This realistic LBJ Ranch Self Guided Tour helps you plan your next trip to this historic house museum and farm.

The LBJ Ranch is a unique combination of a State and National Historical Parks in Central Texas. Both parks protect the homestead of Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th President of the United States.

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There are a few parks in the nation that preserve the legacy of the former presidents. Some are National Parks and Sites. Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in New York comes to mind right away.

Non government organizations run a handful of these museums. Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage in Tennessee and George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Virginia are the prime examples.

But few if any other parks are both a state and a national park. This dual operating structure is not very common for house museums in the United States and abroad.

Sights & Places of Interest

Most people visit the LBJ Ranch to learn more about the former President. His legacy is on display in the National Historical Park. There is the Texas White House, Junction School, Airstrip, and Hangar.

But you should not overlook the state park. It gives you an idea of what life was at the turn of the 20th century. The Living Farm with longhorn and buffalo herds is also worth a visit.

This LBJ Ranch Self Guided Tour describes a visit to both parks. You will learn about the best things to see in both the State Park and National Historical Park.

1. Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site

All visitors to the LBJ Ranch have to stop by Lyndon B. Johnson State & Historic Site. You must register at the Visitor Center and get a free driving permit.

It is not uncommon to go to the National Historical Park right after picking up a permit. But you might want to spend a few minutes exploring the state park. The park attractions might surprise you.

The next few sections of this LBJ Ranch Self Guided Tour describe the sights in LBJ State Park & Historic Site. They include a Living History Farm, Longhorn Herd, Bison Herd, and Facilities.

1.1. Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm

The Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm is 0.3 miles (0.5 km) east of the State Park Visitor Center. You could cover this distance by car or on foot.

Without a doubt, this Living History Farm is the main attraction of the state park. It includes a homestead of the Sauers and Beckmanns. The house museum dates back to 1865.

You could enter the house and other structures and explore them from the inside. This is a great place to see what life looked like in the 19th and early 20th century.

This part of the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm look most like Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms near Austin, Texas. It also has some similarities with Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.

As the name suggests, the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm is also a great place to learn about farming. Both kids and adults will see animals like boars, pigs, cows, and chickens.

The farming sheds display the farming tools from that era. It is quite interesting to see how farmers managed to grow animals and crops using these simple instruments.

There are rangers and volunteers inside or near most structures. Just like at Waterloo Village in New Jersey, they are happy to answer your questions.

1.2. Longhorn & Buffalo Herds

LBJ State Park is home to two herds. American Bison Herd grazes to the east from the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm. You might be able to see these animals as you are exploring the farm.

But you need to hop back in your car and drive past the Visitor Center to see Texas Longhorns. A few of steers from Official Texas Longhorn State Herd reside at the LBJ Ranch.

The rest of the herd is further west and north. You need to travel to Fort Griffin, Copper Breaks, San Angelo, or Palo Duro. LBJ State Park is an easier destination to reach than most of these parks.

1.3. Aquatic Complex

The state park is also the center of Stonewall and Johnson City communities. It has a few facilities that include an Aquatic Complex, Group Dining Hall, Picnic Area, and Resource Education Center.

The Aquatic Complex attracts most visitors among these facilities. There is a small fee to use a swimming pool in the summer. The Texas State Park annual pass does not cover facility fees.

Unless you are plan on taking a dive in the pool, you should start driving towards the National Historical Park. Ranch Road 1 follows the river towards a bridge on Klein Road.

2. Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

As soon as you cross the Pedernales River, you will enter the LBJ Ranch unit of the National Historical Park. Pedernales Falls are a few dozen miles (km) downstream from this ranch.

All sights in this unit are along a 5.7-mi (9-km) drive. Park Road 49 is a two way country road. But you could only drive Bailey Road and Malechek Road in one direction.

You should budget at least 20 minutes to finish the drive without stopping. Until the Texas White House reopens, you could complete your exploration in about 60 minutes.

2.1. Junction School

The Junction School is the first attraction to see in the National Historical Park. It is right next to the park entrance and sign.

This small school played a major role in Lyndon B. Johnson’s education. The future President learnt to read and write in this building.

LBJ returned to this school years later. He signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in front of thsi building in 1965. You could take a look inside of the school using the back door.

2.2. LBJ Birthplace

As you go further into the park, you will arrive at the LBJ Birthplace. This house is not the 1889 structure where the President was born. The original building was demolished in the 1940s.

