Welcome to Episode Nine of the Tejon Ranch History Podcast. By 1860, Tejon Ranch was the largest settlement in Southern California. However, it would soon become deserted. With the American Civil War starting in 1861, troops were diverted to battlefields across the country. Pleas from Ranch residents and leaders to keep the Ranch guarded were ignored. By 1861, every mule and wagon was loaded up by the U.S. Army and marched out as residents of Tejon Ranch sadly watched. It was a challenging time for the Ranch needless to say and many changes were now on the horizon. Listen to learn more!

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Come visit and wander with us this winter!

Don’t let winter slow you down and prevent you from visiting Tejon Ranch. In fact, we encourage you to visit us during the winter. If you belong to our Explorer Membership you can access our thousands of acres of stunning hills and valleys—all changing for the upcoming winter. Before you visit, check out how to prepare and what sights you’ll be able to see this winter, written by our own Mike Campeau.

There’s a chill in the air. Yes, it will be colder, but only on some days. This being California, most of the winter days at Tejon Ranch tend to range in the high 60s to low 70s (try explaining that one to your east coast relatives). Tejon Ranch is located in what I call the “Bermuda Triangle” of weather. We are located at the convergence of the Sierra Nevada mountain, the Mojave Desert and the California coast—and the weather can change here in a heartbeat because of that.

Be prepared for any kind of weather. Dress in layers. And, since our weather can change—it might be warm in the morning, but by afternoon it could be raining—dress so you can strip down or add clothing. If you’re out and about and it starts to rain and get swampy, cut your hike short and get back to base.

Take in the changing landscape. California is often accused of not having four seasons. That’s not the case here at Tejon Ranch. As winter approaches (and  rains come—at least during previous seasons) the foliage falls off the tress, the grassy hills and valleys turn bright green, and the sun is out and bright. This is the perfect combination for a hike or our popular trail rides with your favorite horse, or one of ours.

Our wildlife changes, too. The animals at Tejon Ranch tend to congregate this time of the year. For instance, our elk gather in large “bachelor” groups, providing more presence for guests and more opportunities to take pictures of them and other animals on the Ranch.

Enjoy our snow. Tejon Ranch is never going to be a major skiing destination but we do provide some fun snowy activities (when we have snow). Many visitors have used snow discs for gentle, family friendly snow sledding, built snowmen, and used our beautiful snowy hills and valleys to take some amazing winter photographs.

We hope you visit us this winter. Remember, dress appropriately, be prepared, bring a camera (it’s hard to believe we’re only 90 minutes from Southern California) to take some spectacular winter photos, and most importantly, have fun and get outside.

For more information on joining our Explorer Membership and getting access to the ranch to hike (as well as biking, camping, photography and other fun activities) contact Christine Hollis at (661) 663-4284 or chollis@tejonranch.com