VW Slug Bug Ranch - Conway, TX
A large “Motel” sign greets visitors to the Slug Bug Ranch, but the motel is just one of a series of failed businesses on the grounds.
At the intersection of I-40 and TX-207, about 30 minutes east of Amarillo, there was once an often-overlooked tourist attraction that’s as much a ghost town as it is an artistic endeavor.
A once-thriving travel plaza is now a tombstone of a family business, living in the shadow of the Cadillac Ranch that it pays homage to.
My then-fiancée and I discovered the VW Slug Bug Ranch by accident on our way home from Las Vegas in January of 2022, and though it doesn’t get the same appreciation as the Cadillac Ranch across town, it was easily the more exciting stop for Charity and I.
This story is part nine of my January 2022 road trip to Las Vegas. Read about our other stops here:
Bitter cold and brutal winds couldn’t stop Charity and I from enjoying ourselves at Amarillo’s Slug Bug Ranch.
Longhorn Trading Post and Rattlesnake Ranch
When Cadillac Ranch opened in 1974 on the opposite side of Amarillo, it was an almost immediate attraction. An attraction that remains popular and relevant to this day. Slug Bug Ranch, also known as the Bug Farm, didn’t come to fruition till 2002 and appears to have been shuttered in 2023.
The Crutchfield family had operated the Longhorn Trading Post and Rattlesnake Ranch since 1967 but it didn’t become the VW Bug Ranch until 2002, and the enterprise closed down altogether not long after.
According to oral traditional, the Crutchfields felt their business was in jeopardy due to a Love’s Travel Stop opening on the opposite side of I-40.
Supposedly, Tommy Crutchfield half-buried five Volkswagen Bugs nose down as a tribute to the Cadillac Ranch in an attempt to siphon some of the passing traffic away from Love’s. The Bugs were painted yellow and a sign encouraged visitors to “Sign a Bug.”
The tourist stop has been quite successful in drawing in visitors, but it failed to save the Crutchfields’ trade post and they closed up shop a year later.
The current owner of the property, however, disputes this legend - which has been repeated on countless travel blogs like mine. According to Tommy’s wife, Ettie Crutchfield, the businesses were shuttered due to personal family matters, not because the business failed. She alleges it was not Tommy, but his brother, Ricky, who placed the cars on the lot.
The land remains in the family to this day, though all of the buildings are now vandalized, tattered remnants far beyond saving. It is also unclear if the cars are still there or not.
A Micro Ghost Town
Slug Bug Ranch isn’t technically a ghost town, since it was never a town to begin with. But fans of ghost towns would still enjoy visiting this quickly deteriorating outpost. There was a lot of history to enjoy at the site, but not for long if the current vandals keep up their pace.
The bugs were lined up on the southernmost portion of the Crutchfield property, immediately next to the road, and it was easy to drive right up to them, though the area was littered with broken glass, debris, and potholes.
There were also snakes to watch for, though we didn’t see any ourselves. The place was probably called Rattlesnake Ranch for a reason. Snakes have reportedly been spotted all over the area, including in the buggies themselves.
Next to the bugs was an unidentified old building that I would guess was probably the café. The inside was absolutely trashed. The drop ceiling had mostly collapsed, dumping insulation all over the floors. There were tires, rubbish, and lots of empty spray paint cans.
For many years it was not uncommon to see a truck out front selling spray paint so visitors can leave their mark on the bugs.
The buildings themselves were not marked off limits. There no signs warning of trespass, the doors hung wide open, and there was no safety tape or fencing. Despite this, Mrs. Crutchfield asserts that nobody is welcome on the property.
About 20 yards from the café was the old Longhorn Trading Post. It was in the same condition as the café and the gas station: completely wrecked and filled with debris.
Past the trading post as an abandoned gas station, whose awning had collapsed in on itself. The main section of this building was a little more open and had less rubbish than the trading post and café, but it was still a mess of vandalism. The messages were a mix of inspirational, vulgar, comedic, and simple tagging.
The former home of the Crutchfield family is haunting and fascinating.
In my opinion, the coolest building on the grounds was the Crutchfield home itself. Despite being abandoned at the same time as the rest of the travel stop, the home was in somewhat better shape than the commercial buildings and looked like a scene straight from Courage the Cowardly Dog.
The interior had seen better days but it was still mostly safe to walk through and offered a glimpse into the life of this entrepreneurial family of homesteaders.
The best part of Crutchfield home was the terrifying basement that would serve as an excellent set for the next SAW movie. The walls had been painted red and a creepy 70s couch and mattress had been left behind. One visitor left eerie instructions to “look behind the door,” but I couldn’t figure out what I was supposed to be looking for.
The final site of interest was an old Texaco station next to the house that I imagine was replaced by the modern gas station and convenience store closer to the road. The underground gas tank was crumbling and there was a sinkhole that you could easily break an ankle stepping in.
Who Owns Slug Bug Ranch?
Ettie Crutchfield acquired all of the old abandoned buildings and the bugs in 2009 following Tommy’s death.
There was also an old OYO motel south of the ranch that has been out of business for about two years. Perhaps one day it too will be claimed by nature and vandals.
Northwest of the ranch was an Executive Inn that appears to be operational, though the reviews would definitely discourage me from staying there.
Our visit to Slug Bug Ranch was the final stop on a long road trip to Las Vegas and back, and I’m so glad we made the visit. I always preach that you never know when an attraction like this will vanish, so you should never waste an opportunity to stop by.
According to Mrs. Crutchfield, the cars were removed from the property in October of 2023 and new signage has been installed to warn of trespassing. There are also supposedly cameras on site.
Route 66 News did an interview with a Mr. Steve Clegg who claimed to be moving the cars to a new location down the road with the aim of opening the attraction in January of 2024.
However, Mrs. Crutchfield alleges that he has been scamming her in some way, that he moved the cars without her permission, and that they were in the process of being returned to their former location on her land. She claims to have involved the Carson County Sheriff in the situation.
It’s unclear to me where the cars are now or if the attraction will ever be open again in its current location or a new location. It’s a shame, really.
