The Love Ranch, a one-of-kind 2,035± acre ranch, with world-class quail hunting, fishing, and recreation in your backyard with lakes, ponds, and a 20+ acre organic vineyard. Its considerable recreational and scenic amenities, right on the doorstep of Yosemite National Park on the west side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, make it an unusually attractive and unique holding. Management is simple as both the 200 cow cattle operation and the vineyard are leased to dependable tenants. The current owners, splitting time between the ranch in California and their home in Montana, have enjoyed the mild winters at the ranch for recreation including hiking, fishing, and world-class quail hunting. Numerous springs provide ample water for multiple lakes, reservoirs, and stockponds. The country with its lush grasses, many private, secluded valleys, pockets of live oaks, and massive granite rock formations is extremely appealing and cries out to the equestrians amongst us. A modest and well-appointed set of improvements include a main home, guest quarters (The Tack Room), Wine Bar, two-room bunkhouse (C-Train), shop/garage, and a historic dairy barn.
The Love Ranch is accessed from Highway 41 where it touches the ranch on its southwest corner. The main ranch entrance is tastefully understated with a rustic metal ranch gate lined with stone walls covered by flowering Rosemary with a private gravel road meandering through the hills leading to the building compound. There is also a means of accessing the ranch via a private gate at the barn and cattle gathering facilities where the highway again touches the ranch on the north end. There is an extensive road system throughout the ranch that allows one numerous options to hike, ride, or drive through the ranch without backtracking. Topography is varied from very gentle rolling hills to steeper grades, but virtually the entire ranch features both usable and appealing terrain.
Elevation ranges from around 1,300 feet to above 2,400 feet at the upper reaches of the ranch.
Historic Indian grinding mortars are scattered about the ranch revealing signs of its Native American heritage.
These large Sierra Foothill ranches are increasingly hard to find due to population and development pressure, especially one that is on the doorstep to Yosemite National Park. The 2,035± acres is significant in itself in this part of the world, but the true value of the Love Ranch is in its extensive water resources and its very private configuration. As one drives around the ranch, there are very few places where one feels that there are neighbors encroaching on one’s privacy. This is a wonderful recreational retreat that is very well located for easy access from excellent commercial air service in Fresno and from the greater San Francisco Bay Area as well as Southern California. Offered basically turnkey, it is ready for the new owners to move right in and enjoy over 2,035 acres of recreational land.
Love Ranch is located approximately 30 minutes north of Fresno and its commercial air service and 30 minutes south of the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park. The ranch is roughly three hours from the San Francisco Bay Area and four hours north of Los Angeles.
Coarsegold is situated in the Sierra Foothills between the fertile farming fields of the San Joaquin Valley and the rugged Sierra Nevada Mountains and just minutes from the Sierra National Forest and access to its endless recreation. Yosemite National Park is just over 30 minutes to the north.
Coarsegold has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Its average annual precipitation is 27.29 inches.
There are numerous granite rock formations generously dispersed throughout the ranch which are set against oak studded grassy slopes and rolling terrain. In general, the property feels very private with expansive views from its secluded valleys and ridge tops.
During the 1849 California Gold Rush, men who were rushing to the great gold strike in California would stop overnight in a beautiful valley nestled on the banks of the Fresno River. The discovery of heavy, coarse, gold nuggets nearby led to naming the area Coarse Gold Gulch. In 1851, at the height of the gold rush, some estimates put Coarsegold's population at 10,000 people.
By 1866 the nuggets were dwindling, but by then Coarsegold was a major stop for travelers to the mountain area. When the wagon road to Yosemite Valley was completed in 1876, Yosemite's fame had spread worldwide and Coarsegold became an overnight stage stop for travelers.
2,035± acres, all deeded. Nine parcels ranging in size from 160± acres to 316± acres. With the exception of the vineyard and the building compounds, the entire ranch would be classified as grazing land.
