Rankin Ranch

First ever visit to the ranch and was treated like we were a member of the family, at least a first cousin. They made sure we had everything we needed. They foster a complete social environment where everyone, guests included, are welcomed.The food was plentiful and delicious. Cabins were clean, neat and accommodating. Rode every day we were there and had loads of fun. Beautifull landscape even though it was late September. I can only imagine the beauty in the spring, with everything green and plush.

We stayed in June 2023 with our two girls 9, 11.It was just a fantastic 4 days of fun, hospitality, and horses.Communication via email with Amanda, Shelby, and the team was excellent prior to the trip. Our cabin was clean and refreshed with towels and cleaned daily while we're out.There is small animal farm in centrally located near the ranch house. There are baby goats, a baby calf, donkeys, rabbits, chickens. My girls visited the farm 5-7x every day feeding and petting the animals. The animals are very friendly.The main highlight is the guided horse riding.You can schedule a morning ride and an afternoon ride. These are several trails about 45-60 min each; they'll all great. Our favorite was the trail next to the stream.The team at Rankin Ranch is excellent. They have camp counselors that lead activities and remember all the kids names. Amanda and Sarah are great hosts; they remember everyone's names and you see them checking in on everyone throughout the stay. We even met Mr. Bill Rankin himself; he drove the tractor pulling guests to Sunday lunch. Breakfast, lunch, dinner is served on site; the meals are good!We've met many other friendly families while we were here; many of them have been coming for years.Other highlights: fishing, archery, pool, game room, rankin bucks, kids crafts, and nightly games. The cabins are very comfortable with indoor restrooms. There's no cell coverage out there, no WiFi. But they have WiFi 3-5pm at the guest house/game room area. Nice to unplug. Overall, an extraordinary fun packed 4 days. It's a hidden gem in CA.It's a 6H+ drive for us from Sacramento. And we'll definitely be coming back.Tips:1.) Bring your own shampoo and conditioner2.) Bring wine to share during cocktail hour at 5pm3.) Bring flashlight for night walking back to cabin4.) Bring swim clothes/goggles if you want to swim in the pool

After a 3-night stay, there are not enough words to describe how much I enjoyed this place!. From the truly amazing view, the friendly service, the fun activities, everything was just wonderful. The Rankin Family and their staff were so welcoming. The wranglers did a great job during the horseback rides. Shout out to Shelbie, Destiny and Fernando!The food was great - Home cooked meals and awesome desserts. Hoping to become a regular customer like some of the other happy campers I met with there.

Loved, loved, loved our stay at Rankin Ranch. We loved it so much that we are going back toward the end of summer. We almost felt like family and definitely did not want to leave when it was time to go home. The hallmark of a great vacation is that you don't want it to end and when the time came for us to say goodbye none of us were ready to leave. I asked my son if he was born to live on a Ranch. He started to shake his head no, then stopped, thought about it, and then said "Yes, I was." with so much conviction.I took my time researching California dude ranches. There were a few that caught my eye, there was one much closer to us that I was initially going to go with, but they did not have availability over Spring break which is when we wanted to go. Rankin Ranch was a five hour trip for us, but they had availability so we snapped it up and I am so glad that it worked out as it did. Two big differences between Rankin and the other ranch I was looking at is that Rankin feeds their guests, not just breakfast, but all three meals everyday, and the meals are very good. The other ranch didn't make any meals. Rankin Ranch was also all inclusive. The food and all the activities, including 2 horse back rides a day, were all included in a very reasonable daily rate. The other ranch listed additional rates for horseback riding and many of the other activities they offered on top of pricey room rates.So about Rankin Ranch itself. The Rankin family and staff couldn't have been any friendlier or more welcoming. We had several conversations before we got there because my husband has significant dietary restrictions and he was very concerned about how he would eat while he was there (concerned enough that he brought alot of his own food). We were able to go over the restrictions with Sarah, the cook and her helper Mariah. Both were very thorough in making sure they understood what he needed. It turned out that he didn't need to bring his own food, because they were well prepared to cater to his needs. He was very impressed with the level of care and attention to detail he and his meals received.We encountered Amanda and Shelby most at the office and both were extremely pleasent and very helpful. They were happy to assist with keeping drinks in their refrigerator and sizing and handing out the riding helmets. We also had a slew of questions that they were ready and willing to answer. There was no wifi or cellular which might be enough to send some people into a full blown panic attack, but it was truly a total disconnect and reboot. The only time my phone saw any action was when I needed to snap a picture. I didn't even bother to bring my computer, and I always bring my computer on vacation, so that was saying something all by itself.The ranch itself was beautiful and peaceful. We enjoyed two separate hour long horse back rides a day while we were there (our 6 year old son was able to join us and did great). The wranglers Kellan, Brian, Fernando, Jim and Shelby were excellent! We were matched with perfect horses and they made sure we were at ease and comfortable and could manuver our horses before we hit the trail. While on the trail we had one wrangler leading us and another that rode along side checking in, and making sure everyone was doing well on the ride. By checking in, I don't mean asking if everything is OK, but rather carrying on conversations and getting to know us and alllowing us to get to know them. It was like hiking conversation with a friend, but we were on a horse, lol.In addition to riding horses, we spent time as a family playing games in the rec room or our 6 year son would join and enjoyed the children's activities with the counselors, Elizabeth, Lauren and Cassie. I was so impressed with the level of patience they had with the kids and how much fun the kids were having with them. When we weren't watching him enjoy the activities, my husband and I were able to enjoy hikes, sitting by the lake and the adult only social gathering on the patio. It is so rare where we get time to ourselves on a family vacation, so that time was very much appreciated.In truth the activities mentioned were enough to get us up early each day and keep us busy until dinner time. We didn't return to our cabin until the evening to change for dinner, then we didn't return again until bedtime. There were many things like fishing, creek play, swimming, and archery that we did not get around to this time and so many trails left to explore that we are already making plans for what we want to do for our next visit.

