Trinity Alps Lodging - Eagle Creek Ranch Guest House on the Trinity River - accommodations for up to 6 in Northern California

Eagle Creek Ranch Vacation Rental Scenes, Including Eagle Fishing, Old Barn with Trinity Alps in the background, Guests with Horses, and Flyfishing at nearby Lewiston Lake

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History of Eagle Creek Ranch

Eagle Creek Ranch is one of the oldest agricultural tracts of land in Trinity County. It is located at the northern end of the Trinity River Valley, near Coffee Creek, California. Indeed, the river does run right through the ranch. The oldest records show that the ranch was sold by J. C. Akers to Allan Davis in November of 1866 for $500. At that time the ranch was know as the Iowa Ranch. Allen, originally from Missouri, and his wife, Nancy, originally from Tennessee, along with their 3 children owned and farmed the ranch until 1878 when they sold to John Roe Stoddard in of July 1878 for the sum of $2500 in gold. The Davis family left their mark in the naming of Davis Creek which flows through the ranch and the Davis pasture.

The ranch was now known as the Stoddard Ranch. The Stoddards were a major influence and are remembered for the Stoddard Trail and Stoddard Lake. The historic trail begins directly behind the old log house and can still be seen following the blaze marks on the giant trees. The Stoddard family took their cows from the ranch in the spring to their summer grazing at Stoddard Lake via this old trail. Today, the trailhead begins some six miles away and is a beautiful 3.5 mile hike to one of the jewels of the Trinity Alps, Stoddard Lake. Along the way, you will pass the site of their cowboy cabin where they watched over their herd. The Stoddards are buried on the ranch in the old Stoddard Family Cemetery. You will find graves of 4 of their children along with others. Two of their children died in a diphtheria epidemic, one from scarlet fever and the fourth, a young girl of 22, from a tragic suicide. All in all, there are some eleven graves in the cemetery.

Trinity County Historical Photo at Eagle Creek Ranch, Horseback Riding


Guests of the ranch over the years include Errol Flynn and Bing Crosby

When you visit the ranch you are standing on the old Oregon-California trail. One of the oldest buildings still standing in Trinity County is the old wagon shed at the ranch. The wagons were stored in this shed and the drivers slept upstairs. One of the dates written on the walls upstairs is "1861".

The original ranch house still stands and is currently occupied by the Cunninghams. This is a unique structure in that it is built of logs that are locked together in such a way that you either have to start at the top or the bottom in order to get a log out. The house has no rafters and no sheeting on the roof. It was built so that it came up to the top of the wall and then they just set long single logs and put shingles right on them. There are no rafters and no boards on tip of the main timbers. The timbers on the top of that house are eight by sixteen, thirty two feet long. Some of the logs on the walls on the ends are twenty four inches wide and eight inches thick. Legend has it that the house was originally built as a granary. About the time they were half done, the old house burnt. So, they went ahead and finished the house and added a second story to it as a residence. Today, there is an inside stairway, but in the old days you had to go outside to get to the upstairs.

Trinity County Historical Photo at Eagle Creek Ranch, Ranch Hands

The Stoddards sold to Jim Lee in 1938 or 1939. Jim and his wife, Gussie, ran cattle and operated a vacation pack station until the 1980's. They named the ranch Eagle Creek Ranch, as irrigation at that time came from Eagle Creek. These were lively days. People came from all over to enjoy the pack trips into the Alps. Errol Flynn and Bing Crosby were a few of the visitors that enjoyed the easy atmosphere. Gussie cooked massive meals and it is rumored that her macaroni and cheese was the best around. Jim was a small man famous for his ever present cigar and incredible, secret barbecue sauce.

After the Lee's passed away the Cunninghams bought part of the ranch in 1992. Then in 1995, when the old house became available, bought the adjacent property. Thus, they were able to realize their dream of putting the ranch back together again. It is their hope that you will be able to take a break from the city and transport yourself to another time. You only need to stand at the corner of the barn and gaze down the road.you just might see the wagon coming.