Highland Ranch California
Imagine a collection of cozy lodging cabins scattered around a 125 year old ranch house nestled among the most majestic trees you've ever seen such as California Redwoods and Douglas Firs. Then, picture these trees covering limitless acres of gracefully sloping mountainside overlooking the beautiful redwood and winery country of the Anderson Valley. Throw in a few pristine lakes and connect everything with a hundred miles of mountain trails and wide dirt roads perfect for horseback riding, biking or hiking. This is Highland Ranch. A ranch which truly allows you to do as much and as little as you like, horse rides are tailored to your experience and with a plethora of other outdoor activities you'll never be bored.
Freya at The Riding Company went to stay at the Highland Ranch a few months ago. " The Highland Ranch had some of the best hospitality of the ranches that I visited. The rooms were charming and tastefully decorated, and the beautiful gardens attracted hummingbirds which were a pleasure to watch. The food was also incredible. The riding would suit any age and experience as all the horses were well behaved and the trails not too challenging. A real retreat for those wanting peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of city life."
The Riding:
With over 100 miles of trails through giant old-growth redwoods, along the Navarro River, and back up to ridge tops overlooking the beautiful Anderson Valley our guests rarely ride the same trail twice. Guided trail rides go out twice a day and we accommodate all levels of riding.
Typically there are two horseback rides a day leaving at around 11:00 AM and 2:30 PM, lasting about 1.5-2 hours. We saddle ten to twelve guest horses per ride in two or three groups of six or less. Guests can expect at least one trail ride a day and often two. The wrangler visits with guests at breakfast and at lunch to ascertain interest and riding level and we will always do our best to be sure that everyone has a satisfying and safe riding experience. For more experienced riders, ask us about picking up the pace a little and we will do our best to gather a group of experienced riders and schedule a more advanced ride.
The Accommodation:
Each of our eight individually decorated cozy guest cabins features a wood-burning fireplace to keep things warm in the mountain air. Extra-long king or queen beds let you stretch out after a day at the ranch and the soft throw blankets are perfect for sitting by the fire with a good book. Each cabin has a private bathroom and a redwood deck with rocking chairs that are always at the ready. We also have cribs and rollaways available.
All cabins have telephones for calls or for a dial up connection. There's a wireless internet signal available in the Main House and in some of the cabins. If you can't bear missing the big game or your favorite program, you'll find a satellite television in the Main House and a collection of movies for you and the kids.
Food:
Ranch Breakfast: 8am - 9:30am
Ranch Lunch: 1pm - 1:30pm
Ranch Dinner: 7:30pm (Appetizers & Cocktails 6:30pm - 7:30pm)
Other Activities:
At Highland Ranch, there are lots of things you can do to have a good time. Go fishing, boating or take a swim in our lake or pool followed by a snooze in the sun. Highland Lake teems with Large Mouth Bass, Blue Gills, Crappies, and Catfish - just the right mix to keep even the most experienced angler challenged. We even have a smaller pond where the kids can enjoy fishing, too.
The Highland Ranch has a tennis court which is available for guests to use as well as a range of other sporting equipment.
Relax with a massage. We have an excellent qualified massage therapist who is available by request. Mention your interest when you make your reservation. The cost is not included, but it's well worth it.
Energize and restore yourself with a yoga class. Our on-site yoga group classes or private sessions take place in the state of the art "Highland Yurt". An outdoor yoga class by the lake in the morning or an afternoon session under some breezy redwoods will put you right with body, mind and spirit. Please let us know ahead of time if you're interested.
Kids Activities:
Children enjoy their visit trying new activities, exploring the grounds and participating in the daily life of the ranch. The ranch grounds are open and spacious and can be monitored easily by parents.
Pony rides outside of the arena, up to and around the lake are enjoyed by those not yet ready to join the trail riding. Combing the orchards to pick fruit for the night's dessert and baking cookies are lots of fun too. Fishing and boating and swimming in the lake or pool are all options that work well with an adult present. In addition, we have a ping pong table, a large supply of athletic equipment, board games, toys, puzzles, arts and crafts materials, books and videos that children enjoy regularly. Let us know if you would like some extra help during your stay and we can arrange for childcare for an additional hourly charge.
