Welcome to our little slice of California heaven.
These oak and grassland hills roll into the CA Coastal mountain range in southern Monterey County, and the clouds can be spectacular any time of year.
Our 40+ acre lot is part of the "AV Ranch", a historic 1,200 acre cattle ranch that once belonged to a gold star general, nestled between Fort Hunter Liggett and Mission San Antonio de Padua in the south and national forest to the north. We have a one acre pond, dam, seasonal creeks and waterfalls plus the old hay barn and bridge. The AV Ranch now has a few landowners, no one runs cattle or has horses, but it is still old California at its finest.
I like to stay when its warm and dry, so I can sleep under the stars, marvel at the Milky Way, watch meteor showers, and enjoy the natural sounds of unplugging for a fews hours or days.
Spring brings us quite a bit of rain that filters out through natural springs throughout most of the summer. Water is provided by pond, well, or spring. Water also attracts wildlife, and quiet guests can enjoy waterfowl, quail, dove, deer, turkey, and wild pigs wandering past their campsite. You may even spot the occasional Condor gracing the sky. Elk herds are frequently seen on Fort Hunter Ligget on the way in, but they have a few other seasonal locations you will also notice.
Summers can get hot but always drop in temperature at night. Ideal for sleeping outdoors, watersports, fishing at the pond, and birdwatching. Natural flora and fauna are abundant. Be aware of hunting seasons and watch out for hunters on Fort Hunter Ligget during these times. You can arrange tags for deer, elk, turkey, dove, quail, and wild pigs with the base.
Fall is simply stunning. Storms come in off the Pacific Ocean and Big Sur, straight down the mountaianous canyons to us. Sycamore trees display a wonder of colors, while the variety of oaks becomes easier to notice. Valley oaks leaves dry up and fall while Live oaks have smaller, pokier leaves and are always green.
Winter can bring lots of much needed rain to this part of California. Herds of wild elk once managed this land until cattle were used to help keep the plant life in balance, native grazing areas grazed, and humans easily fed and nourished. This is a time to manage trees and overgrowth, setup pastures, and store water.
We bought this ranch in July 2022 with the intention of returning cattle to the land. The ultimate dream is provide people like you the chance to experience nature and California the way it is meant to be, unplug for a few days and get off the grid. We hope to connect guests with the land and food it supplies- cattle, game birds, or mushrooms.
While we build our dream, we invite you to come on down! Help with a chore, enjoy some R & R, camp, fish, hike or dine with us.
Just know that you are gonna get dirty!
Things to consider when camping here:
- Bring your trailer or tent, or have us set up a tent for you! Pack it in, pack it out. No dumpsters on site.
- This is wilderness. Camping here comes with natural sounds, like bullfrogs, coyotes, and something sniffing outside your window. There are also natural dangers like water, rocks, mud, and creatures. Pay attention to your surroundings. Use common sense and best safety practices. Clean up your food.
- Fishing is catch and release at our pond and requires proper licensing. You are also welcome to fish at Coleman Reservoir just downstream.
- Fire is a concern, so please be aware of sparks, lighters, combustables, and water sources. Fires can only be made of local wood in low-smoke fire pits when provided. Cooking is done with propane or electricity.
- Rattlesnakes live here. Do not walk in tall grass or dry grass with legs unprotected- we have gators available, boots and jeans recommended. Snakes and other reptiles sun themselves to warm up in the mornings and can be found in the shade of plants and grasses, hiding along trails, hunting for pray most of the day. Some prefer to hide under wood pieces or in underground holes. Exploer with caution.
- Invasive pigs can eat a lot in one night and cause a lot of damage to landscaping and agriculture in the area. Here they can be found eating acorns under oak trees, wallowing for water and buried roots in shady areas or in watersheds. They may also make a mess of stream beds, root under trees, and create wallers along the pond. They are also quite big and travel in herds, so if you see them, just try to let them be and do not startle them. We may be able to arrange hunts.