Backcountry Haven

Set among pine and oak woodland, Backcountry Haven’s authentic log home sleeps up to 12 people, featuring five bedrooms and two baths. It is located near Yosemite National Park, with a barn and covered horse corrals. The full kitchen offers ample countertop space, the large living room has a wood-burning stove, and a covered veranda invites outdoor living. Use the large barbeque to cook up your favorite dishes, then enjoy them at the outdoor tables!

Four bedrooms have a queen bed and one has a king-sized bed. The large bedroom also has a log-framed bunk bed. Two bathrooms and a separate vanity sink area provide plenty of personal space. There is an upstairs reading/game table area. Downstairs, you’ll find a large flat screen and surround sound system with BluRay and Apple TV. There is internet and cell phone coverage.

Coffee Creek Ranch

Unwind, unplug and relax at Northern California’s finest guest ranch resort, surrounded by picture-postcard views of the Trinity Alps Wilderness. Coffee Creek is an excellent fly-fishing stream, running wild through the 367 acres owned and operated by the Hartman family. As rich in history as its many activities, Coffee Creek offers horseback riding, a heated swimming pool, oversized spa, exercise room, horse-drawn hayrides and bonfires, stocked trout pond, gold panning, badminton, volleyball, ping- pong, hiking, horseshoes, rifle and archery range, trapshooting, recreation room with pool table, darts, foosball and more! Wi-Fi internet is also available. Exceptional, supervised summer programs are available, for children ages 3 to 17 years. Fifteen secluded private cabins await you among the babbling creeks, waterfalls and tall conifers. After you’ve enjoyed your three nutritious meals, meet up for our nightly entertainment! Coffee Creek has spring, fall, and Senior discounts. Coffee Creek Ranch is the perfect spot for romantic weekends, fall foliage, deer and bear hunting in season, wilderness pack trips, weddings, meetings, or family reunions. Healthy cooking classes are offered in the spring and fall – learn to bake bread with ancient grains! All major credit cards are welcome.

Connemara Ranch

High in the Arizona White Mountains, Connemara Ranch lets you saddle up and reconnect with nature and enjoy the cool pristine mountain air. Most of all, you can soak up the serenity that comes with having an entire 20-acre private getaway to yourself. Located in beautiful Vernon, Ariz., Connemara Ranch features the newly renovated, fully-furnished three-bedroom, two-bath ranch house that sleeps six comfortably. It offers two decks with beautiful views in every direction and all of the amenities you would expect. The Ranch is close to the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, giving you ride-in access to hundreds of miles of secluded White Mountain trails. Additionally there is hiking, biking, mountain climbing, fishing, golfing, nearby Sunrise Ski Resort for summer fun — and more! For your horses, there is a barn with six indoor/outdoor horse stalls and pasture. Hay is provided. Stay a week…or stay the whole summer!

Dude Ranchers’ Association

Dude ranches are the original, all-inclusive destination for families. Located in some of the most breathtaking areas of the U.S. and Canada, dude ranches can handle any request, from horseback riding and fly fishing to yoga and cooking classes to zip-lining and hiking. The Dude Ranchers’ Association (DRA) can help your family plan the perfect vacation to one of its 100-plus accredited guest ranches.

There is a broad spectrum of guest ranches across North America, ranging from rustic, no-frills working ranches to luxury resort-style ranches. From valleys complete with untouched Rocky Mountain backdrops to desert sunsets across the Southwest, you can find DRA-accredited ranches throughout the Western U.S. What are you waiting for – head out West and make memories that will last a lifetime!

Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch

Experience horseback riding and scenic beauty in the breathtaking, untouched Gila National Forest! Ride through tall ponderosa forests, up on mountaintops, and down into deep canyons with sheer cliffs and crystal clear streams. From atop your well-trained horse, spot abundant wildlife including elk, mule deer, and javelina. This is the land Geronimo grew up in. Swim in the creek near the headwaters of the Gila River where he was born! Visit 1,000-year old cliff dwellings and pit houses dating back to the Mimbres people. Search for pottery shards and view pictographs still remaining from these ancient people. Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch’s main focus is on riding — and making this a special vacation for you. Other activities that its guests enjoy are hiking, campfires at night with s’mores and fantastic star-gazing, swimming in our small pool or the creek, or just reading a good book on one of our bench swings.

