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What we do International Dark Sky Places

Shield Ranch Barton Creek

A group of people sit around a campfire under a starry Texas sky.
Night sky by the campfire at Shield Ranch Barton Creek.
 Credit: Smiling Forest Photography

About

Shield Ranch Barton Creek is located 18 miles west of downtown Austin, Texas, USA, nestled in the Hill Country of Central Texas. It is a 6,400-acre nationally designated historic district and protected wildland containing 6.5 miles of pristine Barton Creek. The Ranch is protected in perpetuity by two conservation easements held by The Nature Conservancy and the City of Austin. 

Through an evolving program of land stewardship, four generations of the Shield/Ayres/Bowen family have restored Shield Ranch to a mosaic of habitats that today is home to a diverse community of native plants and animals. Shield Ranch understands the ways well-managed rangelands benefit a rapidly growing region, providing water and air quality, wildlife habitat, scenic vistas, access to natural areas and shares this land with the community in ways that educate, inspire, and transform during the day and at night. 

Dark sky outreach and night sky education have always been and continue to be a part of community programming at Shield Ranch. The Ranch hosted its first public Dusk to Dark Star Party in November 2022. Shield Ranch is committed to educating Ranch visitors about how to protect the night sky and the impact that light pollution has on flora and fauna. This education accompanies the Ranch’s current nature-based programming. 

Shield Ranch is committed to collaborative efforts with like-minded conservation groups and surrounding Dark Sky Places. Involvement in the Hays County Friends of the Night Sky “Sky Quality Monitoring Network” will continue as the Ranch maintains a permanent Sky Quality Meter station. The Ranch will continue to support the efforts of Dark Sky Texas, the Hill Country Alliance and initiatives of other groups that align with conservation of nature and our night sky. 

Lighting at the Ranch is dark-sky friendly and follows the 5 Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting. A night sky survey was conducted during the summer of 2023. The Ranch’s permanent Sky Quality Monitoring Station participates in the Hays County Friends of the Night Sky “Sky Quality Meter Network,” taking nightly sky quality readings every 15 minutes. Measurements contribute to the Globe at Night Monitoring Network and to the Dark Sky Texas Sky Quality Monitoring Network. Shield Ranch is accessible to registered visitors for public and private group programs and Camp El Ranchito. Nature-based programs include retreats, outdoor team building, wildlife viewing, informal environmental and conservation education, hiking, and stargazing.

Area

25.9 Sq. Km

Designated

2024

Category

Urban Night Sky Place

Address

Shield Ranch Barton Creek
16037 Hamilton Pool Rd 
Austin, TX 78738
Google Maps

Contact

Blake Murden, Ph.D.

Documents

Application
Announcement
Annual Reports

Weather

Click here to find ideal environmental conditions for enjoying dark skies near Austin, TX (30.27, -97.74).