Hay bales and horseback riding at Picosa Ranch
Sure you’ve heard of rock climbing, but at Picosa Ranch, these folks specialize in hay bale climbing. Guests won’t repel off granite cliffs. Instead, take your hay fever medication and start climbing to the top of the bale! Located 25 minutes south of San Antonio, the 2,800-acre ranch in Floresville, Texas offers a star-studded history, along with exotic animals from as far away as Africa. Formerly a high-end hunting lodge, the Main House and Guest House are now open to guests. Yet instead of packing a 30-06 hunting rifle, guests will want to pack their cowboy hats and cameras for photo safaris on the Picosa Ranch. Of course there will be plenty of trail rides and a chance to try your equestrian skills at rodeo activities on this horseback riding vacation.
Former Texas Governor called Picosa Ranch home
The ranch was owned by former Texas Governor John Connally until it was sold to its current owners in 1995. Connally is most notably known for being wounded in the limousine with President John F. Kennedy the day of the assassination. Connally called Picosa Ranch his home throughout his six-year tenure as the Governor of Texas, Secretary of the Navy under President Kennedy and Secretary of the Treasury under President Nixon.
Stetson cowboy hats for this horseback riding vacation
The current owners have preserved memorabilia from Connally’s days in office. The menus, programs and tickets to the luncheon and gala dinner that President and Mrs. Kennedy were to attend in Dallas and Austin along with a Stetson cowboy hat to be presented to President Kennedy are on display in the former Governor’s office upstairs in the ranch house. A JFK autographed copy of “Profiles in Courage” dedicated to Connally is in the bookcase. Many more pieces of history are displayed through out the ranch property.
Movie stars, world leaders vacationed at Picosa Ranch
Many world leaders, movie stars and dignitaries were hosted at the ranch and Air Force One has landed on the ranch’s airstrip more than once.
A huge magnolia tree is planted by the swimming pool from a cutting that First Lady Pat Nixon brought to Nelly Connally from the magnolia tree at the White House that Andrew Jackson planted.
The history of Picosa Ranch – hunting and horseback riding vacations
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An 8,200 square foot Main House
- A 3,400 square foot Guest House designed by O’Neil Ford, a leading architect of the American Southwest.
- Twenty-four hour food and beverage service with all meals daily prepared fresh and customized for guests by the staff gourmet chef
- Exotic animals roaming the land for photo safaris
- Lagoon style pool outside the lodge and lap pool outside the Main House and Guest House
- Spa services available
- Horseback riding and trail rides
- Eight fishing tanks and ponds
- Skeet shooting
- Hay rides, hay bale climbs, lasso lessons, tennis, horse shoes, volley ball
- Black Escalade chauffeured service
- Hummer for ranch riding
- Jeep golf carts for exploring
- Nightly turn down service with bedside water and chocolates
Have you been on a horseback riding vacation in Texas? What are your favorite things to do in Floresville, Texas?
If You Go:
Picosa Ranch (830) 393-9262
Floresville, TX 78114
Article written by Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip. Photos courtesy of Jon King Keisling.
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