The current house has been rebuilt in 1964. LBJ oversaw the project himself. This ensured that the birthplace house reflected the President’s memories as closely as possible.

You could tour the Birthplace at your own pace and free of charge. But the house pales in comparison to Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum in Oak Park, Illinois.

2.3. Johnson Family Cemetery

Your next stop at the LBJ Ranch could be at the Johnson Family Cemetery. It is common for former Presidents to be buried at their family estates.

But unlike the FDR grave in Hyde Park, New York you cannot enter this cemetery. Respect the requests of the family and see this peaceful area only from the outside.

2.4. Airstrip & Taxiway

The road will bring you past the Sam Ealy Johnson Sr. Home and the Cedar Guest House. You will turn right on Bailey Road then. This LBJ Ranch Tour route takes you around the 1.2-mi (1.9-km) long Airstrip.

LBJ preferred to work in Texas even when he became President. This Airstrip and a connecting Taxiway ensured that the President could quickly travel between Texas, Washington, D.C., and other destinations.

2.5. Show Barn

You will drive along the pastures and ponds towards the end of the Airstrip. There are no viewpoints on Bailey Road. Obey the speed limit and enjoy the views of the tetrahedron from your car.

The road will bring you to the Show Barn next. This is a good place to stretch your legs and learn even more about farming. Agricultural machines on display date back to the 1950s and 1960s.

The Show Barn has Herefords. LBJ raised this type of cattle at his ranch. You will likely see a few animals on the park roads. Remember that cattle has a right of way in the park.

2.6. JetStar

You need to get back on the road after visiting the Display Barn. Malechek Road brings you along the Airstrip to the Texas White House. As soon as you park, you will notice a JetStar.

LBJ referred to this small airplane as “Air Force 1/2”. The larger “Air Force One” planes could not land at the LBJ Ranch airstrip. They needed a more suitable setup in either Austin or San Antonio.

The JetStar brought the President from either city to the LBJ Ranch. You could get a look inside of this plane now. The cockpit and interior are surprisingly small.

2.7. Texas White House

The Texas White House is the reason most people come to the LBJ Ranch. The LBJ Ranch house dates back to 1894. There were a number of additions to the building over the years.

LBJ enjoyed this house so much that he decided to make it a functioning residence outside of D.C. This is how the name “Texas White House” came to be. LBJ donated it to National Park Service in 1972.

The house became open to guided tours in 2008 after Lady Bird Johnson passed away. You could not take any pictures inside the house. Sadly, the tours ran for only 10 years.

The Texas White House closed for restoration in 2018. It is still closed some 6 years later. You could expect the process to take over a decade like with Parliament Hill restoration in Ottawa, Canada.

Until the tours come back you could visit Hillwood Estate in D.C. Some interiors like the kitchen and pantry of this house are similar to the Texas White House.

2.8. Klein Shop

While the Texas White House is closed, you cannot visit other sights in the area. You would have to skip the Klein Shop on your LBJ Ranch Tour.

This maintenance shop houses the President’s cars. It is quite similar to the Garage at Moody’s Mansion in Galveston.

The park staff prepared a video display to help you experience the shop. While the experience is not the same as seeing the cars in person, it is a thoughtful touch.

2.9. Johnson Settlement

The JetStar remains the last attraction at the LBJ Ranch during the house restoration. You will take Park Road 49 back to the Junction School. This short drive brings you through a scenic oak tunnel.

While there are no other sights at the LBJ Ranch, there is one more place in LBJ National Historical Park. The Johnson Settlement is a 15-min drive to the east in Johnson City.

The Settlement has LBJ Boyhood Home, log cabin, barns, and other structures. In a way, it is similar to the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm. But there are no animals at the Johnson Settlement.

Continue with this LBJ Ranch Self Guided Tour. You will learn more about ways to get to the sights, entrance requirements, and places to stay.

Getting to LBJ Ranch

Lyndon B. Johnson is a group of two parks in the Texas Hill Country. Each of the parks has a few facilities and units. You could find them along Highway US-290 between Johnson City and Stonewall.

These towns create two clusters of attractions. Here are the addresses to use on your trip to Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and National Historical Park.

