A Ranch To Die For

Scalia dies at West Texas ranch favored by celebrities like Mick Jagger

With the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia at Cibolo Creek Ranch, the West Texas resort has been thrust into the international spotlight in a way that owner and Houston businessman John Poindexter surely never imagined.

From the Daily Mail to the Washington Post and New York Times, the media is delving into the story of the 30,000-acre ranch that has attracted notables such as Mick Jagger, Bruce Willis, and Tommy Lee Jones. The Dixie Chicks' Emily Erwin was wed there, Texas-style, as was the group's manager.

Scalia was among 35 guests, many from Washington, joining Poindexter on one of several hunting weekends that he hosts each year.

I've visited Cibolo Creek Ranch a number of times, including weddings and party weekends as the guest of Poindexter.

As I wrote for the Houston Chronicle, following one visit, "Gourmet fare, luxurious guest rooms, dramatic scenery, Western history, longhorn cattle, horseback riding, mountain tours, and uncommon quiet — the offerings of Cibolo Creek Ranch combine in a secluded hideaway aimed at contemporary trailblazers."

Star gazing is another integral part of the ranch experience. Two Meade telescopes give guests the opportunity to view the stars in a sky unfiltered by commercial light.

Poindexter bought the ranch in 1988 and began an extensive restoration project that earned his three 18th century adobe forts spots on the National Register of Historic Places.

Accommodations in the forts are decorated in rich ranch style, adding an air of authenticity to the experience that begins with the thick adobe walls and cottonwood beams. Guests can choose from courtyard or lakeside rooms, with prices starting at $350 per night. With the kitchen providing Texas-style meals (including Tex-Mex) three times a day, there is no need to venture from the property.

However, with quirky Marfa just down the road, there is always the opportunity to venture out.

For the traveler looking for a rugged experience, the Morita Fort, 45 minutes across the property from the main forts, offers a rare experience. There is no electricity, so guests use oil lamps for light, cool breezes in place of air conditioning, a gas-log stove that provides heat, and a gas-burning water heater. This, Poindexter says, is where Mick Jagger and his family spent a full month on two consecutive summers.

While remote (unless you travel by private aircraft and drop down on the landing strip), the ranch is accessed by flights to Midland and a three-and-a-half hour drive that takes you through Marfa.

Cibolo Creek Ranch has received kudos from numerous publications, including Travel + Leisure, Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report, and Architectural Digest.

Cibolo Creek Ranch finds itself in an unexpected spotlight with the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Courtesy photo

Cibolo Creek Ranch finds itself in an unexpected spotlight with the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

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Spa getaway

Canyon Ranch debuts luxe Hill Country resort with Texas’ largest spa

Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin

Canyon Ranch Austin is opening in October 2026.

Fort Worth-based wellness brand Canyon Ranch has debuted its long-awaited Hill Country resort: Canyon Ranch Austin opened October 29 with a 40,000-square-foot spa billed as the largest in Texas, a restaurant led by a three-Michelin-star chef, and an extensive lineup of fitness, medical, and wellness services.

First announced in 2022, the sprawling luxury resort sits on more than 600 acres overlooking Lake Travis in Spicewood, about an hour from downtown Austin.

The property has 141 guest rooms, 1.5 miles of lake frontage, and a network of trails winding through the surrounding terrain filled with native landscape and wildlife. Visitors might just spot a few deer or even a bald eagle.

Designed by Texas architecture firm Lake Flato, with interiors by Dallas-based Waldrop + Nichols Studio, the property melds indoor spaces with the outdoors.

“The opening of Canyon Ranch Austin represents years of thoughtful planning and nearly five decades of expertise dedicated to creating a destination that serves as home to deeply personal and highly impactful experiences for our guests,” says Mark Rivers, CEO of Canyon Ranch, in a release. "It’s a place that could only exist here and is shaped by the extraordinary landscape and spirit of the Texas Hill Country. Canyon Ranch Austin brings together our company’s unmatched expertise in health and human performance with the joy of discovery, connection, cuisine, and exceptional hospitality."

According to the release, guests can choose from more than 30 daily activities, individual consultations, and programs focused on physical health, mental wellness, spirituality, nutrition, and performance. Here's a closer look:

Supersized spa
The resort's 40,000-square-foot spa is its centerpiece, with 40 treatment rooms offering massages, facials, and body treatments alongside beauty services, recovery therapies, and newer wellness technologies.

