Big Bend Ranch, TX

Location Overview
The airstrip — also known as Sauceda Airstrip — sits within Big Bend Ranch State Park in far West Texas, in Presidio County. It drops you into the rugged, remote interior of the park near the Sauceda Ranger Station. The surrounding terrain is classic Chihuahuan Desert: volcanic mountains, sweeping mesas, and the Rio Grande forming the border with Mexico just to the south. It is one of the most isolated fly-in destinations in the state.

Camping & Recreation
Visitors can make it a day trip or spend the night in the Bunkhouse, and the strip is large enough to accommodate club fly-ins with multiple tie-downs adjacent to the runway. The Sauceda Bunkhouse is a former hunting lodge that holds up to 30 people bunkhouse-style, featuring a shared commercial kitchen, common living area with fireplace, and showers — though linens are not provided. Primitive camping is available at $8 per night. Entrance fees are $5 per person during peak season (November through April) and $3 per person during the off-season (May through October), with payment made at the Sauceda Ranger Station about one mile west of the airstrip. Recreational opportunities in the park include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, birding, stargazing, and river access to the Rio Grande for rafting and canoeing.

Notes & Warnings
Runway 8/26 is asphalt, 5,500 feet by 80 feet, and is generally in good condition, though weeds have been known to push through the surface. There are approximately 10 tie-downs at the west end, so pilots should bring their own ropes. No fuel is available at the airstrip; the nearest options are Presidio (PRS), Marfa (MRF), and Alpine (E38). Elevation is approximately 4,250 feet MSL, so density altitude should be factored carefully, especially in summer. Pilots should read the park's official airstrip and aircraft guidelines and call ahead to let park staff know their arrival time. There is no charge for using the airstrip itself, but standard state park entrance and camping fees apply and are collected at the Sauceda Ranger Station approximately one mile west of the strip. Calling the ranger at (432) 358-4444 before arrival is strongly advised, particularly if you need a pickup.

History
The airstrip's origins trace back to around 1958, when Len G. "Tuffy" McCormick — an ex-football pro and Midland oilman — likely cleared the original dirt strip after purchasing the ranch from the Fowlkes brothers. He would fly in on his Aero Commander and even built a hangar in the style of the Sauceda bunkhouse, though it was later destroyed in a storm. McCormick sold the property in 1959 to Julian Sprague, a short-term owner who passed away in 1961 and who reportedly lit the runway — a rusty "Sprague Field" sign still stands in the scrub near the strip today. Robert O. Anderson, chairman of the Atlantic Richfield Corporation, took ownership in 1969 and realigned and enlarged the strip, with paving likely added in the 1980s when he and partner Walter Mischer were developing the ranch into a hunting operation. The State of Texas acquired the property in 1988, and the airstrip was formally incorporated into public use under the 2007 Texas Parks and Wildlife Public Use Plan.