I've been to Gold Lake Lodge three years in a row, and plan on continuing to return. Let me tell…read moreyou a bit about what you can expect: The Lodge is set off a couple hundred yards from Gold Lake Highway, nestled in the woods at the trailhead to Round Lake. (You'll see a lot of day-trippers parked at the trailhead -- just hang a right to drive into the Gold Lake Lodge campground.) The campground is made up of three tent cabins, about a dozen small cabins, and the main dining room. Those who stay in the tent cabins will get a slightly more rustic experience: you'll have a full bed and a dresser in the tent, but bathrooms and showers are in separate outhouse-like structures (perfectly clean, hot water, flushable toilets, etc.). Those in cabins will live in luxury with their own bathroom and shower. Both can accommodate 2-3 people depending on how much you like one another, but 2 is probably the right number for most. Prices are substantially cheaper for the tent cabins than the cabin-cabins, but both are reasonable. The price tag includes a full-blown breakfast, snacks for lunch, and a gut-busting dinner. Meals are served family style, and you'll quickly learn the ins and outs about which dishes to order, but everything will leave you full. Steak features prominently on the menu, but there are many other options too. My favorites? The pork loin with "Gold Lake sauce" (whatever that is!) and the Buffalo burger (also, not coincidentally, with "Gold Lake sauce"). For breakfast, you can't miss with the "Gold Lake scramble". (See the pattern?) For dessert, the "szarlotka" -- Polish apple pie -- is the runaway favorite. The lodge is run by the ever-helpful John, and ably staffed by a small gaggle of Polish students, who return year after year and add a little bit of cosmopolitanism to the woods. Perfect for all types, very close to amazing hikes and lakes... pretty hard not to give it 5 stars.

Four of us went here for the first time. There are two seating, one at 5:30 & 7:30. The staff are…read moreyoung and courteous. Three of us ordered the steak. It was a large cut that filled the plate but you needed a chainsaw to cut it. It was inedible. It was full of fat and gristle. I expected a lot better for $45. The other person who ordered the cod said it was good. Won't be back.

A family-owned business with beautiful, well-trained horses and gorgeous trails right in the fun…read morelittle town of Graeagle California! Could not be any better than this! Make sure to bring the whole family for this unforgettable experience!

Very nice ranch with horseback riding and just a good place for some downtime to relax. Lunch and…read moredinner was very good and they keep a good food schedule going throughout the day. Skeet shooting with Zeke was awesome so do that as well!

Setting beautiful and peaceful, staff friendly and helpful, food was great and activities were fun.read more

There were 8 of us and we were all first time riders. They were amazing and very patient and…read morehelpful. We had our elderly grandmother with us and the guide led her horse and stayed right next to her the entire time. We didn't ask them to do that, the staff recognized the situation and did it on their own. We're were very appreciative for that. Awesome experience! I would not hesitate to book here.

I always wanted to do horseback riding in Tahoe! Finally, was able to today. I called ahead the day…read morebefore and was booked for the next day. There's plenty of parking available and in the office is where you'll sign some paperwork and pay. It was $60 for an hour ride. You're allowed to bring your phone and a Fanny pack. I was placed with a group, so we were a total of 5, including the guide. I know for next time to book for the two hour session. There's a bit of uphill and downhill on the trail. The trail is pretty worn in and I felt so comfortable on the horse I was on. I got placed with the horse named Blue. Genuinely loved the experience and found it so calming. I'd love to do it again whenever I'm in Tahoe again.

We had an absolutely wonderful experience at Piping Rock Horses! My sister and I both agreed it was…read morethe best horseback ride we've ever done. Our guide, Kiera, was fantastic -- knowledgeable, relaxed, encouraging, and clearly wonderful with both people and horses. The scenery was breathtaking, and the ride felt like a real adventure rather than just following a trail in a line. We crossed a beautiful river twice, rode through gorgeous mountain terrain, and truly got to experience the landscape. My horse, Buckwheat, was such a character and made the ride even more fun. We especially appreciated that the ride felt personal, peaceful, and authentic. You can tell the horses are well cared for and that the guides genuinely love what they do. Highly, highly recommend this experience if you're looking for a scenic and memorable ride in the Truckee/Tahoe area!

My wife and I had a marvelous time riding Whiskey & Bon-Bon along Prosser Creek. Kiara is a…read morewonderful wrangler -- our favorite among all our recent rides. She is a great conversationalist and entertained us with her experiences with the wildlife, the history of the dam, and stories of friends and family. We especially appreciated starting the ride off with a prayer. And she gave us a good recommendation for a pizza place in Truckee for lunch. I enthusiastically recommend Piping Rock Equestrian for those seeking a relaxing and beautiful trail ride among nature. We hope to be back again!

