Our tours aren’t all about the thrills of ziplining—they also introduce you to nature, history and sustainability on Santa Margarita Ranch.
And when it comes to nature, history and sustainability, there’s no finer all-in-one example than the ranch’s majestic legacy oaks, some of which are more than 400 years old.
We take great care to nurture the oak population on the ranch. No oaks were removed during the planting of Margarita Vineyard, and our rotational grazing and other sustainable practices have helped baby oaks to flourish across the ranch.
But sometimes Mother Nature strikes and one of the grand old oaks goes down, as was the case with the tree in the accompanying photo, which was toppled during a recent storm.
The ring count on this valley oak suggests that it was 310 years old or thereabouts, meaning that it took root around the year of 1703—which is three years before Benjamin Franklin was born, and 70 years before Franciscan missionaries first arrived at Santa Margarita Ranch!
It’s awe-inspiring and humbling to be in the presence of such enduring oaks, as you will discover during your next tour with us.
