Guests enjoy riding through mountain and meadow cattle country and sharing a way of life that continues the warm hospitality and exciting traditions of early California. The Quarter Circle U RANKIN RANCH was founded in 1863 by Walker Rankin Sr. It is one of the oldest and largest family owned ranches in the West. Six generations of Rankins have cherished this family ranch. Our Cattle Ranch will be celebrating its 145th ANNIVERSARY this year... and 2008 marks our 43rd Guest Ranch season.

"Now, over one hundred years later, the Rankin family is still "home" on the original ranch, raising cattle and inviting guests to share their lovely ranch. Their reputation has brought attention from Better Homes & Gardens, US News and World Report, Adventure West, AAA Westways and more." (Quote from PERFORMANCE HORSE... March 1998)

HORSEBACK RIDING is a favorite activity at the ranch (twice each day, except Sundays...when we ride in the morning only). Horseback riding starts at age six. Children and adults love our horses. All of the rides are guided by wranglers. David Staats, our head wrangler, grew up in the area and has lots of cowboy tales. He is very knowledgeable of the wildlife and terrain. Most rides are leisurely so you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. "The heady scent of wildflowers and pine permeate the air as you canter along mountain trails past White Face Cattle lazily grazing in meadows, green from underground springs and creeks." (VALLEY MAGAZINE) Wonderful Lunch Rides by the creek are weekly activities for adults and teens. Take your lunch in saddlebags and ride out. You'll find a cool, comfortable spot by the creek; and enjoy a quiet picnic lunch in a beautiful, natural setting. No horns or city noises here...the chirping birds may get a little carried away on occasion. Your horse is chosen especially for you. We have adult rides and children's rides; parents may choose to ride with their children. You may go on both the morning and afternoon ride; each ride lasts about an hour. Many of our guests have never ridden before; some own their own horses. Our Wranglers will choose the "perfect" horse for you. We think you will agree with other Rankin Ranch guests; "the horses are great, and the scenery is gorgeous!"

WALKING...HIKING...AND ENJOYING NATURE are other favorite activities. We have acres and acres for exploring...you can hike in our oak and pine covered mountains, lush green meadows, or along Walker's Basin Creek. We are happy to provide a sack lunch for your picnic. You'll see many beautiful plants, flowers, birds and animals. Our cattle roam freely through these mountains. The wily coyote keeps his distance, but he is curious; rabbits and squirrels go on about their work; if you are very quiet, you may even catch a glimpse of a deer wandering by. You can sit for hours watching and enjoying nature in our remote little mountain valley. If you are a morning person and are up for a sunrise walk, you'll note a special stillness in the air. The morning dew on the golden fields of grain and natural grasses creates a magical sparkle as the sun beams down. It is this same warm sunshine that energizes the animals. A covey of quail may flutter away quickly as they hear you approaching. The sight and sound of these birds flying to safety is exciting. The cottontail bunny in the distance sits up and listens carefully. He seems to alert all animal life when he scurries away as you draw nearer. The smell of the freshly cut hay fills the air; and the distant clattering sound of the hay baler makes you realize the rancher's day started long before your walk. Guests are never ready to return to the city after a visit to the ranch, but they cherish these peaceful memories forever. They've also told us that Rankin Ranch actually helps them cope with the stress of city life. Anya lives in New York City. She started visiting the ranch with her mother when she was a young girl. Anya says she keeps a photo of our meadow on her desk. When life in the city gets hectic, she looks at it and closes her eyes..."the thought of Walker's Basin and it's serene beauty gives me a peaceful feeling inside." Each morning, while visiting the ranch, we find Anya up and about at day break; out in the meadow for a walk, long before most are thinking about rising. Anya loves watching the horses being brought in from the far meadow, and seeing the sun rise up over the mountaintop. These are simple pleasures, but unforgettable ones. "Rankin Ranch is one of my favorite spots on earth," says Anya.