(VRBO is a pain the &$%#, book through her site or direct contact)…read more I booked a weekend at Vaquera Ranch, I'll never forget it. I searched and searched for the perfect place and this was it. I was traveling with family and friends, including two energetic 7 year old girls who are nuts for animals (with the attention span of a gnat). Pam's place is majestic, a quick hour to skiing, hiking, etc. At first we felt we were MILES into the sticks but once we got our bearings it was a very quick 10-minute drive out to the store. We didn't cook much but if we had to there were pots and pans, a nice-sized cuisinart hot plate (everything there is top of the line!!), a Kuerig coffee pot with biodegradable pods (which we appreciated). The wine fridge was enough to keep some groceries if you wanted. And by groceries, I stored beer in there. The kids loved movie night on the big screen TV, doing crafts around the beautiful kitchen table, and of course going down to see the horses. The large tub, we couldnt get them out of it...which was absolutely perfect, they were filthy at the end of each day! We enjoyed the massive show the sky gave us come night time! Stars galore! Pam was over the top generous with her time. Memories of the ranch and the space Pam has created for her furry, four-legged family will live warmly in our hearts until we return.

Vaquera ranch was so delightful. There were so many horses, goats, and sheep that lined the fields…read moreand the rooms were just so charming and thoughtfully put together with a delightful horse theme. The kids had a great time feeding and petting the animals and riding the horses. It was such a peaceful getaway and Pam the host was so charming and helpful. The nearby towns of Penn Valley and Nevada city were higher end then a lot of the other western towns I had been to around California and had some great dining options. We were able to visit the mining museum and stop over in Tahoe to see some snow for the kids. The estate also had a great hot tub and we were able to bbq steaks at night and there was plenty of outdoor space for dining. We had a great restful time and it was a great weekend getaway. Pam even made us home made breakfast and dinner which was also delightful! Highly recommend!

We had a fantastic ride with Skip on the ranch! The horses are well maintained along with the tack…read more Super friendly and fun adventure all around! I highly recommend! We will both come back.

I worked with Skip in Sedona when he started Red Moon Ranch. He sent me a former jumper for a tune…read moreup and said he would split the proceeds on the sale of the horse. I have trained all my life and said I would be happy to help. The horse was recovering from laminitis. I did all the basic ground work and liberty work with the gelding. The horse seemed shut down but performed well for me. I then did four trail rides on the horse and he was quiet and docile. On the fifth ride, while I had the gelding in a soft jog, he threw me harder than any horse I have ever ridden. ( I've only been thrown twice) There was no warning. I broke my neck and had numerous other injuries. Many weeks later a friend of Skips asked me why I took in such a problem horse that had violently thrown 7 other people. I was aghast, as Skip had never told me this was a dangerous horse that waited to get its rider. He never said the horse had even bucked. Not too long before I took the gelding in for training (WHY DIDNT SKIP DO IT?) Skip asked me to do liberty work with a woman and her horse. I agreed. The session went superbly well and I was pleased with the result as I had never met the horse. He later told me I made him look bad. I should have taken that as a warning on any future business dealings with him. I am lucky as I am not paralyzed. I had to quit training for a living though. This man is a con artist and a former Hells Angel. Go to someone who has wonderful credentials and a record of safety.

The Dixie fire in 2021 tore through the town of Greenville decimating it…read more The camp is currently in a rebuilding phase and I don't know when it will reopen. I can tell you that my experience there as a camp aid back in 1986 was amazing and unforgettable. It is an international camp. So I got to meet and work with many campers from all over the world. I did things that I never thought I'd ever get to do, waterskiing for one. I learned to ride a horsey and camp out at some amazing locations with scenery that would reset your soul for enlightenment.

Coppercreek Camp is an excellent place to send your younglings. 3rd generation family owned and…read moreoperated. Fun, exploration of what counts in life, excellently trained staff for all kinds of amazing activities. The horse program is stellar from learning how to ride to advanced and care for horses and mini horses. I love to going to this camp. Check it out for your younglings

We love Feather River Camp! We just finished our 11th straight year there. Always go during Garage…read moreBand Week (now called Family Music Week). First year we went our daughter was 5 and our son was 13 months and took his first steps at camp. My husband had been hesitant to do what he didn't consider "real camping", but after experiencing Feather River Camp with our two young children and not having to cook or clean for an entire week, we were sold! There are even supervised activities for kids starting at age 2 every morning after breakfast, so moms and dads can go on a more challenging hike, do arts and crafts, or just go chill with a good book. And its' all included in one very reasonable price!!! The swimming hole is safe, with plenty of shallows, with a little damn keeping kids from going downstream. There is also plenty of deep enough area to actually swim and many other super-cool swimming holes nearby, with waterfalls, rocks to jump off at heights from tame to terrifying and everything else you'd expect from a Sierra river trip. Our daughter is now 15 and we've managed to convince her friend's family to come the past two years, which is nice for the teenagers. Our son is 11 which I think is probably the ultimate age to be a boy at camp running around like a wild-man with other kids.Most of our close family meet us there each year, now, too, and we have made new friends every year, who we always look forward to seeing again at camp. This camp seems to attract the nicest, friendliest people. I know we've convinced a lot of first-timers to make it a new tradition. Come and make it yours, too-- we'll see you at camp!

Our second year and we can't wait to come back every summer! This is a basic but massively…read moreenjoyable family camp. Swimming holes, mess halls, camping tents... kids can be free range in a safe environment and parents can relax and play. And no screen time (or screen time arguments). A wonderful way for families and friends to connect.

Dani is absolutely wonderful to work with! Very friendly, personable, and accommodating. I would…read moreabsolutely recommend her for anyone looking to get into horseback riding, shows, or working with your horse. Conveniently located for those of us in the Valleys as well!