826 Acres in Athens, TX - $4,237,500

Pine Hill Ranch is a prime combination ranch offering the best in its class for even the most sophisticated Buyer. Nearly 12 miles of established roads and trails meander across the rolling, dramatic topography reaching each corner of the ranch while accessing some of the best timber in East Texas. The combination of planted and native timber on the southern portion resembles that of a state park in its best condition and fosters abundant wildlife and habitat year-round. The property is private and secluded offering the new owners a true piece of Piney Woods paradise. A home site location has been established overlooking the 20+/- ac lake and is lined with dogwoods and a sunrise view complimented by peace and quiet. Quality deer management over the years has produced both abundant and attractive native white-tailed deer, a growing Eastern turkey population and migratory birds such as dove and waterfowl. Couple that with the improved pastures, native timber, and ranch house to the north, you can literally do it all with this unique combination of recreational and agricultural attributes.

Location/Local Touring Attractions: Pine Hill Ranch is equidistant from both Athens & Palestine, TX. (18 - 22miles), ~95 minutes southeast of Dallas, ~45 minutes southwest of Tyler.

For the evenings when you don't feel like cooking dinner, you'll have multiple options to choose from. The charming, small country towns of Athens and Palestine are great options if you need a good restaurant, groceries, supplies or other services. Both you and your guests alike will enjoy the laid-back pace of life that East Texas provides.

Local Attractions: Texas Freshwater Fishery (Athens), 3 P's and a Vine Winery (Athens), Tara Vineyard & Winery (Athens), Athens Brewing Co., Castle Oaks Winery, Lake Athens, and Athens Country Club and Lake Palestine.

Improvements: On the north end of the ranch you'll find a 1,566 SF home that provides a turnkey home that is ready to enjoy. The home features three bedrooms and two baths with new appliances and all of the comforts of home. The home features several updates throughout, a new roof, and other improvements. There is a 2-car garage with storage and an additional out building. Once you drive past the house, dramatic rolling hills greet you as you drop down into the wooded creek bottom. The pastures have been managed, sprayed and are currently being grazed at the moment. Separating the pastures and along the creeks one will find native timber and abundant native browse providing habitat for deer and other wildlife.

On the south end of the ranch much of the heavy lifting tasks have been completed. Paved county road provides all - weather access to the property on the west side's newly high - fenced border. Over 6,500' of high tensile net wire fencing is currently being installed to help manage the deer on the west side of the ranch. The owners have also recently finished a 20+/- acre lake specifically designed for growing trophy Largemouth Bass. The intentionality and effort in constructing this lake spared no expense. From choosing the ideal location to the attention to detail in construction of the lake, the stage is set for a truly remarkable fishery. Lake construction was complete in March of 2020 and plans are in place to start stocking baitfish this coming spring.

Along with the new fencing, a high-performance water well was installed near the lake with underground electricity to help supplement the water level in drought conditions. See details below in the Surface Water & Fisheries section.

Nearly 8 miles of established roads network themselves across the ranch to provide access to all corners of the landscape. Along those trails, eight different areas exist for white-tail hunting and food plot locations. Much of the management of the ranch was done with recreation and hunting in mind as you'll find abundant forage and browse from fence to fence.

A scenic home site location was mulched on a hill overlooking the lake. The site is nestled among mature dogwoods and towering pines providing ultimate aesthetics, privacy, and an incredible sunrise view.

Surface Water & Fisheries: The ranch features a brand-new 20+/- acre lake on the south end that was just finished in March of 2020. The utmost intentionality was used in the construction of this lake. The owners had many goals with this lake, the #1 being trophy bass. Premiere biologists and fisheries experts were consulted for months on end prior to the construction phase to make sure the recipe was just right to have a trophy bass fishery. Everything from its location, size, watershed, and construction speak to these goals. The secret to trophy bass fisheries is managing the inflow of water. If the owners can control the inflow of water, then they can intensely manage the fishery from top to bottom.

A high output well was dug near the lake to help supplement the water level during drought conditions. This well is drilled into a sub crop aquifer (above potable water) tapping into the mineral rich abundant water tables found in this geographical area. This is a preferred method for supplementing a lake due to the quality of the water and its chemistry. The well is currently being used to help fill the lake and well suited with a 6'' line and large pump.

The lake was built by a well-known lake builder in the area and is outfitted with an earthen emergency spillway as well as a siphon system to maximize oxygenation when draining water once levels exceed normal pool. The lake also features numerous brush piles and structures placed throughout the bottom of the lake at all depths in addition to graveled areas specifically designed for spawning beds.

The lake was purposely crafted in surrounding mature timber for the utmost privacy and seclusion. One of the more unique qualities of the lake is the number of Dogwood that grow around the lake and other locations on the property. The lake will be an absolute sight to behold come spring when they have bloomed!

