Boca Palia at Ranchero El Charco

This story begins in 1995 when Mark Pittman and his wife Happy Arellano moved to the valley from Mexico. Searching for an ideal place to live they discovered the Walker Lake community of Palm shores. After living on the 115 acre lake for a few years, they learned that the ranch bordering the northern shore with all of the Palm trees was soon to be developed into a Mobil home park. Not wanting to see more local natural habitat destroyed, the couple decided to buy the ranch and save it from developers.

Today, the 150 acre ranch is the proud home to a vast wildlife community consisting of white tail deer, javalina, bobcat, black buck, buffalo, burros, mules, horses, longhorn cattle, and gemsbok. Located only a few miles from the World Birding Center at Bentsen Park, Rancho El Charco attracts a vast multitude of birds and ducks not to mention the butterflies that are attracted to the lakes shoreline.

Conservation, education and protection of natural habitat are at the forefront of Mark & Happy’s vision for the future. They are actively involved with local schools and universities to see that future generations learn to enjoy and protect the native environment that is so rapidly disappearing from around us.

Each year hundreds of valley school children from elementary thru middle school and above visit the ranch to witness first hand the natural landscape of Texas of days gone by. The ranch is also actively involved with senior citizen and adult day care centers so that this sector of the community is also touched.

Rancho El Charco is also one of the Valleys newest special event locations. Complete with waterfalls and romantic Caribbean Palapas the ranch is where you will find that perfect wedding setting on Walker Lake.

Travel in a carriage ride thru the natural settings with white tail deer and black buck impala.

Either a wedding at the Capilla San Marcos or the reception at the the Gran Palapa or bridal luncheon and engagement party at the Amigo Hut or a school field trip your every detail will be catered to by our staff. Call to schedule a complete tour of this unique…one of a kind South Texas facility.