Gather, Relax, and Reconnect with Nature in an Upscale Setting

Welcome to Spanish Ranch, an unparalleled retreat in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains, offering a rare opportunity to escape to something remote and private, conveniently close to Silicon Valley. Spanning 343 acres of pristine forest, this luxury campground seamlessly combines seclusion, convenience, and comfort, making it ideal for family gatherings, personal escapes, or a high-end destination experience. The property’s well-maintained infrastructure includes everything you need for a worry-free stay, with updated electrical wiring, on-demand water heaters, a reliable gas generator supported by a solar backup system, and a high-quality water filtration system for complete peace of mind.

Accommodations include two private cabins (each with one bedroom and one bathroom) as well as a bunkhouse with bath, offering cozy and upscale lodging. Additional guest options, such as three canvas lodges set on platforms, and three camper trailers, allow for a diverse range of experiences. The campground’s central gathering area with a spa provides a luxurious spot to relax, while the strong Wi-Fi connection ensures that guests can stay connected when needed.

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Well-maintained access roads and scenic points along Soquel Creek offer easy access to the property’s natural beauty. Guests can enjoy groomed hiking and mountain biking trails that wind throughout, inviting endless exploration of the vast and peaceful landscape. For those looking to expand, the property also includes a potential building site with breathtaking ocean views. A 3-bedroom, 2-bath caretaker’s residence ensures that the grounds are continually cared-for, ready to welcome guests at any time.

This unique luxury campground in the Santa Cruz Mountains blends privacy, natural beauty, and state-of-the-art amenities—an ideal investment for those seeking a peaceful, upscale outdoor experience just a stone’s throw from the heart of Silicon Valley.

The Setting

This unspoiled property is a true gem of California’s natural beauty, abutting Soquel Creek and Soquel Demonstration State Forest, a vast, protected forest open for day-use recreation only. This bordering forest is dedicated to sustainable timber production, research, education, and wildlife habitat preservation, ensuring a peaceful, undisturbed environment—with no camping or motorized vehicles allowed. From the highest point on the property, breathtaking ocean views provide a stunning panorama, while an expansive assortment of old-growth redwoods (the largest collection in private hands) create a majestic, ancient forest landscape. The land is rich with biodiversity, from towering redwoods to mature coastal and white oaks, bay laurels, eucalyptus, and madrone trees. Wildlife abounds, with sightings of deer, wild turkeys, bobcats, mountain lions, and a multitude of bird species, along with chipmunks and trout and steelhead in Soquel Creek, making this a nature lover’s paradise.

Ultimate Privacy

Full-Service Luxury Campground

Diverse Accommodations

Convenient Access

Outstanding Features

Campground Structures

  • 2 Cabins – sleeps 2 adults, kitchen, bedroom, full bath, heated and air conditioned, air circulation system
  • Bunkhouse – sleeps 4, screened porch, full bath, heated and air conditioned, air circulation system
  • Bathroom – 2 half baths
  • Kitchen House – Miele appliances, deck, dining patio
  • Bathhouse – 2 full bathrooms with showers
  • 3 Platform Tents – king mattress, Ooler bed temp system, deck with shade sail, outdoor tables seat 6 guests, can be reconfigured with two twin beds

Campground Amenities

  • 3 Happier Campers – sleeps 2 adults, kitchenette, bathroom, heated and air conditioned
  • Kids Play Area
  • Fire Pit Area
  • Hot Tub – deck, propane heated
  • 12 Miles of Hiking and Biking Trails – maintained and poison oak controlled, trail cameras for monitoring

Campground Infrastructure

  • Electrical wiring – buried and secured in electrical conduit
  • On-Demand Water Heaters
  • Propane Gas Power
  • 2 Water Storage Tanks
  • Water Filtration System – Aquasana system
  • Septic System – 2 leach fields
  • WiFi – line of sight Etheric Network with backup Starlink satellite
  • 3 Fire Hydrants – fed via well water, maintained by Embers Protections Services, Inc.
  • Well Water – 3,000-gallon tank
  • Pump House – pumping to run via solar array
  • Diesel Fuel Gas Generator with Tesla Solar Backup Battery
  • 2 Unleaded Fuel Gas Tanks

Caretaker House

  • 3 Bedrooms/2 Baths
  • 2 Offices
  • Propane Gas Power – stove, heating
  • Air Conditioning
  • Septic System

Maintenance

  • Property Staff – 2 full time staff, 2-3 additional staff members as needed, outside vendors and contractors
  • 12 Miles of Hiking and Biking Trails – maintained and poison oak controlled, trail cameras for monitoring>
  • Property Maintenance – eucalyptus trees stripped for fire mitigation, bay laurel trees cut back to encourage redwood growth, trees trimmed and monitored for safety

Equipment

  • John Deere Tractor
  • 2 Polaris EVs
  • 2 Landmaster Electric UTVs
  • 2 Kawasaki Mules
  • Water Truck
  • Water Tank
  • Sawmill

Location

  • Soquel Creek running on property
  • Bordering Soquel Demonstration State Forest – forest is managed for sustainable timber production, research, educational activities, public recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, and watershed protection. Forest is open from dawn to dusk for day use only, no camping permitted or motorized vehicles allowed
  • Ocean views from the highest point of the property
  • Largest collection of old growth redwood in private hands
  • Mature coastal oaks, white oaks, bay laurels, eucalyptus, madrones
  • Deer, wild turkeys, bobcats, mountain lion, multiple bird species, chipmunks, steelhead, trout

The Location

Santa Cruz Mountains

This area of the Santa Cruz Mountains offers the best of both worlds – tranquil coastal living with easy access to Silicon Valley and San Francisco. Redwood-forested mountains meet 29 miles of coastline for picturesque scenery and ample land and sea recreation options like hiking, stand up paddle boarding, surfing, canopy tours, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Visitors and residents alike also enjoy taking advantage of the 14 local state parks, wineries, museums, farmer’s markets, and the burgeoning beer and wine scene. The mild year-round climate allows for abundant local farming of berries, vegetables and wine grapes and plenty of beach days.

Los Gatos

With its chic downtown shops, world-class restaurants and impressive high-end homes, Los Gatos is where Silicon Valley executives, among others, come because they crave small town living, vibrant pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, great schools and an active, close-knit community whose evenings and weekends are always full with downtown farmers’ markets, outdoor concerts, hiking, biking and maybe an afternoon picnic in the shade of the Redwoods at the Town Plaza, followed by dinner at a world-class restaurant like Manresa or Forbes Mill Steakhouse. Or they can check out the Testarossa Winery, located less than a mile from downtown, one of several wineries operating in the hills and mountains in and behind town.

Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley is a leading hub for high-tech innovation and development. Historically, it produced technological wonders by companies that defined the high technology industry, beginning with semiconductor businesses and research groups. These companies, anchored by Stanford University, formed an ecosystem in which later innovators could thrive: Hewlett-Packard, Apple, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, and many more. Thousands of start-up companies currently call Silicon Valley home.