Hunewill Guest Ranch

Enjoy a ranch vacation in the Eastern Sierra for maximum rejuvenation! What makes the Hunewill Ranch such a popular vacation destination? It might be the grandeur of the Eastern Sierra and the proximity to Yosemite National Park and Bodie State Park. It might be the world-class horseback riding and the miles of open meadows to ride in, or the prime stream and lake fishing available. It might be the friendly family and staff or the rich history of the place, founded in 1861. The ranch is still owned and operated by the Hunewill family. It might be the satisfying meals, the cozy cottages, or the engaging evening activities. And it might be that it is still a working cattle ranch. Whatever it is, guests come back year after year, as there seems to be something appealing to guests of all ages about the Circle H Ranch. Pricing includes lodging, three meals daily, horseback riding four to six hours daily, and a variety of evening activities. For more information, please visit our website and give us a call to book your next stay!

Point Reyes Country Inn & Stables

Just an hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Point Reyes Country Inn and Stables can be your headquarters for days of relaxation, outdoor activities and fine dining. Nestled between the Point Reyes National Seashore, the Golden Gate National Recreational Area and Tomales Bay State Park, the Country Inn is surrounded by beauty and natural wonders, allowing you to hike or ride your horse to the beach along the Earthquake Trail, hike across the Inverness Ridge, or visit the famous oyster farms on Tomales Bay.

The Grooms Quarters over the stables consist of two studios, each with queen bed and kitchen, with an additional room with four sleeping spaces. Total accommodation is eight, and this is especially suited for groups. The adjacent Country Inn is a six-bedroom home — all with private baths. There is one king or queen bed per room, and two rooms can made up with twin beds. Welcoming reading chairs with either a balcony or deck create pleasant place to enjoy your evening libation. Downstairs, an inviting living room with a large fireplace warms guests on blustery days.

For a completely different experience, you might consider the two cottages on Tomales Bay. Located seven miles from the Inn and stables in the village of Inverness, both cottages are romantic, private and have the best views of the bay in the area.

Accommodations for your equine companions are equally comfortable. There is a 10-stall stable, and stalls are 12 x 12 feet, including five stalls with 12 x 24 runs attached, six outdoor 12 x 24 pipe corrals, and three large paddocks that can accommodate up to four compatible horses. One can trailer a short distance to the Point Reyes National Seashore with its various staging areas. With over 100 miles of wooded trails, pastoral views, and long sandy beaches to explore, you can ride for many days without retracing your steps.

Rancho Oso Resort

Rancho Oso Guest Ranch, a perfect vacation destination, is located in the beautiful backcountry hills of the Los Padres National Forest, near Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley wine country. Spectacular forest and mountain scenery combined with the rich history of Rancho Oso provide one of the most memorable riding and recreational experiences found anywhere in California. Big corrals, arena, round pen, heated pool and spa, delicious weekend meals, and camp store provide overnight guests with all the comforts of home. With unlimited access to national forest trails and upgraded cottages and cabins, as well as full hookup RV sites, Rancho Oso is the ideal place to board or vacation with horses!

Rock Creek Pack Station

Get ready for a season of packing! Experience all the beauty in the Eastern Sierra that naturally comes with Rock Creek Pack Station’s many rides, excursions and packing schools. Since 1947, Rock Creek Pack Station has been offering wilderness and outdoor vacations in the Eastern Sierra, under the ownership of the London family. Herb London was active in the operation of the pack station until his death in March of 2011. His son, Craig, has spent every summer since his birth in 1954 at the pack station and operated the pack station with his dad. The London family is dedicated to serving the public, taking care of the land, making sure the horses and mules of the operation have happy and meaningful lives, and that the crew has a good time and is fairly compensated for their hard work and dedication.

Consider a mountain packing or camping vacation for this summer. Spend a few days tracking wild Mustangs, or four days on a horse drive, herding over 100 horses and mules more than 80 miles. Or you can spend a week at the Rock Creek Pack Station packing school where you’ll learn backcountry horsemanship and camping skills. Rock Creek Pack Station also has access to the Golden Trout Wilderness and Sequoia National Park. Scheduled traveling pack trips as long as 10 days are offered, as well as short trips of three days. In addition, there’s a full spectrum of custom trips, deluxe “full service” trips, dunnage transport and spot trips. The schedule for the 2015 season is online now, so book your trip today!