Lightning C Ranch

LIGHTNING C RANCH

264 Acres | Granbury, Texas | Hood County

Approximately One Hour from Downtown Fort Worth

Contact for Price

There are ranches you can recreate. The Lightning C is not one of them.

Set high in the hills of Hood County just below Comanche Peak, the 264-acre Lightning C Ranch is a rare legacy property offering world-class views, exceptional water, a remarkable Western home and an irreplaceable connection to Texas art and ranching history-all approximately one hour from downtown Fort Worth.

For decades, the Lightning C was the home of acclaimed Western artist, rancher and rodeo announcer Dan Coates and his wife, Judy. Together, they created a ranch that reflects the life they lived: authentic, artistic and unmistakably Western.

Now, for the first time, the Lightning C Ranch is being offered for sale.

LOCATION & VIEWS

The location may ultimately be the ranch's greatest luxury.

Situated on Neri Road between Granbury and Glen Rose, the Lightning C feels remarkably removed while remaining within approximately an hour of downtown Fort Worth and the greater DFW Metroplex.

The ranch lies just below Comanche Peak, one of the most recognizable landmarks in the region. From its elevated setting, the property commands extraordinary long-range views across North Texas, with sightlines extending toward Fort Worth to the east, Squaw Creek to the south and Chalk Mountain to the west.

These are not simply good ranch views. They are the kind of views that define a property.

For a buyer seeking a private Texas retreat without giving up convenient access to DFW, the Lightning C occupies increasingly rare ground.

THE RESIDENCE

At the heart of the ranch is an approximately 3,450-square-foot custom home designed by Dan Coates and curated alongside Judy, whose eye for interiors helped shape a residence that feels collected over generations rather than newly constructed.

The home itself is a piece of Texas art.

Massive hand-hewn timbers dating to the 1800s were brought from Pennsylvania and incorporated into the residence. Historic reclaimed stone came from the original AddRan College, the institution in nearby Thorp Spring from which Texas Christian University traces its beginnings.

Those materials give the home a character that would be extraordinarily difficult to reproduce today.

The residence includes two bedrooms and two bathrooms, along with an upstairs bunkhouse offering additional sleeping accommodations. A separate pool house complements the main residence and outdoor living area.

But specifications tell only part of the story.

The house was designed by an artist, decorated with intention and built to belong to this particular piece of Texas.

THE STUDIO & WESTERN LEGACY

Just behind the residence stands perhaps the most distinctive improvement on the Lightning C: Dan Coates' original art studio.

Designed in the character of an old Western saloon, the studio was where Dan created works inspired by the horses, cattle, cowboys and landscapes that shaped his life.

Dan was much more than a Western artist. He was a rancher, rodeo announcer, Texas Longhorn breeder, businessman and community leader whose life remained closely connected to cowboy culture.

His legacy continues throughout Granbury today. His Western art is still celebrated, and a life-size bronze honoring Dan now stands in the Shanley Sculpture Garden in downtown Granbury.

At the Lightning C, that history isn't commemorated behind glass.

It is part of the ranch.

WATER

Water is another defining feature of the property.

Contrary Creek traverses the ranch, complementing a beautiful approximately two-acre lake, multiple additional ponds and a substantial groundwater resource.

A private well producing approximately 100 gallons per minute provides exceptional water capacity for a ranch of this size.

Together, the creek, lake, ponds and well give the Lightning C a diversity of water that adds both beauty and functionality to the property.

THE LAND

The 264 acres offer the balance of scenery and productivity expected from a true Texas ranch.

Rolling terrain rises toward the higher elevations near Comanche Peak, creating dramatic changes in perspective and revealing expansive views across the surrounding countryside.

Improved coastal Bermuda pastures provide productive grazing and hay potential, and the ranch is cross-fenced for livestock management.

The property has historically supported a ranching lifestyle and remains well suited for cattle, horses and recreational use. Yet its location, topography, water and improvements also position the Lightning C as something more:

a true North Texas showplace.

A RANCH THAT CANNOT BE RECREATED

The value of the Lightning C is not found in any single feature.

It is found in the combination.

264 acres. One hour from Fort Worth. World-class elevated views. Contrary Creek. A private lake and multiple ponds. A 100 GPM well. An artist-designed Western home built with historic materials. Dan Coates' original studio. And a legacy that has been decades in the making.

A buyer could purchase land and build another beautiful ranch.

What cannot be built again is the history.

For the next owner, the opportunity is not simply to acquire acreage near Granbury. It is the opportunity to own a distinctive piece of Texas and become the next steward of the Lightning C Ranch.

PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS

*264 acres in Granbury, Hood County, Texas

*Approximately one hour from downtown Fort Worth

*Positioned just below Comanche Peak

*Exceptional long-range views toward Fort Worth, Squaw Creek and Chalk Mountain

*Longtime home of Western artist Dan Coates and his wife, Judy

*Approximately 3,450-square-foot custom residence

*Two bedrooms and two bathrooms

*Upstairs bunkhouse for additional accommodations

*1800s hand-hewn timbers

*Reclaimed historic stone from the original AddRan College

*Dan Coates' original saloon-style Western art studio

*Pool house and outdoor living area

*Contrary Creek

*Approximately two-acre private lake

*Multiple ponds

*Approximately 100 GPM water well

*Improved coastal Bermuda pastures

*Cross-fenced for livestock management

*Productive ranch land with cattle and equestrian potential

*Offered for sale for the first time