I spent the best summer of my life working as a wrangler/horse trainer at Coffee Creek Ranch and was also lucky enough to come back as a paying guest twice since! It is one of the only authentic guest ranches on the West Coast (I have worked at others since that claimed 5 stars and never once had as much fun as I did at CCR). The trails and mountains are beautiful, the horses well behaved and healthy, the food is AMAZING, and the cabins are adorable! I was even able to be there recently for the Thanksgiving holiday to reunite with or meet just about every member of the Hartman family! It was pretty incredible to get to enjoy the ranch and the gorgeous Trinity Alps in the winter for the first time too. I cannot even believe some of these scathing reviews I just read! I can understand frustration if you feel like your expectations weren't met in a situation where you paid money, but this particular experience was such an isolated one that it simply doesn't speak for the ranch/accommodations/etc. quality as a whole. Coffee Creek Ranch is a family-owned, family-friendly mountain resort where people go to get away from the chaos of their daily lives and spend a few days (at least) and try out some of the many unique activities offered.It's not a place to travel all the way too if you are going to rush or try to fit too much into only a few hours. In the entire time I worked there I don't remember seeing one guests leave dissatisfied - except perhaps if they didn't catch a fish, or over-slept for the Breakfast Ride, or ran out of time to do karaoke on their last night or something like that! I just reached out to Ruth again last week to schedule a romantic weekend getaway for myself and my boyfriend in May and I absolutely can't wait!! read more

Back in 1961, my husband and I came for a week, and I l learned to ride horseback for the first time with your very patient staff and horses. I still remember our breakfast rides in the beautiful surroundings. On a whim, I googled Coffee Creek Ranch and was delighted to see you are still there and delighting guests. read more

We loved our time at the ranch. We did not stay at the property but will in the future. We set up a half day ride and Ruth the Owen was kind enough to invite us to a Steak Fry the night before and meet everyone. Ruth was great as was our wrangler Duffy and all the staff were super friendly. The grounds are great with so much to keep the kids occupied. Food was great and we could not have had a better time ! read more

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Our family of fours (two adults and kids ages 8 and 10) had a fantastic time during our week at Coffee Creek Ranch. We enjoyed horseback riding every day - our kids did two lessons and learned a great deal and grew in confidence. There were rides and horses for all levels of experience. Due to COVID, they did not have their regular children's programming during the day. However, as a family, we enjoyed many activities like playing lawn games, swimming, archery, fishing, and panning for gold. We loved the all-inclusive food and it was not nice not to have to cook or think about planning meals for the week. They were great at catering to our special dietary requests. We'll definitely visit again! read more

We spent three days in early May with two other couples and had a very enjoyable time riding, fishing and hiking around. The meals were very good. The weather was a lot cooler than what we expected so we were bundled up a lot of the time. We were not able to use the pool due to the cool temperature but still had fun. read more

My interaction with the staff at the Ranch was very nice. Danielle is great to work with when scheduling horseback riding. I think this is a really quality ranch that's full of heart and I highly recommend. I wasn't able to partake in the specials this time around but I know they have great specials going on. Give'm a shout. read more

My sister and I asked my mom what she wanted for her birthday. She said that SHE wanted to take US (me, sis, bro-in-law and 2 kids) to a Dude Ranch for a week. Who were we to refuse? Well, we tried 3 times to go to Coffee Creek, and we finally made it! The first time we were scheduled, Northern California caught on fire, and although the ranch was not affected, we decided to postpone our trip. With 2 kids and an asthmatic wheezebag (me) in the group, we thought a destination full of smoke and ash just wasn't a good idea. We rescheduled for another date, but then one of the owners had to have surgery, and they closed a little early for the season. So we finally got it all together, and we went in July 2009, and had a fantastic time. The ranch is set up really nicely, with lots of cabins kind of nestled in the woods. Some are close to the main building, and some are a little further away, but only about a 5 minute walk. (They put my family all the way out, that was probably a good idea!) There's a pool, a game room, a bar, a river, lots of horses, a pond with paddle boats (don't fall in, the pond is kinda yucky), skeet shooting, archery, a hoedown, a rodeo, seriously, so much to do! It's like summer camp for kids and adults. Tim and Erin were our wranglers, and they were awesome! Super nice people, just like all of the staff there. Just watch out for the food, it's pretty heavy cowboy fare. I was in veggie withdrawal the whole time. read more