Evenings in Walker's Basin are spectacular. A favorite leisurely walk after dinner (just enough time before the evening activity begins) is a stroll to our family cemetery. There is a certain comfort in knowing that generation after generation of Rankins have watched over and cared for this beautiful valley. Another favorite early evening activity is a visit to Sarah's Farm where children delight in bottle feeding a little calf and watching the chickens search and peck the ground for each kernel of corn as it's tossed out. The evening sounds of crickets and crocking frogs make you realize you're really in the country. Our huge sky is clear and filled with millions of stars and when there is a full moon shinning over the meadow the view is breathtaking.

BICYCLING...Bring your bikes...we provide quiet country roads for hours of enjoyment. Short rides or long ones...you'll love our clean mountain air and beautiful scenery. The seven mile circle around our little valley is a perfect ride for the enthusiastic biker.

SWIMMING and sunning in our heated pool is relaxing and fun (we usually turn the heater on in mid May). Summer months, with day time temperatures ranging from 80 to 95 degrees, are perfect for water activities.

HOT TUB... Our addition of the Hot Tub was cheered by all.  After horseback riding, nothing feels better than relaxing in the warm soothing bubbles. Enjoying Walker Basin's clear, star filled skies from our hot tub is an unforgetable treat.

FISHING is another favorite activity. You'll love to fish at little Julia Lake.Our stocked pond is ready and waiting for fishermen of all ages. Bring your poles and bait (or ask for American cheese from the kitchen...it works great) and head to the pond and try your luck. Most everybody is successful at catching a rainbow trout. Clean your catch...then give it to our kitchen staff and they'll cook it for you. There's nothing quite like a freshly caught trout baked with lemon and served at the meal of your choice.

OTHER FUN ACTIVITIES ... We have shuffleboard, horseshoes, volleyball, ping pong, and more. There's a pool table for the pool sharks (ages 12 and older), and space for cards and games in our beautiful recreation room. You'll enjoy comfortable sofas and chairs for reading and just relaxing.

HAY WAGON RIDES AND BARBECUES in the meadow are special weekly treats. Each Sunday for lunch, and usually on Wednesday evening you'll load up in the hay wagon and head to the meadow for a scrumptious barbecue meal, Sunday...barbecued hamburgers, ranch beans, potato salad and all the trimmings. Our evening meadow supper includes barbecued tri-tip and chicken, corn-on-the-cob, ranch beans and more...no one ever leaves hungry. After the meal there's a Horseshoe Tournament for the adults and teens with prizes for the lucky winners. The children love flying their homemade kites while out in the meadow.

During the "Regular Season Periods" we offer fun planned activities for each evening. SQUARE DANCING and WESTERN LINE DANCING are usually on Friday or Saturday evenings. Adults and teens enjoy our POOL TOURNAMENTS with prizes. Children under 12 have FOOSEBALL TOURNAMENTS. Everybody loves the TALENT SHOWS, BINGO, and FUN HORSE RACES...children are the jockeys on stick horses and adults and teens bet on the winners with Rankin Ranch "Fun Money!"

You can join in these activities or just relax and enjoy a quiet mountain evening on the terrace.

Summertime and holidays are filled with returning families. Parents and grandparents agree that Rankin Ranch is the perfect family vacation both for rest and relaxation. There are plenty of activities to keep children busy and happy. It's also a wonderful location for family reunions. Family members from many parts of the United States gather at Rankin Ranch. Sometimes they reserve all ranch facilities for a special time together. Moms, you don't have to cook or clean, you can enjoy the family gathering, too! Each day is filled with new and exciting experiences. When it's time to go home, guests are sad to leave; that's why they keep coming back year after year. We're proud of our 75% repeat business. We now have second and third generation Rankin Ranch guests returning to enjoy the same wonderful ranching experiences with their families. We have a special relationship with our guests; we've always enjoyed sharing our way of life with our city friends. We're in the business of making memories; our guests tell us we're doing a great job!