Clearwater Ranch

10/12/2026

One more cabin trip before the season wraps up? 👀🍂

We’re down to the final stretch for cabin stays at Clearwater Ranch. After Smoke Show on the Frio 2026 we’ll start winterizing and closing them up for the season.

So if you’ve been waiting for a reason to get back to the Frio, this is it.

Cabins are starting at $125 a night during non-peak season, which means you still have time for a quiet fall getaway, a little porch sitting, and one more weekend by the river.

Don’t let “we should go” turn into “we should’ve gone.”

Grab a cabin while you still can. 🌊🏡

10/11/2026

There are some weekends where you come to Visit Real County for one thing.

November 12–15 is NOT one of those weekends.

You might come for Smoke Show on the Frio 2026, but before long you’ll realize the whole county is part of the experience.

Spend part of the day checking out the Twin Rivers Nap-In and watching the skill and tradition behind arrowhead knapping. Catch some music during Songs on the Frio. Stop by vendors set up throughout Real County. Grab some food. Then follow the smell of smoke to Clearwater Ranch & Resort for Smoke Show on the Frio November 13–14.

It’s the kind of weekend where you can load up the family in the morning and just see where the day takes you.

BBQ. Music. Vendors. History. The Frio River. Small-town Texas, and plenty to do for kids, parents, grandparents, and everyone in between.

If you’ve been looking for a reason to Visit Real County, this is it.

Come for Smoke Show on the Frio. Stay for the whole weekend and experience everything happening across Real County November 12–15.

10/11/2026

Some things just happen on their own time.

The Frio flows at its own pace, and maybe life is supposed to work the same way.

Slow down. Enjoy where you are. Spend time with your people. Take in the view. The next chapter will get here soon enough.

Another little piece of wisdom from The Book of Steve. 📖

Just sayin’. 🌊

10/10/2026

We’ll be out at the Leakey Little League Home Run Derby and we’re proud to support another great part of our community. ⚾️

At Clearwater Ranch giving back locally matters to us. From supporting the Real County Junior Horse Club , to the Real County Jr. Livestock Show Association, and now the Leakey Little League, we love being able to show up for the kids, families, and organizations that make Real County such a special place.

We’ll see y’all at the derby. Come out, have some fun, cheer everybody on, and support Leakey Little League with us.

10/10/2026

Some views just make you stop and take it all in. 🌊

Clear Frio water, blue skies, cypress trees, and not much else you need in the moment.

This is the kind of view that reminds you why people keep coming back to Clearwater Ranch year after year.

Sometimes the best part of the trip is finding a quiet spot, slowing down, and letting the river do the rest.

10/09/2026

Shelly had an idea, and now it’s turning into one of our favorite things from the 2026 season.

We’re putting together our Clearwater Ranch 2026 Memories montage, and we want YOU to be part of it.

Drop your favorite Clearwater Ranch photos and videos in the comments below so we can keep building this year’s collection of river days, family fun, float life, naps in the shade, and all the little moments that made this season special.

And don’t forget, we’re also turning it into a little friendly competition.

Submit your best Clearwater Ranch photo from 2026, because one winning photo will earn a FREE off-season weekend stay at Clearwater Ranch, your choice of a cabin or RV site.

So dig through that camera roll and share your favorite memory with us.

Let’s make this a tradition year after year.

10/09/2026

Only 5 weekends left. 👀🌊

That’s it. Just five more chances to book a cabin during the weekend at Clearwater Ranch & Resort before we close them down and winterize for the season after Smoke Show on the Frio 2026.

Cabins start at just $125 a night, so if you’ve been saying, “We need one more Frio trip this year,” this is your sign.

Five weekends.
One more getaway.
Then we’ll see you next season.

Call and book your cabin before the weekends are gone! 🌊🏕️

10/08/2026

🔥🐴 More Than BBQ. More Than a Cookoff. It's About Keeping Texas Traditions Alive! ❤️

What started as a dream for Shelly has grown into a Texas State Championship BBQ cookoff, bringing together family, friends, and a community that believes in giving back.

But there's a lot more to Smoke Show on the Frio than brisket, trophies, and BBQ pits!

From Steve and Shelly's family history of competitive BBQ to their passion for keeping kids on horses through the Real County Junior Horse Club, this event has a story worth telling.

As we prepare for our SECOND annual Smoke Show on the Frio, November 13–14, we wanted to share the heart behind it all. ❤️

📖 We invite you to read our latest blog and discover why this event means so much to our Clearwater Ranch family and what we hope it will mean for generations to come.

👇 Read the full story here!

🔥 Come for the BBQ. Stay for the friendships. Help us keep Texas traditions alive!

From a family dream to a Texas State Championship, Smoke Show on the Frio is bringing people together for something bigger than BBQ.

10/08/2026

🔥🐷 RIBS ARE HITTING THE PIT! 🐷🔥

Ribs are one of the four main competition categories at Smoke Show on the Frio 2026 and this is one turn-in that always gets some attention.

Sweet. Spicy. Smoky. Saucy. However you cook them, bring your best rack and make every bite count.

Champions Barbecue Alliance rib turn-in rules:

🐷 Enough ribs for 6 judges
🔥 Pork Spare Ribs, St. Louis cut, or Baby Back ribs are allowed
🦴 Ribs must be bone-in and individually cut
🚫 No garnish allowed
📦 Foil provided by CBA must be placed unfolded at the bottom of the tray

When that rib pulls clean and the flavor hits just right, you might be looking at a walk to the stage. 🏆🔥

Who’s coming to Rio Frio ready to take home the RIBS trophy?

📍 Clearwater Ranch | Rio Frio, TX
📅 November 13–14, 2026
🏆 CBA Sanctioned Texas State Championship

10/07/2026

🔥 MORE THAN JUST A COOKOFF 🔥

Smoke Show on the Frio 2026 is about great BBQ, competition, and bringing people together, but there’s a bigger reason behind what we’re doing.

This year, Smoke Show on the Frio benefits the Real County Junior Horse Club, an organization dedicated to keeping local kids in the saddle, teaching them horsemanship, responsibility, sportsmanship, and traditions that have been part of this community for generations. 🐴

For Steven and Reahshell, this one is personal. Throughout the summer, they volunteer with the Horse Club each week, watching these kids learn, compete, build confidence, and develop a love for something worth carrying forward.

That’s what Smoke Show is about too.

We’re bringing one Texas tradition, BBQ, together to help preserve another. Every team that cooks, every sponsor that steps up, and everyone who comes out to support the event is helping the Real County Junior Horse Club continue giving local kids a place to ride, learn, compete, and grow.

🔥 Smoke Show on the Frio 2026
📅 November 13–14
📍 Clearwater Ranch
🐴 Benefiting the Real County Junior Horse Club
🎟️ FREE to attend

Come enjoy some great BBQ and help us keep kids on horses and keep the tradition alive.