Went here last summer. Was great. Got the big cabin and it accomodated me, spouse, and our four children. We had little white maltipoo dog and they were ok with us having him with us too but we had to keep in the room restricted and not running around outside cuz something might eat him. Rooms: nice, no issues with cleanliness nor with hot water. Everything was just like a ranch should be. . . Drive right up so unloading bags was easy. Food: outstanding. Home-cooked goodness. dining room is very bonanza-like - loved it. . Did I mention that the food was outstanding ? BTW. . the food was outstanding. Everything fresh . . .even they made thanksgiving dinner for us and it wasn't even thanksgiving. . . .did a beef rib cook out with all the fixing's !. . . great fruit, salads, etc . . bfast was all you could eat goodness . .eggs, pancakes, waffles, cereal fruit, sausauge bacon, potatos, coffee, etc. etc. etc. . juice you name it. . .lunches equally good and packed lunches for the trail in saddlebags were outstanding. . . . . chuckwagon breakfast trailride was good eating . . . desserts and cookies all homemade awesome goodness. . horses: awesome corral and tack facility. .. kids learned to groom, pick hooves, saddle and bridle. . . lots of freedom on the trail plus trot/canter/galloping lessons in the corral too. . . . flyfishing in the creek: walk out cabin, cross the road, there is the stream (20-30 foot wide freestone stream) caught six 7-12" wild trout in the creek within a 30 minute span. . . awesome dry fly stream with opportunistic feeding fish that are not picky . . threw them all back of course using barbless hooks. . bring your own gear. rifle range . . shot .22lr with my kids at the range. . awesome fun. brought our own little target .22 rifle for target shooting everyone loved it. . they have .22lr as well but better if you bring your own and bring your own ammo . . . . archery - wanted to try with kids but no time . . .opted to ride horses instead during 4 day / 3 night stay hayride - lotsa fun . . giant horses to pull the wagon . . .and came with a little giant colt too ! pool - heated swimming, nice patio area, kids had fun internet - yes ! TV - no ! :) staff - mark, norman, casey, ruth, yes . . all awesome, hospitable, down to earth hardworking honest folks doing 100% their best and what they love God bless them all for wonderful family experience. scheduling . . pretty much you make your own schedule and do what, when, where whenever and wherever you want . . very accomodating folks. will come back again when able P.S. we drove up from Orange County, California and it was worth every mile. one last thing, , , the food was awesome ! read more

What a fun place to ride, relax, enjoy good food and company. I recommend a minimum of a 3 days to settle your head to the serenity of this environment. My cell phone was useful for trying to record (photos) the beauty of the mountain trails, guest and horses, it was good to get away from texts, phone calls and electronic age distractions. I did give in to my checking email addiction at first but was able to get away from it for a couple of days. It's impossible to prioritize what was tops, horses, staff, food or the great family that operates and owns this ranch. Just returned for there a couple of days ago and already trying to find the time to return. To me a week was not sufficient. Truly loved the total experience. Ron of Half Moon Bay read more

