly family since 1901, with Alec Conoly the fifth generation on the land.
| Location | About nine miles west of Bandera, Texas |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1901 as a working ranch; guest ranch since 1937 |
| Sectors | Longhorn cattle; guest stays; trail rides |
| Scale | 725 acres (Texas Highways) |
| Why it is notable | More than a century of family ownership and one of a small number of Texas working dude ranches |
| Ownership | Conoly family; Clay and Diane with sons Alec and Sharp |
| Official website | Dixie Dude Ranch website (named in Texas Highways) |
History of Dixie Dude Ranch
Travel Texas reports that William Wallace Whitely founded the property as a working ranch in 1901. His daughter and her husband, who had worked in Hollywood, turned it into a guest ranch in 1937. Texas Highways says the land has stayed with the Conoly family since 1901.
Alec Conoly is described as the fifth generation to work the land, with his parents Clay and Diane and his brother Sharp. A guest ranch that has stayed with one family for a century is unusual in a tourism business.
What Dixie Dude Ranch Grows and Raises
The ranch is a working cattle ranch raising Longhorns, including steers and bulls, on 725 acres in Bandera County. Guests stay in cottages, cabins and bunkhouse rooms and take part in trail rides, fishing, hayrides and campfires, according to Texas Highways.
The model blends ranching with hospitality. Cattle give the place authenticity, while guests provide the income that a small acreage could not generate from cattle alone.
How Dixie Dude Ranch Makes Money
Guest stays
Lodging is sold on an all-inclusive basis. Texas Highways listed rates from $180 per day for adults and $70 per day for young children; those figures are from the article, so confirm current prices.
Experiences
Trail rides, fishing, hayrides and campfires are part of the stay. Bundled experiences let the ranch raise its revenue per guest without adding acres.
Cattle
Longhorn steers and bulls are part of the working ranch. The ranch does not publish revenue.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Dixie Dude Ranch
Hospitality can carry a small ranch. On 725 acres, selling an experience in addition to cattle can create revenue that land alone could not.
Keep it a working ranch. Guests come for authenticity, so the cattle are part of the product, not a side project.
A guest ranch where the cattle are real and the guests fall off the horse is practically the origin story of farm satire. farm.FM collects farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, and Bandera, the self-styled Cowboy Capital of the World, has supplied plenty. We tell them with affection for a family that has hosted guests since 1937.
Readers who want the full experience can pair the jokes with Tractor Tunes, the country music for farmers that farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, plays between stories. This author page is a fine starting point.
How to Contact Dixie Dude Ranch
Website: https://dixieduderanch.com/
Only the website is listed here. A phone number and street address appear in the Texas Highways article but were not verified from the official site in November 2026. Confirm availability and rates before traveling.
Dixie Dude Ranch Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Dixie Dude Ranch - Ranch website named in Texas Highways
- Texas Highways: Texas dude ranches - Independent coverage with ranch details
- Travel Texas: Home on the Range - State tourism coverage and history
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - Agritourism and farm-income data for Texas
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - Cattle and farm statistics by county
Dixie Dude Ranch FAQ
Where is Dixie Dude Ranch?
About nine miles west of Bandera, Texas.
How big is it?
725 acres, according to Texas Highways.
What cattle does it raise?
Longhorns.
Is it family owned?
Yes. Texas Highways says it has been in the Conoly family since 1901.
Dixie Dude Ranch shows how a Hill Country working ranch can add hospitality without losing its roots. See the Texas state guide on this site and the other profiled operations for more.