A little over four hours northeast of San Francisco, in the little known and aptly named Lost Sierra (hidden between the larger Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges, the name coined at the time when Pony Express riders galloped through Northern California to deliver the mail). Fitting then, that this is the only dude ranch in the Golden State that allows its guests to go faster than a walk on a horse – riders hitting the trail and breathing in fresh mountain air scented by the pine, fir and cedar forests. Fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and archery are alternative pursuits, every adventure undertaken in spectacularly scenic surroundings. Departing May to October.

Read more in Tripatini contributor Bea Villiers´ post Ride & Recharge: Wellness & Wellbeing at 10 Top Guest Ranches.