• National Park | Visitor Center & Johnson Settlement: 100 E Ladybird Ln, Johnson City, TX 78636.
• State Park | Visitor Center: 199 Park Road 52, Stonewall, TX 78671.
• State Park | Sauer-Beckmann Farm: 501 State Park Rd 52, Stonewall, TX 78671.
• National Park | LBJ Ranch: 1048 Park Road #49, Stonewall, TX 78671.

Fredericksburg is the closest town to the LBJ Ranch. While it is a gateway to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, it does not have a major airport.

You need to fly to Austin or San Antonio if you plan on visiting the LBJ Ranch from another state. This experience is most similar to LBJ’s. Both cities have airports with a good number of direct connections.

You could reach LBJ State & National Historical Parks in about 70 minutes from San Antonio Airport (SAT). A trip from Austin Airport (AUS) is about 5 minutes longer.

If you travel from either city, you will arrive at the sights in Johnson City first. It could be tempting to start your trip with a stop at Johnson Settlement. But keep driving to the LBJ ranch to beat the crowd.

A car is a must when visiting the LBJ Ranch. In fact, National Historical Park is only open to self guided driving tours. There is also no public transport to travel between different park units.

Where to Stay near LBJ Ranch

There are a handful of places to stay within a short drive from the LBJ Ranch. The closest hotels are Rose Hill Retreat AAA Four Diamond Inn and The Bentley Hotel on 290.

If you are looking for more affordable options, you need to drive for another 20 minutes to Fredericksburg. This town is a major tourist destination in the Hill Country.

You could choose from chain hotels and boutique places to stay. Your budget per night is the main criterion to consider.

It is hard to go wrong with Hampton Inn & Suites Fredericksburg and La Quinta by Wyndham Fredericksburg. These chain hotels offer a consistent experience you could find throughout the country.

You should check out Fredericksburg Inn and Suites if you prefer independent places to stay. This hotel has great amenities and raving reviews.

Out east, take a look at Courtyard by Marriott Austin Dripping Springs. And if you make it this far, you should consider hotels in Austin like Residence Inn by Marriott Austin Southwest.

Take a look at Hampton Inn By Hilton Bulverde Texas Hill Country. It is about the same distance from the park as Dripping Springs.

San Antonio has a good selection of places to stay, too. Stick to Stone Oak and Hollywood Park. Check out Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio North Stone Oak and Hyatt Place San Antonio North Stone Oak.

Entrance Requirements & Passes

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park and State Park & Historic Site do not charge entrance fees. There is no need to purchase America the Beautiful or Texas State Parks annual passes to visit.

Still, there are some requirements to be aware of before making the trip to these parks. First and foremost, you have to start your visit at the state park.

Head to the LBJ State Park Visitor Center. You need to pick up a free driving permit there before exploring both parks.

It is also helpful to know the opening hours for both parks. There are different by park unit and season and could be somewhat confusing.

• State Park | Visitor Center: open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily for visitor registration.
• State Park | Sauer-Beckmann Farm: open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from June to September. The farm is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the rest of the year for self guided exploration.
• State Park | Swimming Pool: open in summer. A facility fee of $3 per adult and $2 per child applies.
• National Park | LBJ Ranch: open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily for self guided driving tours.
• National Park | Visitor Center: open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• National Park | Johnson Settlement: 9 a.m. to sunset.
• National Park | Texas White House: has been closed for restoration since 2018. The house museum will be open to guided tours only once it reopens.

Both State Park and National Historical Park close on a few federal holidays. You will see closed gates if you try to visit the parks on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Days.

The Sauer-Beckmann Farm also closes on the last Tuesday of every month. Other facilities of both parks remain open during that time.

Takeaways: LBJ Ranch Tour

Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and National Historical Park are full of history. The State Park gives you a chance to learn about life in the early 1900s. The National Park displays life in the mid 20th century.

The Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm and the Johnson Settlement have great exhibits. Do not miss a chance to see Texas Longhorn, American Bison, and Hereford herds.

The legacy of the former President is also on full display. The Junction School, Air Force 1/2, Texas White House played a role in the nation’s history. They are well worth the drive from Austin or San Antonio.

If you like history and are traveling on Highway US-290, you should make a stop at the LBJ Ranch. But you might not enjoy this park as much unless history is your cup of tea.

There are no good hiking trails at the LBJ Ranch. You need to head to Pedernales Falls, Enchanted Rock, or McKinney Falls instead.

Take a look at this LBJ Ranch Self Guided Video Tour. And visit the YouTube channel for the latest videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!