On the north end a prolific spring feeds a wetland year-round and provides the new owners with a solid opportunity for waterfowl habitat. The wetland is surrounded by native timber and cover and would be an ideal location to further develop a prime waterfowl hunting area. In addition to the wetland, there is one stock tank available for wildlife and livestock on this portion of the ranch as well as several wet-weather creeks with season flow and one creek that flows south from the spring-fed wetland.

Wildlife & Hunting: In terms of wildlife, Pine Hill Ranch has both abundance and diversity. White-tailed deer, eastern turkey, waterfowl, both fox and grey squirrels, fox, bobcats, dove and many other varmints can be found year-round. The property has been managed with Quality Deer Management principles and is turnkey for the new owners to enjoy this coming fall. This is evident when touring the property as you'll find some of the most preferred native forage in abundance across the ranch. Plants such as American Beautyberry, Pokeweed, Dogwood, Sumac, Greenbrier, Honeysuckle, and Muscadine to name a few. Wildlife feeders and food plot locations have been established. Food plot locations will be re-planted again in early September.

Timber: The timber at Pine Hill Ranch is both copius and productive. There are few timbered tracts in East Texas that are this superabundant with both pine and hardwoods while carrying the highest and best use of recreation. The Loblolly Pine timber was hand planted in such a way where the native hardwoods among it can thrive and still develop naturally while providing forage and cover for wildlife. The timbers' current stage is prime, mature, and rests in its best and most productive life stage. The spacing among the trees allows just enough sunlight through the canopy to foster a healthy amount of native forage- ideal for deer and turkey.

The vast majority of the Pine timber is mostly in the saw log age class, providing the new owner with a considerable income opportunity. Pine timber is planted on approximately 500 of the 599 acres and has been intensely managed under the care of a respected East Texas forester. That management plan/personnel can transfer with the property if the future owner desires. The supplemental income potential makes it possible to continue to improve the ranch and develop its infrastructure to taste.

The hardwood timber consists of Red Oak varieties, Post Oak, Blackjack Oak, Water Oak, Rough and Smooth Bark Hickory, Dogwood and Elm trees. The hardwoods provide excellent acorn production and supplement the native white-tail forage across the ranch.

The ranch is scheduled for a controlled burn this coming winter/spring and will do well on a 2-4-year rotation moving forward. This will assist the new owners in maintaining the "park like" appearance that the timber presents in a cost-efficient manner.

Livestock/hay production: The northern portion of the ranch features over 65 acres of improved, fertile pastures where Coastal and Common Bermuda grasses are dominate over native grasses. The pastures have just been sprayed and are in prime condition to be grazed or converted over into hay production. Most of the pastures are well-drained and are accessible in both a pickup truck and/or UTV.

Topography: The topography is breath taking as it rolls throughout the entire ranch with elevation changes surrounding the drainages and ridges on the property. The ranch has a high point of ~660 feet above sea level and a low of ~420 feet above sea level.

Soils: Clay dependent Darco, Kirvin, and Tenaha soils dominate the landscape while sandy to fine sandy loams foster healthy timber, grasses and woody browse.

Airports: Athens Municipal (F44)- 20 min. from Pine Hill Ranch; Cherokee County Airport- Jet Fuel & Maintenance Available - 52 min from Ranch; Passenger Full-Service Airports - Tyler Pounds Regional 56 min from the property.

Hospitals: UT Health - Athens (21 min); Christus Trinity Mother Frances - Athens (21 min); Christus Mother Frances- Tyler (60 min).

Directions:

To South Entrance- From Dallas- take Highway175 southeast for ~70 miles to Athens and exit onto TX-7 Loop. Next, exit to Hwy. 19 follow for 23 miles to County Road 465. Turn east on County Road 465 and travel 2.2 miles to County Road 404. Turn north on County Road 404 and travel 0.3 miles to the ranch's entrance on the east side of the road.

To North Entrance- From Dallas- take Highway175 southeast for ~70 miles to Athens and exit onto TX-7 Loop. Next, exit to Hwy. 19 follow for 21 miles to FM 837. Turn east onto FM 837 and travel 4.4 miles to County Road 445. Turn south on County Road 445 and travel 0.8 miles to the ranch's entrance on the west side of the road at the gated entrance with the white fence.

Easements: Easements known to Broker are for residential utilities (electricity and rural water supply) in addition to one abandoned gas pipeline easement.

Utilities: Electric is provided by TVEC and community water is available on CR 404.

Taxes: Pine Hill Ranch carries an Ag/Timber exemption across the entire property.

Minerals: Surface only.

Asking Price: $4,237,500 ($5,130/acre)

Additional Acreage: The Owner is willing to sell 226+/- acres separate from the southern 600+/- acres if desired. Ask Broker for details.

Contact:

Stephen Schwartz, Sales Agent, 903-738-7882

Casey Berley, Broker Associate, 214-422-7253

Broker & Commission Disclosure: Buyer's Agent/ Broker must be identified upon first contact with Listing Broker/ Listing Agent and Buyer's Agent/ Broker must be present at the initial property tour in order to participate in the real estate commission. Commission splits will be at the sole discretion of Hortenstine Ranch Company, LLC.