Just came back from Rankin Ranch after a three day stay with my 9-year old grandson. It was a fabulous trip and such a great value. The ranch is rustic, quaint and comfortable. All the meals are yummy and included in the cost of your stay. There are so many activities and things to do at the ranch, which are also included. Horseback riding twice a day, archery, swimming, fishing, crafts for the kids, which are supervised by the amazing counselors, cocktail hour (adults only-BYOB), while the kids hang with the counselors. After dinner the kids feed all the animals, which is a big hit! A great recreation room with pool and foosball, games, puzzles, and organized competitions with the kids after dinner.The accommodations are great little cabins, with comfortable beds and housekeeping every day. The one recommendation I would make for the Ranch, is to add small refrigerators to the rooms. The staff is so welcoming and accommodating! The horse wrangles are wonderful and so great with the kids (and adults too).My grandson and I had a great time! When I asked him, after three days, if he was ready to go home, the answer was, "no"- which made MiMi happy!To get to the ranch, there will be about a 9 mile winding road, but I'm a grandma, and I didn't get freaked out, so it can't be that bad :), but just be aware. I would highly recommend Rankin Ranch!

Beware!!!These people tied my horses flank cinch on with telephone wire when it broke which stuck my horse in the side, spooked him, and then sent him wildly galloping across the fields with me in the saddle. The saddle flew off and I went flying. I was laid up for about a month. They still charged us for the Ranch visit. One year later I had to have disc surgery from that fall...twice as my cartilage was shattered around my bones in my back. I'm still suffering all these years later while these people aren't held accountable for their sheer negligence. What company in their right mind would wire a cinch together? It's a company you don't want to deal with. My son was on that horse before me too. Stay the heck away.

