Dearing Ranch Airport

The specific reason is not publicly documented, which is typical for a small, private airfield. The closure was most likely due to private landowner decisions. Common reasons for such closures include the sale of the ranch, the owner ceasing aviation activities, the prohibitive cost of maintenance and insurance, or a change in the property's use. There is no evidence to suggest the closure was due to a specific accident, environmental issue, or military conversion.

The airport is permanently closed and abandoned. Current satellite imagery of the coordinates reveals the faint, overgrown outline of the former runway. The land has fully reverted to its use as pasture for a working cattle ranch. The runway area is now indistinguishable from the surrounding fields, complete with grazing cattle, vehicle tracks, and fences bisecting its former path, making it completely unusable for any aviation purposes. There are no hangars or other dedicated airport buildings remaining at the site.

Dearing Ranch Airport was a private-use airfield with no significant public or commercial historical role. Its purpose was to serve the transportation needs of the owners and guests of the Dearing Ranch. When operational, it featured a single unpaved (turf or gravel) north/south runway, listed on 1990s charts as being 3,000 feet long. Operations would have been limited to general aviation aircraft, such as single-engine piston planes (e.g., Cessnas, Pipers) or light twins, suitable for landing on a short, unimproved strip. Its existence was representative of the many private airstrips built across rural Texas for personal and business convenience.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Dearing Ranch Airport. It has been officially decommissioned and unmaintained for well over a decade. Any potential for reopening would be entirely dependent on the current landowner's desire to invest significant capital to restore the runway and facilities, for which there is no public indication of interest. The airport is considered permanently defunct.