Mendocino County – Freedom, Peace & Tranquility For Sale

Mendocino County – Freedom, Peace & Tranquility For Sale outside Ukiah represented by Doug Swanson. This 180+/- acre Mendocino County ranch is located just outside Ukiah and exudes natural beauty with gentle meadows, forested hills and valleys, wildlife everywhere and the freedom to do whatever you want on your own land. Here is quiet serenity that you can only have by getting away from everything to experience and enjoy it.

There is a cozy two bedroom cabin, plus an extra bunk house that is perfect fun for the whole family with so much nature all around, you even your very own pond! There are riding and hiking trail throughout the property. Adjacent to this land is park land for many hundreds of additional acres to explore.

This property is roughly 12 miles out of Ukiah and about an hour and a half from Santa Rosa. Please call Doug Swanson, the listing agent, to arrange for a private tour. Office 707-636-4440.

If you are looking for a place to get away to and have time away with friends and family, take time to come see this property. You won’t be disappointed.

A little more information for this property:

General

This parcel of land offers complete tranquility and total seclusion. Its approx. 180 acres encompass an entire valley and provide long views to the west and northwest. It is bounded on the west and north by the Montgomery Woods California State Reserve, a 2200 acre preserve that is home to some of the tallest trees in the world. The view from the homesite is of this state land where development is prohibited forever.

In 2005, when neighboring parcels were sold to the state reserve, the boundary lines were adjusted such that most of the ridges surrounding the valley were included in the parcel, ensuring complete and permanent privacy for its owners. This boundary line adjustment expanded the acreage of the original parcel through the addition of a second smaller parcel, so there are two AP #’s associated with this property.

Located about one third the way between Ukiah and the town of Mendocino, the property’s climate zone is a perfect blend of the warm, dry conditions of the inland valleys and the cool moisture of the Mendocino coastline. On summer afternoons, the temperature here is often 10-15 degrees cooler than the hot Ukiah Valley, thanks to reliable onshore breezes.
The ranch is less than 30 minutes from Ukiah shopping and services. It is convenient to the Bay Area and drive time is about 90 minutes from Santa Rosa. Heading further west on Orr Springs Road, one will arrive at the picturesque village of Mendocino on the rugged Pacific Coast.

Main House

The two bedroom, one bath 924 sq. ft. main house was built in 1997 and although unpermitted, its design and construction were intended to follow all applicable building codes. Building drawings are available showing all construction details, as are photos taken during construction showing the methods used. It is built on a slab and is weather and rodent-tight. As far as we know, there has never been a mouse in the house!

Outbuildings

The standalone garage, bunkhouse, and the power shed were all also built in 1996-97. The garage is 22 X 22 feet and is used for storage of materials and equipment. The bunkhouse measures 10 X 12 feet and sleeps four comfortably. It has proved to be a wonderful place for children and teenagers to sleep, play games, and generally hang out away from the adults. There is power to the bunkhouse but no heating facilities.
The power shed houses the solar system components, fireplace kindling and other items for storage. It has been plumbed for propane in the event a gas powered generator is installed there at some future date.

Utilities

A small solar system provides electricity via its two solar panels, four batteries and 1500 watt inverter. The system was designed and built by Advance Power of Redwood Valley. It is intended to provide power for low-energy lights and appliances, but the system could easily be expanded to provide more power or longer coverage.

PG&E power is not available on the property at this time; however there was an easement across a neighboring parcel allowing for connection to the grid and the construction and maintenance of power lines. This needs to be verified, however given the high cost of building PG&E power lines compared to a larger solar system, it is unlikely anyone would need to utilize this easement.

The water system is completely gravity-driven, no pumps are needed. See separate diagram for details. The horizontally drilled wells run strongly in the wet months each year and the flows gradually decrease in the late summer and early fall. We have never had the springs run completely dry, however the current drought conditions are unprecedented and there is no guarantee when it comes to water. For added insurance, a large, undeveloped spring called “Big Spring” is located on the property just over the ridge to the north. With a relatively minor investment, the water from this spring could be transported to the homesite for additional water capacity.

There is no cell phone service at the homesite; however Verizon and US Cellular customers have had some luck connecting from the ridgetops surrounding our valley. There is a derelict land line running across the property which was operable until a few years ago. Unfortunately the wire is now broken in several places. The cabin is wired for a phone line, so this “farm line” could possibly be resurrected by repairing or replacing the old cable.

Pond

The pond was built in 1996 and is very deep (approx. 20 ft.). The water level has never dropped more than 3-4 feet by the end of summer. The pond was built over a natural spring and additionally the overflow from the water tanks is piped to the pond, helping to keep the level up. It is stocked with bluegill, which are fun to feed and catch, and the water has provided refreshing swimming fun on warm summer days.

Activities

This property can be a peaceful retreat away from the hectic life in town, but it also can be the center of unlimited family fun. ATV rides during the day and at night allow you to explore and take in some wonderful views. Hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, target practice, bonfires, dirt-biking… you name almost any outdoor activity from birdwatching to deer hunting and you can do it here! And a 2200 acre park is at your doorstep!

History

This parcel is the former Parcel 10 of the original Singley Ranch which at its peak encompassed 7,000 acres of timber and sheep grazing land. Founded in 1881, the last remaining parcels of the Singley Ranch adjoin the eastern boundary of this land and the sixth generation of the early settlers still lives at the main ranch house.

In 2005 the boundaries were reconfigured to add the “Big Spring” and “The Knoll” areas to the parcel. The centerline of the unnamed tributary of the Big River forms part of the western boundary. Steelhead and Coho salmon have been observed spawning in this creek.

In the drawing below, the property lines (in blue) are approximate. The gravel access road and other unsurfaced roads are shown in red.