Pioneer South Texas cattleman, Charles Waugh Hellen arrived in Texas from his family home in Washington, D.C. in 1894.

Just 17 years of age, Charlie had lost his right leg in a tragic early childhood streetcar accident and was sickly, small and frail. He was sent to regain his health in the hot dry climate of the Texas-Mexico border and within just one year, the enterprising young man had acquired 5000 acres of Texas homestead land and established his ranch headquarters at a remote cross roads, El Alto de la Mota (an elevated area on the prairie with a motte of large mesquite trees). La Mota Ranch eventually was expanded to over 8000 acres.

Wild horses overran this grassy region, known by the Spanish as the Llanos Mesteños (The Wild Horse Desert).
Charlie began his career by capturing and buying wild mares, having them bred to "blooded" jacks, producing the small but hardy "Spanish" mules. With a ready market to the north for these thrifty draft animals, he made an annual trail drive to sell his herd of mules and other stock. The return trip on the lonely and dangerous trails with gold in his saddlebags was a test of the courage and character of the young man, earning him the reputation that served him so well during those hard first years and for the rest of his life.

As the supply of wild horses was depleted and markets changed, the pioneer South Texas cattleman soon moved to cattle ranching, eventually acquiring the nearly 20,000 acres that his proud descendants operate today.

Upon arrival at the La Mota Ranch entrance, Hellen family members will board your motor coach for the 5 mile drive to the headquarters. There, you will enjoy hearty campfire-brewed coffee, hot chocolate or tea. Pour yourself a cup, relax and gather around the fire for family introductions, some ranch history, and maybe even a little cowboy poetry! We'll be glad to answer your questions about our ranch and our family before we begin exploring the historical ranch headquarters, rustic ranch museum and the corrals where some of our cattle and saddle horses are displayed. Learn about our grazing, wildlife management and award-winning natural resource conservation practices.

What's that delicious aroma? When you stepped off your motor coach, you couldn't help but notice lunch sizzling on our giant mesquite-fired grille and before long the ranch cooks will yell "Come and Get It!"
Line up for La Mota's famous buffet "parrillada" (a mixed grille of delicious beef, chicken and sausage) with all the trimmings, including cowboy rice, frijole beans, and fresh baked vaquero-style pan de campo. Top it all off with our popular pecan-crusted sourdough bread pudding served with that sinful Jack Daniels whiskey sauce! Yum!

After lunch, the group will board our pickup-drawn "Covered Wagon" and converted school bus, "The Conservation Classroom", to travel the trails of our most scenic western pastures. You'll learn more about La Mota Ranch history while observing our ranching methods and award-winning natural resource conservation practices. Bring binoculars if you wish and look for birds and other wildlife native to our ultra-diverse ecology. Learn about rare native medicinal plants and La Mota's interesting geology.
This fun and informative shuttle takes us to a hilly region overlooking our neighboring ranch, the fabled "Rancho Randado", a very private Spanish colonial ranching icon established in 1767 and still under the original family ownership. The De La Garza family has lovingly maintained the rancho's San Rafael chapel, ranch store and post office and the ranch cemetery. Legends recounted about this historical ranch will serve as "icing on the cake" of your day as a valued guest learning about "The Ranching Heritage of the Wild Horse Desert".