Enchanted April Farm, a Bed and Barn for You and Your Horse
In the historic heart of California’s Gold Country, you and your horse can check into Enchanted April Farm and enjoy a true trail riding adventure, exploring the hundreds of miles of magnificent trails nearby.
Bed and barn horseback riding vacation in gold country
Enchanted April Farm’s owner Elke von Schlosser, a titled Baroness though she grew up in California, opened for business as a bed and breakfast and as a Bed and Barn for riders and their horses. She felt no horse and rider should miss the opportunity to trail ride the hills where miners and privateers once searched for gold.
“Horses are our passion and we believe in their healing presence in our lives,” said Elke, owner of a Paint gelding named Apache and a roping horse named Beau. And she means this, taking advantage of Enchanted April Farm’s healing energy by donating her time and her pastures to the rescued foals of All About Equine Horse Rescue.
“Our equestrian facilities are the best in the Gold Country with safe boarding, secure fencing and a riding arena with excellent footing,” she said. Every rider who checks in receives a complimentary trail map of the nearby Cool, CA, trails system. You’ll find those trailheads within a 5 – 10 minute drive from the farm.
Pampering For You
Of course, you don’t have to bring your horse to savor the luxury of Enchanted April Farm.
About two hours from San Francisco, Enchanted April Farm is not the typical dusty, dumpy Gold Country bed and breakfast. Here, the elegant rooms of the farmhouse are new and pristine with views of heritage oaks, expansive pastures and peacefully grazing horses.
To pamper yourself after a day of riding, arrange for a massage in an outdoor massage tent by a certified therapist or refresh yourself with old European style high tea. Or simply have a drink while barbecuing dinner under a leafy pergola listening to the birdsong and the fountain.
Your day ends by sinking into your feather bed made with cotton linens next to a fire in your room. Room rates include a full breakfast by candlelight, WIFI and chocolate; many rooms have fireplaces. One room, Soothing Waters, has an en suite bath with a Jacuzzi tub, great for soaking tired muscles after a horseback riding vacation.
Between your equestrian adventures, drive seven miles from Enchanted April Farm to Coloma, the site of the first gold discovery that kicked off California’s 1849 Gold Rush. There, you’ll get some history at the Miner’s Museum and Sutter’s Mill at the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historical Park. Or wander the historic Gold Country towns of Lotus, Placerville, and Georgetown. Besides the history and the trail-rides, you can also go rafting on the scenic American River, savor wine tasting at area wineries or take a day trip to Lake Tahoe, an hour away.
Pampering For Your Horse
Elke believes that Enchanted April Farm’s equestrian facilities are the best in the Gold Country. And she made sure that horse owners will find safe accommodations for their mounts by installing a well built six-stall ‘mare motel’ of partially covered 12’ x 24’ paddocks.
The well-kept grounds offer plenty of room for maneuvering and parking trucks and trailers. Beyond the electric entrance gate you and your horse will enjoy secure fencing, a wash rack and a well-groomed riding arena. After a long day on the trail, your horse can relax with a turn out under the shade of massive oaks in one of the large pastures.
Best of all, you and your horse will both experience the true country quiet of Enchanted April Farm, a place of calming peace and renewal, the perfect place for you and your horse to enjoy a riding vacation together.
Have you been on a horseback riding vacation in California’s Gold Country? What are your favorite things to do in Pilot Hill and nearby Coloma, California?
If You Go:
Enchanted April Bed and Breakfast Inn
5950 Salmon Falls Rd
Pilot Hill, CA 95664
Rates: $149. – $199. Per double room per night. Horse boarding at $15/night, shavings and feed available for an additional charge. Afternoon tea ($17.50, two-person minimum) and an hour massage in the massage tent ($50.00, two-person minimum) are available.
Phone: (916) 939-9144
Email: reservations@enchantedaprilinn.com
Website: www.enchantedaprilinn.com
Travel writer and equestrian Lenore Greiner has ridden horses with Argentine gauchos, Hawaiian paniolos and the ringers of the Australian outback. She writes a blog for women travelers and on traveling stylishly and safely at www.TravelGearForWomen.com.