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Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres.

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Property grounds - Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres. (Terlingua)
3 bedrooms, WiFi, bed sheets - Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres. (Terlingua)
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop - Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres. (Terlingua)
Property grounds - Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres. (Terlingua)
Interior - Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres. (Terlingua)
Welcome to Laughing Horse Retreat, a three-bedroom home nestled on 217 private acres in the scenic Christmas Mountains. With room for up to eight guests, including your dogs, this retreat offers modern comforts like a kitchen and relaxing porches with stunning views of rocky hills and valleys.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 8

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Pet-friendly
  • Air-conditioning
  • Outdoor space

Add dates for prices

About this property

Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres.

  • Summary:
    Laughing Horse Retreat: Three Bdrm Home. 217 Acres. Room for five.
    • Bring Your Dogs!
    • One Mile from Christmas Mtns Ranch
    • 217 Private Acres of Rocky Hills & Valleys
    • Easy Access. 9 Miles North of Terlingua

    The Space:
    PET FEE MAY APPLY. Dog Fees: $200 for one or two dogs. No more than two dogs allowed.

    Laughing Horse Retreat vacation rental is where y’all want to be. Bring the whole crew and your dogs! Come on out to West Texas for relaxation or adventure. The house sits on 217 acres. Laughing Horse is conveniently located along Texas Highway 118 in the scenic Christmas Mountains, just 10 miles north of historic Terlingua and Study Butte. The main house has a modern kitchen, relaxing porches, three bedrooms with comfortable beds (king, queen, twin) stunning views, abundant wildlife, desert plants, expansive acreage, and private location combine to provide a truly unique vacation experience.

    If you have a larger group or want more space, consider our Laughing Horse Retreat PLU listing with the Guest House included for two additional bedrooms and a half bath.

    Spend your time around the ranch or enjoying all that the Big Bend has to offer. Then sleep well and wake up relaxed. Go for a hike through the scenic mountains and desert. Walk to our quiet spring and watch the birds. Hang out in the Terlingua Ghost Town. Enjoy the most scenic drives in Texas. Raft down the wild and scenic Rio Grande River. Explore Big Bend National Park. Ride your mountain bike through Big Bend Ranch State Park. Enjoy dinner, drinks and live music in Terlingua. Take a guided jeep tour to some of the area’s most scenic locations. Seek all the adventure you can handle. Or, just sit in a comfy chair on a breezy porch and enjoy the views or a good book. If you don’t have time to do it all, come back again!

    Laughing Horse Retreat does not provide horseback riding, rent horses, supply tack, lead trail rides, feed horses, train horses, teach riding, or any other horse related activities. However, services such as these are available from companies in the area that are not related in any way to Laughing Horse Retreat.

    The Neighborhood:
    We manage several properties and live several miles away. We are available by phone, text, email, or messages through Airbnb. We are typically only on site for cleaning or maintenance issues.

    Interaction with Guests:
    We manage several properties and live few miles away. We are available by phone, text, email, or messages through Airbnb. We are typically only on site for cleaning or maintenance issues.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in the house: WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Hob
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Toaster

Bedrooms

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Bathtub
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • TV

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Work spaces

  • Office

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Location highlights

  • In a rural location
  • In the mountains

Things to do

  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Mountain climbing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit

General

  • Garden

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Exterior
Big Bend Station
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  • Parking included
  • Restaurant
  • Laundry room
8.4 out of 10, Very good, 297 reviews
The price is NZ$184
includes taxes & fees
12 June - 13 June
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Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age - 21

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Rules

• Children allowed • Up to 2 dogs are allowed with a pet fee. • No Events or Parties Allowed

Pets

Pets are allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Note from host: Charge may apply

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a first aid kit
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

About the area

Located in Terlingua, this holiday home is in a rural area and in the mountains. Homer Wilson Ranch is a local landmark, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Big Bend National Park and Chisos Basin Visitor Center. Make sure you don't miss outdoor adventures like horse riding and mountain climbing. Visit our Terlingua travel guide
View more Holiday homes in Terlingua
Map
Terlingua, TX

What's nearby

  • Many Colors Cliffs
    Many Stones
    7 min drive - 11.8 km
  • Big Bend National Park
    Big Bend National Park
    15 min drive - 24.0 km
  • Big Bend Library
    13 min drive - 20.5 km
  • Starlight Theatre
    18 min drive - 27.8 km
  • Barton Warnock Visitor Center
    28 min drive - 48.6 km

Frequently asked questions

Is Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres. pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres.?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres.?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres.?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres. located?

