Rancho Santa Cruz Airstrip

No official reason for the closure has been published. As a private airstrip serving a ranch, the most probable reason is abandonment due to a lack of need or economic justification. This could be because the owner sold their aircraft, the property changed hands, or the costs of maintaining the airstrip were no longer considered worthwhile. The closure appears to be a result of gradual disuse rather than a specific event like an accident or regulatory action.

The airstrip is abandoned and unusable for aviation. The unpaved, dirt runway, approximately 3,300 feet in length, is still clearly visible from satellite view. However, it is heavily overgrown with desert scrub and shows signs of erosion. The site is not maintained, and the land has reverted to its natural state as part of the surrounding ranchland. There is no infrastructure, such as hangars or terminal buildings, visible at the site, which is typical for a basic private airstrip.

Rancho Santa Cruz Airstrip was a private general aviation facility. Its primary and likely sole purpose was to serve the needs of the large ranch it was named after, Rancho Santa Cruz. Operations would have consisted of light, single-engine aircraft (e.g., Cessna, Piper) used for private transportation for the ranch's owners, guests, and personnel. It may have also been used for agricultural purposes, such as aerial surveying of the property or livestock. Its significance was purely private and local, providing convenient air access to a remote ranch property, bypassing the need to travel to the main Monclova International Airport (MMMV) located approximately 25 miles to the south.

There are no known public plans or prospects for reopening the Rancho Santa Cruz Airstrip. As a private facility, any decision to restore and reopen it would be at the sole discretion and expense of the current landowner. Given the significant cost required to clear, grade, and restore the runway to a safe condition, and its limited private utility, a reopening is considered highly unlikely.