There is so much to recommend about Coffee Creek Ranch that it is hard to know where to start so I'll just list all the things that make it a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the many incredible things available. In order to keep it brief I'll just list what makes CCR a great vacation destination. First and foremost, the people (Ruth, Bill and Danielle genuinely care you have a great experience); the location; great riding; rustic yet comfortable accommodations; yummy (abundant food); a wide variety of activities, and above all this place is an incredible value for everything it has to offer (anyone who has researched what many guest ranches charge will immediately know CCR is a great deal especially if you love to ride horses). It ain't the Four Seasons so don't come expecting it to be all spit and polish. The place is a rustic guest ranch where everyone goes above and beyond to make your stay fun, comfortable and relaxing. Do as much or as little as you want. We asked for an all-day ride that was not part of the schedule and they made it happen (we went late season so it was a slow week which probably allowed them to do it so don't be disappointed if they can't accommodate on a busier week). The horses are healthy, athletic, well-trained and capable. We are experienced riders and they paired us with great horses that moved out on command and tackled all obstacles including jumping a fallen tree. If you are an experienced rider, Danielle (the wrangler) will provide an energetic ride with plenty of opportunity to ride all gaits. Since it was a quiet week she also included us in retrieving the horses from pasture and helping with feeding the herd, as well as grooming and tacking the horses we were riding. Finally, a bit more about the location: it is spectacular! The Trinity/Shasta area is incredibly beautiful, lush green and abundant with great streams, lakes, mountains and forests. I can't recommend CCR highly enough. Go and enjoy the simple pleasures of an authentic guest ranch at a great price! read more

Okay, here's the deal... Coffee Creek Ranch ain't the Ritz. If you WANT that don't come. It's a guest ranch, and a pretty cool one at that! The problems listed by some other reviewers simply don't exist. Yes, the place is old. However, that's part of the charm... like the chainsaw carved rocking chair on the porch. This place is also an awesome base camp for Trinity Alps adventure. I'm here right now for a backpacking trip and WILL be coming back. The area is stunning! The terrifying dog? It's a ginormous teddybear that's more docile & friendly than my cat. My only regret? Not bringing my family here. My advice? If you have ANY concerns ask the owner for a walk through video. This place rocks! read more

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Coffee Creek Ranch is the ultimate GET away and HIDE away! My wife and I arrived to find out we had the ranch all to ourselves. We were greeted by Danielle and were welcomed wholeheartedly. She showed us around the ranch, while briefly describing the history and other items of interest. We had dinner that night, which was wonderful. The next day we had breakfast and headed out on our horseback ride up the Boulder Creek Trail. The solitude and scenery were amazing! Ate lunch, then hung out at Coffee Creek just enjoying the sounds of nature. Dinner again was delicious, and the company was just as comforting. Ruth and her son, Bill, provided some amazing insight to the history of the ranch. We thoroughly enjoyed the conversation. The cabins were clean and cozy. It was still cool enough to have a fire each night. The trip went to fast to really enjoy what this Ranch and area provides. I would like to think, that whether the ranch is hosting two people or 50 people the service, courtesy and accommodations are exactly the same. Will definitely try to come back with our kids. Well done Coffee Creek Ranch! read more

I brought 18 couples to the ranch as part of a car tour. I had promoted the opportunity to take a trail ride which was one of the primary reasons we choose to come to Coffee Creek. 22 folks signed up for the ride and it was scheduled WEEKS in advance for 3 pm. When we got to the stables, they only had enough horses for 10-12. The rest of the horses were on a multi-day trip and were to have returned by 1 so as to be ready for our ride. It took nearly an hour to get the 12 remaining horses ready (most of their equipment was on the other horses so they were piecing things together). The rest of the folks gave up after OVER and hour of waiting never getting the ride they had paid for. The rest of us gathered around the pool. Despite our arriving around 2pm, the pool area was full of pine needles on the furniture, decks, chairs, and in the pool. While there was one fellow starting to clean it, it should have been done before we arrived. Many of the cabins are literally ready to fall down. There was a blue tarp on one of the roofs to keep water out. Many of the decks on the cabins had extensive rot. My cabin floor was so slanted that the doors would swing open unless latched. The carpet had large holes in it from it as if bugs were eating it. Others in our party expressed similar quarters. Communication was very poor. At check-in, no one was advised that dinner would be on the other side of the river, a fair distance from the actual dining hall. The only folks advised of the location were the folks who were waiting for the horses that did not arrive. The rest of us showed up at the dinner hall. Weeks in advance of our event, the owner had offered to include a hay ride after dinner along with a bonfire with desert after dinner and I had promoted this to the group as another feature during our stay. Upon arrival, I inquired and was told by one of the ranch hands that he knew nothing about that and that it was unlikely as the draft horses were 'not in good shape." It did not occur. Nor was there any communication to us as to whether the bonfire event would happen. After dinner, most of us returned to the cabins. After most had left, they told the remaining folks about it. End result: Most did not participate. After dinner, I expressed my dismay to the owner regarding the lack of horses and that I expected a refund to compensate those who were not able to ride and that we would discuss in the morning. During breakfast, the owner was collecting from those who had purchased a beer the earlier night. One couple told her that they had NO hot water in there cabin. Her response was that they must have missed turning the heater on, but she proceeded to insist on collecting for the two beer and a glass of wine. Wouldn't you think an apology and a comp for the $12 beer tab been in order as token of regret? When I tried to find the owner before our departure to discuss the partial refund for the horse disaster and a rebate to the couple who had no water, she disappeared and the staff could not find her. I followed up with a letter requesting a refund of $100 for each person who did not get their ride and $100 for the folks with no water...a very reasonable request in light of the fact she had charged us $600/couple for the one night. She never responded! I will be encouraging our club members to write their own reviews so as many prospective guests will be made aware of the incompetent and unethical operation at Coffee Creek. read more

