5286 West Fork Ranch is a remarkable 381-acre property located near the historic community of Shelby, in the highly desirable Round Top-Brenham area of NW Austin County. What sets this ranch apart is its rare combination of a beautifully appointed country estate & the rugged, untamed character of the surrounding land. An architecturally stunning home sits atop a prominent hill, surrounded by beautifully landscaped grounds, centuries-old live oaks, & sweeping views of the countryside. Yet beyond this refined setting lies an entirely different world-hundreds of acres of heavily timbered creek bottoms, towering hardwood forests, winding creeks, & exceptional wildlife habitat. With approximately 4, 650 feet of frontage along West Mill Creek and more than 100 feet of elevation change, West Fork Ranch offers the elegance and convenience of a premier country estate near Round Top, combined with the privacy, hunting, and sense of adventure typically associated with much larger, more remote ranches. LOCATION West Fork Ranch is located near the historic community of Shelby in northwest Austin County, ideally situated between Round Top, Industry, and Brenham. The ranch is approximately 10 minutes from Round Top, 30 minutes from Brenham, and an hour and a half from both Houston and Austin. This highly desirable location offers convenient access to the restaurants, shopping, and cultural attractions of the Round Top area while maintaining the privacy and seclusion of a much larger, more remote ranch. The property is accessed from Skull Creek Road via a private, fenced entrance road. TOPOGRAPHY, RANGELAND & HABITAT West Fork Ranch offers an exceptional diversity of habitat, ranging from elevated improved pastures and mature oak woodlands to heavily forested creek bottoms. This combination creates a striking contrast between the manicured grounds surrounding the main residence and the wild, largely undisturbed country beyond. The entrance approaches from the upland portion of the ranch, where the main house sits atop a prominent knoll overlooking the rolling countryside to the north. This higher ground is characterized by sandy loam soils and a beautiful mix of mature live oaks and post oaks, interspersed with elms and hackberries. From the uplands, the terrain drops more than 100 feet toward the West Mill Creek bottomlands that define the back of the ranch. Here, the landscape takes on an entirely different character, with heavier clay soils supporting a dense forest of towering pecans, live oaks, elms, sycamores, hackberries, and other native bottomland hardwoods. Multiple feeder creeks wind through this lower country, creating interesting topography, secluded pockets of heavy cover, and a remarkable sense of wilderness. An old Ducks Unlimited wetland unit adds another dimension to the landscape and its recreational potential. OTHER Conservation Easement: Approximately 89.696 acres of the West Mill Creek bottomland along the northern boundary are protected by a perpetual conservation easement granted to the Wetland Habitat Alliance of Texas as part of the Mill Creek Mitigation Bank. The easement covers land entirely within the 100-year floodplain and, based on the property's historical use and management, allows continued recreational activities, including hunting and wildlife management, as well as certain improvements such as ranch roads and deer blinds. Given the property's location within the floodplain and its natural suitability for recreational use, the easement has relatively little practical impact on the overall enjoyment of the ranch. It also helps preserve the wild, undisturbed character of this exceptional creek bottom. All permitted uses remain subject to the recorded easement terms. Access: West Fork Ranch is accessed from Skull Creek Road via a deeded access easement leading northward to the main body of the property....Contact Broker for more information.