The Love Vineyard is approximately 21 acres with nine Rohne varieties. This vineyard was established in 1994 in what is now the Madera American Viticultural Area. With excellent drainage and retention of the day's heat, these soils radiate warmth into the vine’s canopy on cold nights. Prevailing winds cool the vineyard and help create wines with intense aromas and flavors. During late spring and throughout the summer months, constant winds of 10 mph start around 2 pm and well into the evening. This also aids in moderating temperatures of the granite soils on hot days. The vineyard is leased and managed by Oscar Ramos of Ramos Torres Winery. The vineyard owner receives 30 cases of wine each season as lease payment. The vineyard manager also pays for the electricity for the irrigation well that serves the vineyard and part of the owner’s ranch compound.
Love Vineyard Varieties
Improvements consist of a main home, guest quarters (known as the “Tack Room”), Wine/Cigar Bar, a two-room bunkhouse (known as “C-Train”), a shop/garage, and an old dairy barn. With the exception of the dairy barn, they are nicely furnished and well maintained. They are described as follows:
Main Home
This approximately 2,600 square foot house contains three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, one half bathroom, and an office. There is also what would be considered a “great room”. The large open living/dining room area with a free-standing wood stove and pine paneling on the ceiling enjoys views out over one of the large lakes on the ranch. The expansive adjoining kitchen with sitting bar has all of the modern appliances and a walk-in pantry with a second dishwasher, sink, and refrigerator. The expansive patio overlooking the lake has an outdoor bar, barbecue, Traeger barbecue, beverage cooler and fire pit.
Wine/Cigar Bar
Adjoining the above Tack Room is a wine bar with wine storage, TV, and outdoor patio with gas fire pit and lounge chairs.
The Tack Room
It has been converted to a very spacious one bedroom, one bath guest suite with coffee and wine/beverage bar.
C-Train
Two wonderfully appointed guest studios that were custom converted from a large shipping container. They are adjoining and share a private deck.
Storage Building
A large storage building used to store equipment, UTV, and hunting gear is adjoining the C-Train mentioned above.
Shop/garage
There is a two-car garage connected to a shop and carport.
Barn
The large barn, gathering pens and corrals are located on the north end of the ranch and maintained and used by the cattle tenant.
One of the most unique aspects of the ranch is its water. There are six spring-fed reservoirs/stock ponds of varying sizes scattered throughout the ranch. A domestic well serves the main house, a large agricultural well serves the vineyard and some of the main house compound, and at least two additional wells are used for stock water and irrigation.
No known water rights. All irrigation is from groundwater wells.
The status of mineral rights are unknown. A buyer should investigate as part of their due diligence. Owner will transfer all of their rights at closing.
Taxes are estimated at $12,194 based upon past years. The ranch is enrolled in the Williamson Act, an agricultural preserve, thereby reducing the property taxes as long as the ranch is being used for agricultural purposes. Please call for more details.
The larger reservoirs on the ranch are well populated by bass and crappie.
There are numerous species of wild animals present on the ranch including mule deer, hogs, mountain lions, turkeys, coyotes and bobcats. Perhaps the most exciting game species on the ranch is a thriving population of California quail in huntable numbers. Ducks and geese also frequent the reservoirs.
The ranch has vast opportunities for ranch-related recreation. Hunting, horseback riding, fishing, ATVing, and hiking can be enjoyed year-round on the ranch. The ranch is also located within 30 minutes of Yosemite National Park. Sierra National Forest is also just minutes away. There are a few large lakes nearby for boating and other water sports. Yosemite’s Badger Pass Ski Area is a little over an hour away.
The current owner enjoys private recreation on the ranch and leases grazing rights to a tenant who runs around 200 cows year-round. The vineyard is leased to and managed by a local vintner who delivers 30 cases of top-quality wine to the owner as payment for the lease. The vineyard manager also pays for electricity for the main water well for the vineyard and some of the main ranch compound as part of the lease payment. In all cases, the tenants are responsible for maintenance of the facilities that they use.
Cattle Lease
The ranch is currently leased to a rancher on a month-to-month basis. He is running up to 200 cows year-round and pays the owner $28,000 per year.
Vineyard Lease
The 23± acre vineyard is leased to a local vintner who delivers 30 cases of wine to the owner as his annual rental payment. More vineyard details below.
Most all equipment and furnishings are included in the sales price. Owner is to retain all artwork, rugs, bronzes, wine collection, office safe, and other personal items.
