Hunewill Ranch | California

Guest Ranch

Home > Ranches in California > Hunewill Ranch

Pricing

2025 – Guide price per person including transfers & gratuity – please ask us

We tailor make all our holidays to suit you. We include the flights, hotels, ranch stay, car hire, transfer arrangements where we can and anything else you may require.  Let us put your perfect ranch holiday together – give us call on 020 8776 8709 or send us an email.

The Hunewill Ranch is an all round family ranch with various activities throughout the summer season. They sit at an elevation of 6500 feet just east of Yosemite Park in the Bridgeport Valley of California. *All images courtesy of Hunewill Ranch.

Horseback riding is the premier attraction at the Hunewill Ranch with genuine Californian cattle roundups. Horses and riding groups are available for every riding ability.   There are between 4 and 7 night ranch stays, cattle weeks, ladies only or adult only weeks. Their season runs from late May to mid November. This property is what we would term a Working Guest ranch.

Hunewill Guest Ranch is located in Bridgeport, California on the eastern slope of the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains bordering Yosemite National Park. They have over a hundred well-trained horses and a vast expanse of lush green meadows and scenic mountain trails. Book a ranch holiday here and participate in the timeless traditional ranch life of the American West.

There is something for everyone at the ranch, whether visiting with family, friends, or on your own. You’ll love riding your horse through 26,000 acres of alpine meadows and fragrant sage bordered by timbered peaks. The full ranch experience includes world-class riding, delicious meals served in the dining room of the founder’s Victorian ranch house, lodging in comfortable cabins, and popular evening activities such as talent night, family dance night, creek-side barbecues, and watching the gentling of young foals and yearlings.

You’ll stay in comfortable cottages near the horse pasture; allowing you to watch the horses come thundering in early each morning. The majority of cabins have two connecting rooms with private baths and comfortable porches. Most rooms have a queen and a twin bed or two twin beds. All rooms are non-smoking areas.

Home style meals are served in the dining room in the founder’s Victorian ranch house.

Due to the altitude, the folk at the ranch recommend that you bring a hat, sunscreen, rain jacket or poncho and a warm jacket for cool evenings. Dress is informal as you might imagine.

The level of riding offered by the Hunewill will depend on the week that you visit. They are able to cater to all levels and also take kids over 6. Younger kids will be minded while parents are out riding.  The Autumn Cattle Gather in November is highly recommended for those who enjoy long days in the saddle.

Safe to say, the main attraction is the horseback riding. This will generally be in large and open pastures that are bordered by the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains. Whether you are a novice or advanced rider, there will be a mount to suit you. 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 riding may be a bit slower up here.

Other horseback activities include splash rides, a breakfast ride, moving cattle, an obstacle course and games on horseback.

There are a number of cattle weeks during the season so you would be well advised to be a reasonable rider as the days can be long and challenging.

This property is mainly a working cattle ranch with over 1200 head of cattle. You’ll be able to learn cowboy skills such as gathering and sorting cattle. It’s not uncommon for you to be able to help cowboys gather and bring in the herd to the corrals for vaccinating or branding. Once in a while cows will need to be “doctored” ‘in the field.

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. There is world class trout fishing in the nearby East Walker River and in the many lakes and streams in the adjacent Toiyabe National Forest.

They have a busy calendar of events for every week of their opening season, stays are of different lengths – 3, 4 5 and 7 nights depending on when you choose to stay. Ranch activities will vary depending on the dates you visit. Their longer cattle gathering and driving packages are spread across the summer season ending in the ranch cattle drive in early November.