I too was part of Tom M's group and had a chuckle at reading the response from Coffee Creek Ranch. Tom's critique was pointed and factual, the response was not. The 3 month delay in responding speaks to truth of the matter. In fact the only reason the online critique was posted was due to the lack of response to a private letter to the owner. I would also point out, this is a management issue as the young staffers had little to work with but did so with smiles and big hearts. We stayed in the "Grove" cabin and pictures on the website do not quite match what we experienced. What also is missing is the pic's of the exterior's peeling paint and weathered decks. read more

i had a blast while I was there with my girlfriend! The food was pretty darn good ( steak was done perfect) we went horseback riding and I was a little sore after a short ride but Ruth gave me some ice to ease my pain ( I have a bad back but it looked fun so I had to do it ) . The staff were a nice especially Ruth the owner!! I recommend this to any family or group it was a good time for sure . read more

A perfect place to get away in the wilderness without sacrificing comfort and fantastic food. I take my twin girls (now 12) for the last 3 summers for at least a week of experiencing a different culture and lots of horses and animals. We ride almost every day for at least 2-4 hours and , of course, the girls fall in love with the horses they ride. Much to do: I swim in the pool, fish, play golf (Shasta), hike, read, and nap. Not bad. Certain weeks during the summer are half-off for kids. Try it, You will never be the same. Setting is spectacular. T read more

If you read Harvey L's review, he said it all accurately and well. This was an incredibly beautiful location, wonderfully nice and caring owners/staff, and we certainly got our money's worth in the spectacular riding that we experienced. Perhaps because it was post season and we were the only guests, we were made to feel like we were part of the family. It couldn't have been warmer and more relaxing. And to reiterate, if you are interested in a guest ranch experience that feels real, you won't be able to find a better experience at a better price. It was well worth the long drive from LA and I would do it again in a minute! read more

We just had such a wonderful day at Coffee Creek Ranch. What a lovely horseback ride through the woods in autumn...so beautiful and memorable! Ruth is sweet and a great cook. Jim led our ride, he's very helpful and also knowledgeable regarding the old mining history of the area. The horses were great too and carefully matched to our riding ability. Coffee Creek Ranch is real and rustic. Not Disneyland, which I appreciate. I cannot speak to lodging as we only did the day trip. We chose a two hour ride with lunch. It's a great day trip, less than a two hour ride from Redding. I highly recommend it! read more

We had been here three times in the past and loved it ; from the horses, the staff and the food. This time it was very disappointing. Could not check-in till 6pm, only 3 wranglers, no nightly activities. Terrible for the price and compared to our other experiences. We had always recommended Coffee Creek but not now. We know that Ruth has a hard life currently but people should know the difference now. The visit was in early August, high season. read more

My husband and I went up to Coffee Creek Ranch for my birthday weekend. We were spoiled by the attention shown us by the owner, Ruth, and everyone whom worked there. The food was amazing.The menus were varied and thoughtful and the wine, from a local vineyard, delicious. Though we are not generally horseback riders, my husband and I took an enjoyable trail ride up into the mountains accompanied by Sam, the horse wrangler. It was a wonderful experience and I have some great pictures to keep the memories fresh. We loved our cabin. We had a cozy sitting area were my husband took afternoon naps and I read by the crackling fire in the wood stove. At the end of our stay, we felt well rested, well fed and very relaxed. read more