There are not words to express how grateful I am for the wonderful experience that my family had at the Rankin Ranch. This is truly a family run ranch, and families don't get much more gracious, kind, or hospitable than the Rankins. I had never seen any accommodation that had such high reviews both on here and on Trip Advisor. I was skeptical because some of the photos of the accommodations or of the ranch looked very out of date. I can assure you that as people who love their creature comforts, the Ranch is the perfect combination of comfortable accommodations while letting you know that you are actually staying at a working ranch. Our daughter is 6 and loves horses, and this was the perfect trip for her. We were worried because she doesn't have much riding experience (two weeks at a horse camp), but the horse wranglers were amazing and taught her and my wife (zero riding experience) everything they needed to know to go out on two rides a day over the beautiful terrain. By the end, they were both trotting over the terrain on their horses. The food is amazing! We actually bought their cookbook so we can make it at home. The animals are very well taken care of and our daughter loved tending to them during the animal care time at 6:00 each day. We didn't really understand going in, how well scheduled the activities are for kids. Everyday there is a schedule of activities for kids and the staff keeps them busy with great fun all day (when they're not out riding). There are a ton of things for adults to do: pool, foosball, table tennis, archery, sports, a swimming pool (we didn't use because it was still too cold). There are also great hikes nearby through lovely valleys and hills. There is a stocked trout pond and stream. We caught a five pound rainbow trout, which was a blast. The Ranch cook even prepared it for us.As busy LA people, the thought of not having internet or phone service for a period of time sounded impossible, but I was actually quite grateful to be able to completely disconnect. For two hours a day, they have satellite internet, and this was more than enough for me to check my work email and respond as necessary. We loved the fact that our daughter wasn't on her Ipad or switch at all. A couple of notes:1. Best bet on pricing is to call. The pricing page on the website is confusing. Keep in mind that everything is included in that price. Although, you should tip the staff at the end, they really do go above and beyond.2. Bring alcohol. The Ranch doesn't provide it, but you can bring your own and share at the cocktail hour. This is a great way to meet people. We were blessed with a great selection of other guests while we were there and you wind up spending a decent amount of time with them during the activities and the riding (particularly the kids). If I had to guess, there are maybe a total of 10-14 rooms, so its just the right amount of people to keep it fun without being a crowd.3. We sprang for the upgraded room and the view alone is worth it, plus it's nice to have a fridge. That said, the other guests who didn't do so seemed perfectly happy. If you have the money, I would recommend doing it.4. Definitely book your stay such that you can do the hay ride and BBQ. It was fantastic.I know that this review sounds hokey, but I can't possibly express what an amazing and fulfilling time we had at the Ranch. We will be back!

Wow, I must say I was completely surprised at how great this experience was. First, the Rankin family makes everybody feel like family visiting . Owning a horse farm myself for many years, I expected hack horses and was pleased at the great quality of horses they had there,. Food was excellent , cabins were cute and very clean. All the staff was wonderful but two special shout outs to Kellin and Jerry. They both made sure all our wants and needs were being met. I highly suggest this ranch for anyone needing to " unplug" . To be honest at first I was a bit freaked out when I heard they had limited Wifi hours, but the entire point of this trip was for me not to be bothered by my work & clients. We are already making plans to take some friends back up there before the season ends. We took some amazing photos and I think we will become regulars for years to come.

What an amazing experience! They certainly aim to please here! Even during the pre-planning they accommodated every need. Answered every question and were able to make some special arrangements for our group. Upon arrival they managed to exceed our expectations. We were greeted with open arms. Felt like family from moment one. The cabins were cute, clean, quaint and air conditioned. Patio hour was amazing. Meeting the other guests was so cool. Each with different stories and backgrounds but it felt like they hand picked this group for us. They ring the dinner bell get you seated for dinner and the dinning room feels like you're truly at your families house. They plan every moment so well. You can get all the relaxation you can possibly want and enjoy all the well planned festivities. From breakfast to start the day, two wonderful offered horseback rides daily, BBQ night, hay rides, reptile education, horseshoe games, campfire s'mores, a game room and to top it off your free to swim in the well cleaned pool anytime. I can go on and on! I would give 11 stars if i could. The staff was top notch. Family run to say the least. You can't even tell the staff that isn't family as they all seem to care so much... Amanda, Sarah, Walker(insert a wink here)Dino, Fernando, Esperanza, Rudy, Lettie, Ian, I mean there are so many to name and all so wonderful. A special thanks to two amazing woman I hope to get the pleasure to have in my life for a long time. Marie and Shelby you made my stay something extra! Oh and a shout out to my favorite horse Hollywood ( you took great care of me on each ride). Thank you all...The only possible thing they can improve would be the food but honestly who needs to eat when you're so full on the life experience you're in the middle of... Loved it all. Thanks Rankin Ranch for giving us great lifetime memories.

We had 8 girlfriends stay in two cabins together at Rankin Ranch.We met and had wonderful conversations with Bill and Glenda Rankin and their three daughters and grandkids. This is a family run Ranch and they all work hard to make your stay absolutely wonderful.Along with three home cooked meals a day.......we swam, hiked, played Bingo and Horseshoes, sat by the Bon fire, learned Square dancing, went on a hayride and were lucky enough to ride horses twice a day! We will definitely be coming back and enjoying this lovely 31,000 acres of complete Heaven. Thank you Rankin Family