Situated in the mountains, this holiday home is 5.7 mi (9.2 km) from Many Stones and within 12 miles (20 km) of Big Bend Library and Big Bend National Park. Starlight Theatre and Big Bend Ranch State Park are also within 25 miles (40 km).

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Laughing Horse Retreat: 217 Acres. Reviews

Reviews

Exceptional

All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
More informationOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 122 out of 138 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 15 out of 138 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 138 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 138 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 138 reviews

9.6

Cleanliness

10

Location

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Monica P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location

Laughing Horse Retreat was a great stay and jump off for many nearby landmarks and points of interest. It was clean with a great morning view. Would stay here again.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Robert M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Place!

It has everything one needs for a Big Bend National Park Trip. It's close to the west entrance, and served very well for five adult men.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Paul A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Big Bend Trip

The Laughing Horse Retreat gave us a great time. Secluded and the night sky was glorious. Everyone enjoyed the stay.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Richard L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The Horses were no the only ones Laughing

The Laughing Horse Retreat was a perfect place for our family trip to Big Bend. We enjoyed the spectacular view and dark skies, and of course, many laughs!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Bob B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful stay in Terlingua, TX

Our stay here was absolutely wonderful. The property is nestled in the shadows of surrounding hills and mountains and was just spectacular. The property manager was extremely helpful and attentive to our needs. We will absolutely stay here again!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Oscar G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy

Big Bend Trip

Great location close to Big Bend w plenty of room for a group of Family or Friends. Relaxing quiet deck to unwind from a long hike/day.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Thomas W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Clean. Great location. Premium linens and comfy beds. Upgraded appliances

We enjoyed staying at this property and would do it again. Everything we needed and easy access to BBNP and Terlingua/SB. Responsive hosts. Efficient heat pump heating and air. Clear communications.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Cori M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very pleasant, remote and quaint

Perfect for our group of 5 adults. Remote site is great for star gazing and great views from all sides of the property! About 50 minutes drive into the Chisos Basin, everything else is closer. The only thing we wished it had was an air fryer to reheat our great leftovers from local restaurants.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Denis M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Grand views

At first the compound just looks like a small jumble of buildings but, once inside the main house, it is a warm, inviting place with spectacular views. All the creature comforts plus a fine deck so that you can see the night sky in all of its dark glory. Great location for visiting both the National and State Parks. Don't miss the Fossil museum!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Emily P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Big Bend weekend!

Really pleased with this rental! It was clean, had comfortable beds, and was close to Big Bend. Just what we needed! We appreciated the specific driving instructions that were provided as we were able to successfully locate the home in the total darkness arriving around 10:00pm. When we woke up the next morning we were blown away by the beautiful view. It would have been ideal to arrive during daylight, but we had a long drive in. Definitely recommend bringing all groceries you want with you as there isn’t a grocery store in town. We really enjoyed Milagro in Terlingua. (It’s a taqueria) There were a few restaurants in town that give you different options.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Karen-Marie W.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great quiet location

We were meeting friends for our first trip to Big Bend. This property is quiet and very private. It’s located fairly close to the entrance to the park. We honestly spent most of our time exploring Big Bend and nearby Terlingua. The management was very communicative! Be aware that the driveway (.5 miles) is unpaved. This was not a problem for us @ all. But if you have a fancy or low profile vehicle, it may not be the place for you. To be honest Big Bend might not be for you either 🙁 since there are many unpaved roads as well. Plan to spend time outside, because the Stargazing is amazing.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lauren B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome spring break stay

We had an excellent time at the Laughing Horse retreat over spring break 2025. This house and guest house (we reserved both for our group of 6) had everything we needed. The kitchen was well stocked with cooking supplies, even a crock pot which was great so we could have dinner ready after a long day of hiking in the state park. Both the national and state parks are just a short distance away (15 min or so), as is Terlingua. Everything was very clean; beds were comfortable. It was bigger than I'd expected for a double wide and add on guest house. The property is insane! We even went on a hike up to the peak behind the guest house (expected it to take an hour; it took 3, so plan ahead for that!). Dogs were super happy here. Directions to arrive were easy to follow. The only thing I'd recommend when staying here: bring some jugs to fill for the RO water and to refill in the parks. The house is on a non-potable well water system and the kitchen sink has an RO system for drinkable water. It couldn't produce water fast enough for our group size so we refilled the gallon jugs we'd brought for our drive and supplemented with water from the parks. Every time we left a park we refilled those jugs to have at the house. (3 one gallon jugs worked for our group of 6). Summer plan on more. To rely on the RO system alone would not have provided enough cooking or drinking water for our group of 6. Overall, a great stay and we'd stay here again!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rick W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful quiet location, close to Big Bend National and State Parks. Rooms were clean, furnished well with appliances, nice linens, drinking water. Hosts were consistently very responsive.
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Neil R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place to stay.