We are just home from a week at Coffee Creek Ranch? What a great experience. My two grandsons (twelve years of age) and I shared a cozy cabin --just rustic enough to believe we were in the horse country but complete with the modern conveniences that make a vacation comfortable. The food was exemplary and memorable. One grandson asked for recipes and Ruth is going to mail them. The boys enjoyed the large swimming pool, the ping pong table and pool room. They panned for gold, hit a bull's eye in archery and did target shooting with a rifle for the first time. They not only rode horses but got to feed them. There was a Bonfire and even medals for the boys. I especially liked the fact that technology was limited to Internet access and thus I had their attention and company for the whole time. This is not my first "dude" ranch but it is my favorite. Mark and Ruth Hartman are wonderful hosts and very charming people. Their staff was wonderful, friendly and helpful. The horses were beautiful and well cared for. All in all a perfect family vacation. read more

We just stayed at the ranch and couldn't have asked for more accommodating people! FRESH homemade food, friendly service and entertaining conversations! Horseback riding was safe and exciting! Would recommend anyone to give this ranch a try...even if you just want peace and quiet or if you want more activities you could possible fit into one day...this is the ranch for you! We will be back. read more

Thank Ruth! You and your staff gave our group of 70 a night to remember! The steak dinner and all the trimmings were absolutely amazing! You went above and beyond with the live music and we all had so much fun. You put so much work in to making us happy and we have decided to definitely make this a tradition! We will be back and thank you for making it such a special night! read more

I was part of Tom M. group. I choose to forgo the horse ride but I have a serious issue with the quality of the accomodations. The cabin we were assigned was at best described as filthy, no hot water, the bed sheets had been used by previous guests and we spent a good part of the night fully dressed and chasing spiders. We didn't expect the Savoy but a modicum of cleanliness , particularly at those prices, was a reasonable expectation. No such luck! read more

We were just on the road 299 and the mud slide happened. needed a place for a week stay and they(Ruth-the Manager and owner) said SURE! We knew the weather was hash and that is why we decided to stop on our trip. Ruth was awesome(OK so you always here that, but she WAS!( We were given a cabin and the heat was turned up as they di NOT expect us, but, we had a blast in the dining room with playing poker and they started all the wood burning fireplaces and just for US!! We got also to pan a huge bucket of gold, (which I think paid for the entire stay -but do not tell them!). Ruth was a GEM and my other half being a chef herself asked to see the kitchen and it was free to see and both was she impressed that even though we were the only ones there, she gave a 4*, try to get that from a Denny's! Our cabin was so cozy, 2 kids too and they do power down, but I learned why, SAVE on our bill! But we were asleep before she did that. Anywho, got to GOLD mine, and got a good amount and the kids loved it!!! We already booked for August of next year and if you get the chance, do it NOW, We got one hell of a bargain for pre booking. We were not interested in the horses( all kids under 7) but being winter time we thought the closed, but they opened for us. I work for Kaiser and trust me, YOU will love the food, people and all the fun... Thanks Ruth, you ARE wonderful!!! Giddy Up!! read more

My boyfriend and I spent a week there last summer and our time was Fantastic, especially the food. Amazing dinning experience everything was delicious and homemade the chocolate almond mousse cake was my favorite. Our cabin was clean and the scenery beautiful and quiet like we were all alone in the forest, which was nice considering home is Pasadena. The hayride was my favorite activity considering my boyfriend has had a rough year health wise, horse back riding was out of the question. Breathtaking scenery and a fun and more than an accommodating staff made this the best trip ever. Thank You All so much looking forward to visiting again soon. read more

My family and I had an amazing time at Coffee creek this past summer. We rode everyday, enjoyed the pool and the amazing setting. Thank you Ruth and Danielle for an amazing time and for the memories. read more