Hunewill Ranch is home to the best horseback riding vacations in California. The . Rate includes meals, horseback riding, lod. Discover working ranches, guest ranches, cattle drive vacations and riding vacations in the Equitrekking Vacation Guide. Separated into groups by riding ability, we rode across open fields and crossed streams that lingered even in late August due to the heavy snow from the previous winter. The kids (now adults) love it, and so do my husband. We discovered later that guests, wearing huge grins, return to this ranch year after year. There, N.B. Enjoy the ultimate old-west experience on Hunewill Ranchs 114th cattle drive! Kindness, respect, patience, work ethic, and a sense of humor prevail. We just went there for the 20th year in a row. Guests and employees are treated like family. News Politics Science Education Housing Immigration Criminal Justice Silicon Valley Forum The California Report. Megan is the fifth generation of her family to lead this cattle drive, and her children, the sixth generation, now help out too. Hunewill Guest Ranch Many world-class fishing areas are within a 10-minute drive. Bridgeport Valley is an unspoiled recreational paradise where you will find trout fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and many other pastimes for the nature enthusiast. Most of all the Hunewill family treats guests like family. He was always mindful of surroundings, looking around, but was never spooked. is a guest ranch in Californias Lost Sierra. Kids of all ages enjoy the freedom and wide open spaces that Hunewill Ranch offers. Theres more than riding at the ranch. bought meadowland to graze his oxen; he also acquired some cattle. took his family east over the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the mining town of Aurora. Click here for more info on Hunewill Ranch, For the latest travel advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office including security and local laws, plus passport and visa information, check After a few days I felt confident enough to go on an all day cattle drive - AMAZING - can't wait to do it again. Some of our day rides venture into the nearby mountains to enjoy high mountain terrain, glacial lakes, and spectacular scenery. The Hunewills are one of the region's longest-established ranching families. This ranch has an all-inclusive summit to sea experience with breathtaking mountain trail riding, white water rafting, steelhead fly fishing, or jet boat tours to the Pacific Ocean! Lake Tahoe, one of the worlds most scenic high mountain lakes, is two hours north of Bridgeport. Rate includes meals, horseback riding, lodging, and ranch activitieS. Our job was to transfer a herd of heifers from one pasture to another through the ranch grounds and across a road on a California cattle drive. He responded in kind, and we were flying. We saw how tough those times must have been for both man and beast! The ranch has sufficient land to enable you to walk, trot and canter in the wide open spaces of Bridgeport Valley.There are occasions when the day rides venture up into the nearby mountains to enjoy high mountain terrain, glacial lakes and spectacular scenery. The youngest child, Aspen, was wearing a diaper and didnt say much, but she roped her little heart out as she threw loop after loop at a plastic steer head. Bonaparte's father was in the War of 1812, and his grandfather served under George Washington in the Revolutionary War. Betsy manages the office with smiles and efficiency. The Hunewill (pronounced "Honeywell") Circle H Ranch, located near the town of Bridgeport, is nestled into a cleft of the Eastern Sierra Nevada where the Bridgeport Valley meets the range.The snow-clad peaks of the Sierra reach over 12,000 feet, towering over the ranch, which is at 6,500 feet. Please explore the website and when you find any ranches or trips you are interested in please click the ADD TO WISHLIST button and then all your favourites will appear here. Guests will participate and learn many traditional cowboy skills. Ideal for those looking for a working cattle ranch experience. Hunewill Guest Ranch is located in Bridgeport, California on the eastern slope of the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains bordering Yosemite National Park. There are between 4 and 7 night ranch stays, cattle weeks, ladies only or adult only weeks. Even within the intermediate group, there were varying levels of riding ability and experience. Though these true cattle drive holidays are rare to find, there are still special places where you can saddle up on an authentic cattle drive vacation. Horses and riding groups (Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced) are available to suit anyone's level of skill and ambition. The living room is a mini-museum of Hunewill history containing original furnishings and photographs. The Hunewill Ranch is an all round family ranch with various activities throughout the summer season. Box 368 Bridgeport, CA 93517. I got all of that and more. All rights reserved. and Esthers son, Frank, married a young woman named Alice. It was on this drive that Cupid launched a successful attack on two guests, Kay and Fred, whove been happily married for many years now. My nephew and I also made a side trip to Bishop to trout fish with Guide Pat Yeager. Dewayne Leonard, a retired policeman, works every other week as a wrangler. Ranch activities will vary depending on the dates you visit. Tel: 01798 865946 Email: americanroundup@frontier-travel.co.uk. At night, the cattle stay in corrals at neighboring ranches along the route. Privacy Policy. In 1852, N.B. Tel: 01798 865946 Email: americanroundup@frontier-travel.co.uk. Sadly, working cow ranches are rapidly disappearing as a way of life so spending time there is something to be valued. You must have intermediate to advanced riding skills to participate in this drive. Youll love riding your horse through cool lush meadows bordered by timbered peaks. But after taking lessons at the ranch, he now loves it. We spent quite a bit of time with Stan. She also entertains guests around the campfire with sing-a-longs and dances on talent night. Napoleon Bonaparte Hunewill's ancestors were French Huguenots from Alsace-Lorraine. . After six years of placer-mining (that is, mining free gold, rather than lode deposits) on the Yuba River, he amassed a sizable fortune in gold nuggets and dust. We met a couple with two small children who were here with their parents. Their son, Stan, was born in 1934. from Buckeye Canyon and was