Mill Creek Ranch

The Mill Creek Ranch is a 785-acre forested treasure in the coastal plain of Southeast Texas. Diverse forested cover types include mature natural pine hardwood timber, gum cypress sloughs, natural hardwood bottomlands, and investment grade loblolly pine plantations in a variety of successional stages. These ecologically rich forest cover types teem with whitetail deer, waterfowl, squirrel, and variety of non-game species. Decades long family ownership and management have preserved and enhanced the wood, water, and wildlife features of this property. Location and Regional Socio-Economic Resources Located in south Jasper County, Texas, this property, although rural and seemingly remote, is strategically located near both economic and recreational resources not typically found in such close proximity to one another. Industrial and business centers are nearby, including the Golden Triangle (Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange) only a half hour away, and the Greater Houston area less than two hours away. Prime recreational opportunities close by include the Lakes Area of East Texas (Sam Rayburn/Toledo Bend/Steinhagen Reservoirs), being only an hour or less away to the north. The beaches and coastal marshes of the eastern Texas Coast are also within an hours drive to the south. Landscape Features The landscape in the area is generally flat, although on this property, the watercourses that flow through it provide topographical relief, with elevation changes ranging from 55 to 75 above sea level. The propertys sandy and silt loams are typical for the area, with relatively high plant productivity while providing practical utility for a variety of uses. Water Resources Mill Creek, a named perineal stream, and its tributaries, flow through the ranch in a generally north to south direction, with its tributaries reaching both eastern and western portions of the property. Additionally, natural small ponds in low lying depressions provide unique localized habitat. Improvements An improved forest road system meanders through the tract providing more than adequate access to various sections, from east to west and south to north. Much of the perimeter is fenced, although livestock grazing was discontinued decades ago. Ecology The ecologically rich and diverse natural resources in the area include the Big Thicket National Preserve, predominantly along the Neches River Corridor(a portion of which is less than four miles from the property), and The Nature Conservancys Sandy Land Sanctuary adjacent to Village Creek. Mill Creek Ranch features several of the Big Thicket natural plant communities including bottomland floodplains, baygalls, palmetto hardwood flats, cypress sloughs, and mixed grass prairies. Across this variety of plant communities are found water oak, laurel oak, willow oak, cherrybark oak, southern red oak, sweetgum, red maple, black gum, water hickory, loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, longleaf pine, American hornbeam, swamp tupelo, bald cypress, and eastern hophornbeam, along with an even more diverse group of mid-story and understory woody shrubs, forbs, and herbaceous vegetation. These cover types and the borders between them provide quite a diverse set of wildlife habitats and edge effect zones that support healthy animal populations and landscape features that help them thrive. The age and spatial distribution of the areas planted in pine(established in 1995, 2017, and 2021), along with the interspersed natural plant communities work together to provide all stages of ecological succession, also supporting healthy and diverse wildlife populations. Summary This property is truly a special place in East Texas, strategically located for a variety of uses. It is of an adequate size for high fence trophy whitetail management or exotic game habitat, especially given is diverse cover types, water features, and other ecological resources. It also could be considered for residential or commercial development potential, given its proximity to population and business centers. Of course, it has exceptional recreational potential to manage as is for native wildlife species and timber production, as it has been for decades. Interested parties should contact Colin Townsend or Ryan McKnight, with Morrow Land Group, for a tour of the property or to answer any questions you might have. Showings are by appointment only.