Discover an extraordinary opportunity to immerse yourself in history at our property; where past, present, and future converge. Enjoy stunning views of nature, rich historical significance, and a variety of activities for the whole family.
Nestled in the Los Padres National Forest and the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Hudson Ranch is situated between the Wind Wolves Preserve and the oldest Chumash rock paintings ever discovered. Historically Chumash Native American lands, you will be walking in the footsteps of this amazing culture.
On the other side of the valley is San Emigdio mountain. The San Emigdio Rock Art Site is located near the San Emigdio Mountains in Kern County, California. The site consists of four cave shelters all adjacent to a creek. The cave shelters have elaborate and colorful Rock art, all in a typical Chumash style. However, the rock art at the shelters displays more colors and is more complex than at any other Chumash site. Limited work continues to be done at this site due to deterioration. San Emigdio Mountain and San Emigdio Canyon Trailhead can be reached from Hudson Ranch Road.
In the early 1900s, this site was used by the Kern County Industrial Road Camp, a prisoner labor camp for constructing rural roads. In the 1930s, with the New Deal, it became a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp, earning its Landmark designation. Specifically, Project F-397, Company #2925, established on May 1st, 1941.
The CCC, a New Deal program by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was established to provide relief and recovery from the Great Depression. From 1933 to 1942, the CCC employed two million young men to work on a massive building program across America's parks and forests. They constructed park buildings, roads, bridges, and other improvements, planted and weeded, cut brush, thinned trees, eradicated insect pests, and engaged in search-and-rescue efforts. Firefighting was their most crucial task.
In 2008, California State Parks commemorated the 75th anniversary of the CCC with online presentations and historic photographs showcasing their contributions.
The CCC offered young men not only employment but a renewed sense of dignity and hope for the future. They were part of something important, contributing to their country while earning a living.
"It is time for each and every one of us to cast away self-destroying, nation-destroying efforts to get something for nothing, and to appreciate that satisfying reward and safe reward come only through honest work."— Franklin D. Roosevelt, Radio Address, July 17, 1933
After the Great Depression and the dissolution of the CCC in 1942, the site was acquired by a Rodeo star who used the land for horse training and a shooting range. In 1992, it was purchased by La Trinidad church. In 2024, the current owner acquired the site with a vision to restore its historical significance and prestige.
