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River Ridge Ranch
A recreation
and education guest ranch in the Sierra Foothills
Latitude:
N 36° 09' 05" -- Longitude: W 118° 48' 00"
OFFERINGS:
Hiking, bird watching, horseback
riding, mountain biking, physical fitness training, astronomy,
ecology, natural history and human history study, fishing and
river play. Groups events such as outdoor weddings, graduations,
reunions, birthdays. Overnight accommodations available. We
are open to you or your group: organizational, institutional
or private.
Located in the oak savannah
foothills of the western Sierra Nevada at 1200' elevation, River
Ridge Ranch is a rustic, environmentally-conscious recreational/educational
gem on a 722-acre working cattle ranch. The North Fork of the
Tule River runs through the ranch. We border the 323,000 acre
Giant Sequoia National Monument, which offers diverse, year-round
outdoor recreational opportunities such as wilderness backpacking
and hiking, packtrips, internationally-listed rock climbing
and some of the best Giant Sequoia groves. In winter, cross-country
and telemark skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling are superb.
Nearby, Lake Success offers exceptional fishing (bass, trout,
crappie) and watersports as well as more leisurely houseboat
rentals. River Ridge is situated due north-south and enjoys
an extremely dark night sky; we can arrange star talks and night
viewing in our pasture and/or visits to local observatories.
The natural diversity is
exceptional as you ascend from riparian zone through oak woodland
to chaparral. River Ridge is home to valley oak, blue oak and
live oak woodlands, interwoven with buckeye and redbud. The
riparian corridor hosts sycamore, cottonwood, alder, ash and
willow forests along with numerous shrub species. The hills
and ridges are covered with oaks, manzanita, mountain mahoghany
and yucca and topped by a chamise and California lilac chaparral.
The spring flowers are inspirational: fiddleneck, popcorn flower,
monkey flower, poppies and blue dicks, to name a few. Our land
was home to the Yokuts Indians and the remaining evidence of
their lives here on River Ridge is protected.
We are bestowed with abundant
wildlife: California Quail, Wild Turkey, Wood Duck, Golden Eagle,
Western and Mountain bluebirds, Lawrence's Goldfinch, Lewis'
Woodpecker and exceptional neotropical migrants such as Black-throated
Gray and Hermit warblers, Cassin's Vireo, and Hammond's Flycatcher.
Springville is consistently in the top 10% of the Audubon Christmas
Bird Count of all inland United States locations. Mammals include
mountain lion, bobcat, mule deer, ringtail, black bear, raccoon
and cottontail bunnies. Adjacent U.S. Forest Service lands are
home to rare species such as Pacific fisher and marten, wolverine,
Goshawk, Great Gray owl and Spotted owl. California Condor once
again soar over River Ridge!
Our cows graze under an
ecologically-sound management plan, we recycle, we protect water
quality and quantity, we generate our own electricity from the
sun and, most proudly, we serve as a model for "no effluent"
sewage. Our goal is to take the "next step" in leadership
for private enterprise coupled with public education and recreation.
Nearby Springville, pop.
1540, is a country village founded in the late 1800's; it offers
lodging, meals of various cuisines and prices, goods and services,
history and entertainment. The annual Springville Rodeo in April
is a Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association event. Apple Festival
in October draws thousands. Numerous activities take place each
month. Springville is also the gateway to the Giant Sequoia
National Monument and the newly-added Dillonwood Grove in Sequoia
National Park.
At RIVER RIDGE you will
have:
- Access to the North
Fork Tule River for swimming, fishing, bird watching,
nature walks and sheer enjoyment. Interpretive nature trails
with river observation points.
- Exclusive hiking
and horseback riding on miles of trails across gentle,
rolling oak woodlands or you may ascend from 1200' on the
Tule River to 3,000' on Lumreau Mountain- all on the same
property!
- The choice to walk
or ride your horse or ours into the Giant Sequoia National
Monument and return to the river via various alternate
long or short loop trails.
- Lovely views of oaks,
green pastures, and Lumreau Mountain from vista points
along our river trail.
- Inspiring views
from atop Lumreau Mountain of Dennison Peak, Dillonwood Grove
in Sequoia National Park, Maggie and Moses Mountain and Slate
Mountain- or turn your eyes west for a glimpse of the Coast
Range.
WHO CAN COME? Groups and
individuals are welcome to rent the ranch for day use, overnight,
weekend or extended stays. We are happy to work with school
groups, kindergarten through college, scouts, home-schoolers,
hikers, horse and mountain bike groups, or listen to your needs
and suggestions. Our camping/picnic facilities include tables,
barbeques, heated showers, toilets, tent sites and rustic cabins.
Catering is available by arrangement.
Member:
Sequoia Regional Visitors Council, Sierra Nevada Alliance,
Porterville Chamber of Commerce, Springville Chamber of
Commerce
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