Accommodation:
Daily charges total $295.00 per person. For children under age 9-12, the daily charges total $200.00, and $100 for children 4-8. There is no charge for children ages 3 and under sharing their parents' cabin. A two-day minimum stay is required, three-days on major holidays.
Off-season rates are in effect beginning October or November through March with the exception of major holidays and Highland Ranch special events. Daily off-season rates total $245.00 per adult and $160.00 for children under age 12.
Weekly Rates
Purchase 6 nights, receive the 7th night free.
Call for details and availability.
Nightly and Weekly charges include 1) private lodging; 2) all meals, beverages, wine, cocktails; 3) most activities including trail riding and 4) use of recreational facilities and equipment. County room tax @ 11% and state sales tax @ 8.25 % are added on relevant portions.
A 15% service charge on per diem charges only will be added to the final billing.
Activities:
Massages:
Our world-class massage therapists are sure to ease you into a deeper state of relaxation and physical well-being. Ranch therapists use a variety of massage techniques, combining aromatherapy with Swedish, Esalen, Shiatsu, Cranial Sacral and acupressure work into a personalized session to suit you. Ask us about tandem massages for couples in advance and shorter sessions for children.
Massage $95/hour $140/1.5 hours
Deep Tissue Request adds $20 per session
Yoga classes: (must be schedule in advance) private yoga classes scheduled as available are $80/class, to be split among all participants
Holidays can generally be of any duration and start on any day (except where specified).
Make a reservation / enquiry.
These prices are guidelines only. Please contact us for an exact quote since prices will vary depending on the season, the amount of riding you wish to do and whether you are travelling alone or with a group. To calculate the equivalent cost of your holiday in another currency, please visit XE.com's Universal Currency Converter.
Flights and Travel information:
Flights from the UK are through Heathrow to Los Angeles (LAX) on various airlines. A connecting flight to Santa Rosa Airport can be made from LAX. There are trains and buses that will bring you from all over California and the United States to the Bay Area airports and more buses from the airports to Santa Rosa and from there a bus (#95 to Philo) from the Mendocino Transit Authority into the Anderson Valley where Highland Ranch is located.
Riding:
- Please be straightforward about your riding level and experience. We have a variety of horses available and we want to make sure that you are matched with the right mount
- We recommend boots or walking shoes with closed toes and heels (sneakers, sandals, open-toe or other flat-soled shoes are not recommended). Long pants of a thick fabric such as Jeans, or something similar, work well
- We have riding helmets available and children seventeen and under are required to wear them. We strongly recommend that all riders wear a helmet. If you bring your own hat, a chin strap is also strongly recommended
- Children under eight years are invited to special rides led by a wrangler. Children eight and above who demonstrate an ability to follow directions, control their mounts and remain stable in the saddle may join their parents on some trail rides that will be modified for the safety of all riders
- Our ability to serve riders who weigh over 225 pounds is limited. Horses have practical weight limitations and exceeding these at higher speeds can cause stress and sometimes permanent injury to a horse. If your weight is over 225 pounds you will be invited on enjoyable and very scenic trail rides during which we will remain at a walk.
Rooms:
The rooms do not have any tea/coffee making facilities in them, however, the kitchen is open for you to help yourself to any drinks.
Environmental issues
You can calculate the CO2 emission of your journey to USA at Climate Care and compensate for your 'environmental footprint'. If you let us know how much it is we will be happy to pay this on your behalf.
In the office, we use paper from sustainably managed forests and recycled material where possible.
We encourage you to travel onwards from your arrival airport by rail when possible, and will book seats on your behalf.
How to book
To make a non-binding enquiry or a provisional booking, please fill in the reservations & enquiries form. Once we have checked availability, we will send you a quote with a holiday reference number by email. To secure your holiday, a deposit is required of £200 per person (or half the cost of the holiday, whichever is lower) and forward any insurance premiums to the insurance company. You should book your flights at this stage, and forward details to us so that we can organise your transfers. The balance of payment must be received by us not less than eight weeks before departure. Payment instructions.
Subscribe to our newsletter or read our blog.
Browse our Guest book or look at what the press have had to say.
Insurance: all riders must be fully insured. We can recommend this travel insurance policy. The application form may be printed out to send with your premiums direct to the insurance company.
Please read our Terms and Conditions.