delivered by an oxen-drawn lumber wagon. The 4,500-acre Hunewill Ranch was founded in 1861 by Napoleon Bonaparte Hunewill and his wife, Esther. Twelve-year-old Ronnie Wyman has been coming to the Hunewill Ranch for seven years. Sort through them using our Find a Ranch tool or choose a ranch by location. Indeed, many poems in Rain On The Sage were written by Sallie Joseph; she freely and eloquently expresses her love for her job and way of life. The Bridgeport Valley where the ranch is located is an unspoiled recreational paradise and even borders Yosemite National Park. The surrounding 26,000 acres in the mountainous Bridgeport Valley provides a unique riding atmosphere for all skill levels. With a temperate climate year-round and ever-changing seasonal activities, any time of year is the perfect time to visit. Guests are encouraged to tell the wranglers the length, difficulty, and type of ride theyre interested in. Those were strong words coming from a woman who teaches horsemanship to young children. I couldnt have asked for a better horse. P. O. They were hesitant on this cattld drive and refused to continue on. Jan Hunewill related how she "came onto the scene" in the 1950s when she visited the guest ranch, then got a summer job there and eventually married the owners' son. A home away from home, Greenhorn Ranch welcomes you as family. It is a perfect location for a family vacation, a company retreat, a family reunion, or a . If you want wide open spaces, great riding, great food, and lasting friendships, then Hunewill Guest Ranch has the vacation for you. Success! Bonapartes father was in the War of 1812, and his grandfather served under George Washington in the Revolutionary War. The majority of cabins have two connecting rooms with private baths and comfortable porches. Hunewill Ranch - California, USA 26- 30 May 2020 Spring Cattle drive Work cattle in Bridgeport and at our Smith Valley, Nevada ranch with Hunewill family members. Being with Stan and Jan Hunewill is like being in a real-life Bonanza setting on the Ponderosa with Ben Cartwright and his three sons. Autumn at Hunewill Ranch is a magical time of peace and tranquility. During your stay you will be able to enjoy their tasty Rankin Ranch beef. I did not ride but my daughter did and she loved it - including the all-day ride option on Wednesday where she got to see even more fantastic scenery. This could work, I thought. South of San Francisco, N.B. Photo credit: Dwayne Leonard. Member of the Dude Ranchers' Association My wife and I booked the fall color ride and spent four wonderful days at the ranch seeing fall begin in the Eastern Sierras. Give us a call on 01798 865 946. This will generally be in large and open pastures that are bordered by the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains. The highlight of our stay was the morning cattle drive where we moved 50 cattle over three miles back to the barn. We picked Hunewill because it is a working cattle ranch and everything is geared around trail riding and cattle drives. The surrounding 26,000 acres in the mountainous Bridgeport Valley provides a unique riding atmosphere for all skill levels. Children blossom here! Stan Hunewill, family patriarch. Hunewill Cirlce "H" Guest Ranch - Bridgeport, CA Marble Mountain Ranch Other activities are riverside barbecues, square dancing, talent night, campfire sing-a-longs and smores, roping, and horseback games. The Hunewill Ranch is a family-owned and operated outfit where great horseback riding is the featured attraction. Participate in a hands-on cowboy experience which includes sorting, moving, parting and doctoring cattle. Find more great cattle drives. I did not want to leave. Second part (of four) of pictures from the Hunewill Ranch Winter 2003 cattle drive 638 cattle moved from Bridgeport, California to Smith Valley, Nevada over 5 days (12 pictures - each about 45k in size) Jennifer Hoover, Lyle Deck, Heather Steverson, Fred Shean, Al Frei, Betsy Hunewill Elliott and Keith Willard (left to right) Jan and Stan Hunewill It was a successful venture. After a satisfying day with the herd you will return each night to the ranch for a hot meal and a warm bed. I was envious of the others who were staying for two more days. Napoleon Bonaparte Hunewill's ancestors were French Huguenots from Alsace-Lorraine. Herding cattle at Hunewill Ranch. You can't find a better vacation. Parents are amazed by all the clean outdoor fun that kids find here. Babysitting is provided for children under the age of six during riding hours. We offer everything from short enjoyable jaunts on horseback to nine hour rides for the intrepid explorer. As always, the Hunewill family and staff broke their necks making our stay the very best. The Autumn Getaway is a weekend package scheduled during some of Bridgeport's best fall color. We even have a challenging trailer loading competition where guests and their cow savvy horses load cattle into a stock trailer. Double Rafter are a one-of-a-kind cattle drive. In 1883, N.B. Riding and cattle work are the main activities at this ranch, there is fishing and rafting nearby but it's not connected to the ranch's weekly schedule. Remnants of the past intermingle with present times. As part of her studies, she had to work at a resort, or in this case, a guest ranch. After all, Hunewill is a working cattle ranch. Hunewill Ranch, a cluster of white buildings, is barely visible on the valley floor. The ranch has become intertwined with many guests family history. As our guest, you can participate in the timeless traditional ranch life of the American West. Our meal companions and fellow riders were 2 couples, one fromSouthern California and Boston, and 2 solo travelers also from Southern California. The mountains glowed pink as a bareback wrangler herded horses from their pasture into the corral. Rain On The Sage is a book of poetry co-authored by Hunewill employees, guests, and a Hunewill friend/neighbor, Ken Gardner. Around 25 guests saddle up in November with Megan Hunewill and her family from Hunewill Guest Ranch to drive around 600 mother cows through canyons surrounded by dramatic tall mountains, along the Walker River, to their ranch in Smith Valleys wide open sagebrush and high desert terrain. then returned to Maine to visit his family. Home > United States > Bridgeport, CA > . Home style meals are served in the dining room in the founder's Victorian ranch house. He found a promising location around Buckeye and Robinson Canyons. 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