The indoor-outdoor facility includes a salon and retail boutique, two pools, cold plunges, rain showers, indoor and outdoor whirlpools, aromatic steam rooms, and a traditional cedar sauna with continuous aromatherapy. Relaxation areas are designed to take advantage of natural daylight, while a custom soundtrack incorporates sounds from the Texas Hill Country.

The spa's offerings include exclusive beauty retreats, among them "Get Snatched," featuring celebrity facialist Ivan Pol, creator of the Beauty Sandwich.

Spa Lounge at Canyon Ranch Austin This is one of the spa lounges that will be available for guests. Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin

Focus on women's wellness
Canyon Ranch Austin also introduces the Women's Wellness Collective, a program focused on women's health at different stages of life. The resort describes it as the first dedicated practice and program of its kind in a resort setting.

Services and educational programming address perimenopause, menopause, hormonal health, postpartum care, aging, and beauty. The Collective is led by a team of practitioners, including Medical Director Dr. Riteesha Reddy, a board-certified rheumatologist with menopause certification and training in integrative and lifestyle medicine.

Dining with a Michelin-recognized chef
Dining is another big part of the resort's all-inclusive experience, with four food and beverage options.

Estella is the signature restaurant, with a vaulted dining room overlooking water and meadow views. Its culinary program is led by Val Cantú, a Central Texas native whose San Francisco restaurant, Californios, holds three Michelin stars. Executive Chef Blake Ransom oversees the resort's daily menus.

Cantú grew up in nearby Brownwood, where his father owned a Mexican restaurant. He has said his Texas roots will influence Estella's menu, including its tortillas.

“When I’m making tortillas, I feel connected at a root level,” Cantú said when his appointment was announced. “It reminds me of making tortillas with my grandmother and my dad.”

The more casual Flying X Café serves as another dining option. Guests can also visit the Mini Bar at the Rendezvous lounge or Oak Valley, an outdoor grove for special dining events.

Estella Estella is the signature restaurant at Canyon Ranch Austin. Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin

Fitness and outdoor adventure
Beyond the spa, Canyon Ranch Austin has two major facilities devoted to fitness and health.

The Barn is a 27,000-square-foot fitness facility with a gym, studios, and an outdoor field for fitness and movement. The Wellspring is a 12,000-square-foot medical center housing physicians, clinicians, technology, and health services. Nearby, CR Vitality offers recovery services and equipment, including Ammortal technology.

The resort's wellness programs span preventive and functional medicine, brain health, sleep, stress regulation, metabolic health, nutrition, and emotional and spiritual well-being, they say.

Outside, guests can explore more than five miles of hiking and biking trails, try watersports on Lake Travis, or visit the lakeside beach and sauna. A spring-fed water feature known as Longfield Pond covers more than seven acres. The racquet center includes four pickleball courts, two tennis courts, and a padel court for those who've taken up the popular racquet sport.

Canyon Ranch Austin Guests can hike along the shores of Lake Travis.Photo courtesy of Canyon Ranch

Home on the Ranch
For those who want to make the Canyon Ranch lifestyle a little more "permanent," The Ranch Home Collection offers 134 single-family homes within the property.

Designed by Lake Flato and Canyon Ranch, the homes incorporate natural materials and features intended to bring wellness into daily life, the company says. Standard amenities include a sauna, cold plunge, and stargazing features. Homes range from about 3,200 to 4,800 square feet, with homesites spanning 0.8 to 3.7 acres and prices starting at $3.8 million.

A swanky stay
Overnight stays at Canyon Ranch Austin start at $1,325 per person, per night. The all-inclusive experience includes lodging, meals, and access to daily fitness and wellness activities, while additional spa treatments and services may cost extra.

The resort's Stay Your Way package includes a $200 nightly spa and fitness credit for stays of two nights or longer. Stays of three nights or longer also include an additional $300 health and wellness credit. Rates vary by season, package, and occupancy.

Canyon Ranch was founded in Tucson, Arizona, in 1979. After Goff Capital acquired the company in 2017, its headquarters moved to downtown Fort Worth. The brand's Fort Worth wellness club and spa opened at the Crescent in 2023.

Canyon Ranch Austin is at 600 Moonlight Bend, Spicewood.

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