Great place to stay. Host was great.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

kristopher w.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice place close to Big Bend

Nice property close to Big Bend. We enjoyed our time there.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Property is secluded but easily accessible from the main road. Very quiet, incredible views, dark skies at night. AC worked well. This was ideal for our group of guys to be able to hike BBNP and even visit the McDonald Observatory. Kitchen made it easy to cook meals but town was not far away for a meal out. Internet was quick and reliable. Cell service is spotty in this area in general, but using wifi at the property allowed us to remain in contact.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tammy c.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family trip

We have been going to this area for the last 5 years and this was the best place we stayed at!!! Host response to our needs and concerns went above and beyond! Great trip.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nick F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome place

Definitely going back!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rick G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Dark Skies

We had clouds a couple nights, but that's just bad luck (and doesn't happen often here). The clear nights were magnificent! This was our second trip to Laughing Horse, and I'm sure it won't be our last. Daryl and Janet are perfect hosts.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Amy V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Vacation to Big Bend

This was a great little place conveniently located by Big Bend National Park. It was only about 15 mins from the park entrance. This was a great bond base and had everything we needed. The scenery and stars at night were amazing. I would definitely recommend the home to anyone looking to visit the area!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Milly B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peace

My adult children had such a beautiful peaceful time. They did most of the exploration & hiking on the property itself! A true gem.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2023
Archival

8/10 Good

Brandi D.

Great Value and Location, Loved being able to hike on grounds!

Really had a wonderful time! We were excited to have on grounds hiking! My husband and kids did two of the trails during our stay. Conveniently located near Study Butte, Terlingua as well as the National Park and State Park. More than enough space for our family of five, and well equipped. Thanks so much!! :)
Archival

10/10 Excellent

James L.

Clean, comfortable and close enough to both BBNP and BBRSP to check out some of both!

This place is very clean and well maintained. My sister and I stayed for four nights and we were very happy to have rented this place. The full kitchen was great, full size refrigerator, stove, oven and new pots and pans. It's important to me that i be able to prepare my own meals and this was a great place to do that. Having Netflix is a plus, on our last day it was close to freezing with drizzle and winds of 15/20 mph. We took a couple of drives, but, most of the day we were housebound. LHR was a very comfortable place to spend a harsh day!
Archival

10/10 Excellent

GORGEOUS!!!!

This was a VERY NICE place - JUST as described-and THEN SOME! You could have a nice vacation just staying here and exploring the property! The mountain views-AWESOME!!! The cactus's and other plants-AWESOME! My husband wanted to spend every morning just hiking through the property as the rest of us were getting ready for the day ahead! ALL of the area (Terlingua, the Parks, Alpine) were beautiful but Big Bend National Park was GORGEOUS and BREATH TAKING to me...and I don't use those terms often! We live in the mountains of Western NC-which is Beautiful-but in a whole other way...this was one of the most beautiful places I've visited!!! Didn't want to leave! It was in the 90's during our visit and was sweating every day...snowed back home while we were gone! Anyway, Beautiful and Perfect...NO COMPLAINTS!!!
Archival

10/10 Excellent

John W.

Excellent

My brother and I stayed here for the past week and loved it. The place is practically brand new and is well appointed and almost completely solitary. So much so that we had to leave the porch light on when we would leave to go hiking in the morning so we could find it again in the evenings. There are no other lights visible from the road as you approach the place. The kitchen has everything you'll need and the beds are new and very comfortable and it is very quiet at the home. There's a nice deck facing south where you can watch the sun rise and there is a great deal of acreage available for walks. There are no other lights around so you can see all the stars at night. Also, there is a ramp at the entrance to the house if anyone has a special need. The property manager Janet stopped by just as we arrived to make sure we had everything we needed and she was great throughout the whole process. I can't imagine that anyone could be anything other than very happy to have chosen this property for a vacation. The photos really don't do it justice, it's much better in person. I've traveled all over the US and even lived in Yellowstone and this was the best vacation I've ever taken. It's so unlike anywhere I've ever been. If you want to get away from urban life for a week, I highly recommend Big Bend, I've never been anywhere so remote in my life. When you go hiking, go to the South Rim trail, when you arrive at the rim, you will see more acreage with no sign of human development than I think you will find anywhere in the lower 48. I wondered if I would ever see a more captivating panoramic vista in my life. Literally see tens of thousands of pristine wilderness can be seen at once. And the Santa Elena canyon walls were truly remarkable.