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Reviews
87% Recommend125 ratings · 95 reviews
Recommends
· March 2022
Tent · Group trip ·
Downer Ranch Animal Sanctuary
Love love love Matt! His property is beautiful. Matt is VERY hospitable very friendly and energetic. The animals there are all super friendly. Very peaceful relaxing place to stay. Most definitely my top favorite places.
Alexzandra S.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· January 2022
Very nice secluded spot! Matt is a great host!
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Ted W.
14 reviews
Recommends
· September 2021
Downer ranch allowed us a good nights sleep and the most joyful wake up with an adorable dog and lots of chickens.
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Marisa C.
4 years on Hipcamp
Mixed feelings
· September 2021
The campsite had lots of open space and had a really nice outdoor shower. The location was great for exploring Kings Canyon National Park during the day.
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Kevin Z.
4 years on Hipcamp
There’s wasps, we got stung. There are horse stools everywhere. Ports potty bathroom and outside shower. For $85 it is definitely not worth. Place was also not easy to find. However since the price is high, there are many open spaces, book if there’s no vacancy anywhere else. Also closest market is 20minute away, so make sure you pack up. I get that I’m being extra picky, but for the price common.
Minsoo K.
4 years on Hipcamp
We loved our stay and wish we had more time! We rolled in just after the sunset and chose to find a spot on the back part of the property - well just our luck, we picked the spot that the horses like to chill in! It was really cool to wake up to all 8 horses kickin’ it outside our tent, with wild turkeys tooling around nearby. The land was beautiful, the location easy to find, and we’d love to come back.
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Vera M.
3 reviews
Recommends
· September 2021
Group trip ·
Sundance Grounds Event 50 Person
We had such a great time at Matt's Sundance Grounds site! He was a very accommodating host and helped us out a lot. It's a great location to visit Kings Canyon, see the Sequoias, swim in Hume Lake, or just relax on the property with the horses! Matt has a lot planned for this site, and i have no doubt he will continue to build out the space to make it even more accommodating for campers!
Justin D.
4 years on Hipcamp
This place did not fulfill our expectations at all. Although there were compost toilets provided, they were quite dirty. The sink advertised for washing dishes was not working and we could not find the promised drinking water. Overall, the place was trashy and dirty. We will not be coming back nor will we be recommending this place to any friends. We could have easily gotten a much nicer motel room for the same price.
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Kayla J.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2021
I had such a wonderful time at Matt’s animal sanctuary! He is a wonderful person who was a joy to talk and hang out with. His horses and other animals are just as wonderful! I just to spend some quality time with all the horses, sheep, chickens, kittens and pup! Would definitely recommend to anyone who loves camping and loves animals.
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Kerry Ann M.
4 years on Hipcamp
Beautiful grounds and equally great host who was attentive to us during our weekend stay and getting the opportunity to enjoy the horses who would come right up to you and enjoy being petted was the highlight our stay! The views are spectacular and the outdoor shower is a must! You will love it. I highly recommend staying here and we will definitely be back. We booked for a large socially distant group gathering and it was perfect!! Thank you Matt for your hospitality, quick response to questions and kindness to our group. We all had a lovely weekend thanks to you!!!
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Vanessa B.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2021
Group trip ·
Downer Ranch Animal Sanctuary
Matt was extremely friendly and accommodating to our large group. The property was beautiful. We had a great time. Would definitely come back.
Tyler G.
2 reviews
Recommends
· July 2021
The horses are very friendly! This is a fun place to stay with easy access to Kings Canyon National Park.
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Kevin G.
4 years on Hipcamp
This place was great if you are looking for a spot close to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. You can get close to the animals on the property which are all great to be around. The port-o-potty's weren't clean at all which was the one reservation I had when staying here. However, the shower on site was very clean and was a nice perk.
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Luke T.
3 reviews
Recommends
· June 2021
My sister and I had a great stay at Downer Ranch! The host, Matt, was super friendly and easy to get in touch with. It was fun to explore the property and see some animals! We loved our stay here!
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Mary Kate P.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2021
My girlfriend and I had a wonderful time staying at the ranch for Memorial day weekend. Matt was a great host. The property is close to the entrance of Sequoia and Kings Canyon national park so it was easy to get to and from the park. While Matt is currently upgrading many aspects of the property, the existing amenities are more than sufficient. The new shower was definitely a plus!
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John M.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2021
Beautiful property. About 30 mins to Kings Canyon entrance makes this an ideal location.
Mary K.
5 reviews
Recommends
· June 2021
Group trip ·
Downer Ranch Animal Sanctuary
This was a great place LOVED the horses, just wish I had ,had more time to explore the land.
Host Matt was super friendly and fun.
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Mairead C.
2 reviews
Tons if selections for campsites. Host went above and beyond during stay. Super friendly people person. Provided options to keep kids busy while in camp. Location is great for day visits to the parks, they are just a short drive up the hill.
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Jesse E.
4 reviews
Recommends
· May 2021
This place was really cool and beautiful. The shower was super cool, but I would recommend putting a chair right outside for a dry place or a sign where it stays dry inside the shed cuz it took some trial and error on my part. But it was an amazing trip and the horses were lovely! I never met our host in person but he did respond to any questions I had over the app so thanks!
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Sam W.
5 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2021
This was a very nice place to stay, the shower was beautiful and the all the animals are super nice! The property itself was a little hilly though and the bathroom was a pop up tent with a bucket of sand.
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Lacey B.
2 reviews
When we got to Downer Ranch we drove up the gravel road far enough away so the gate wouldn’t hit my truck. My wife held the horses back and I drove forward The problem is that the road is such horrible condition, I could barely get my truck past the gate but not my trailer. I backed down to the road for a running start and still was unable to make it. If I had four wheel drive probably. Wish I had taken a picture of the entrance to show how absolutely bad the condition is. As I result we never stayed there. Forfeited our camping fee and moved on.
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Lance W.
2 reviews
This space is so peaceful and full of life! The animals were amazing to watch and visit with, the chickens and horses came to say hello at least once a day. You can see so many stars at night and we all slept like babies in our PUP.
The outdoor shower is heavenly and so dang refreshing too!
Close to the parks, private and primitive (in all the best and desired ways), Matt was great and you can tell how much time and energy he is putting into the property and the animals. I’d support this place every time I am near from now on and hope y’all do to!
Don’t expect glamping, that’s the charm and point of this amazing place. Couldn’t give it a higher review than all the stars and full recommendation!
Heidi E.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2021
Group trip ·
Downer Ranch Animal Sanctuary
We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings and amenities Matt provided. If you're sensitive to noise, just be prepared for animal noises early in the morning.
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Vanessa G.
3 reviews
Recommends
· April 2021
Group trip ·
Downer Ranch Animal Sanctuary
Peaceful place for camping
I would go back for sure
I loved the shower!
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Roberta H.
2 reviews
Our stay was incredible! We arrived at night (definitely read the directions carefully!) and although it was very dark, we went to the secluded area for the night. We actually realized after parking that there were 5 horses within 20 feet of us, it was amazing!! We didn’t get close to them just in case, and they didn’t get close to us, but being so close to them was incredible. We used Waze to get there (as the listing suggests) and had no issue. Our SUV is not a 4WD, but it seemed to be helpful since the roads can be bumpy. The stars were beautiful too, absolutely recommend (especially if you plan to visit Sequoia or Kings Canyon)!
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Santiago A.
5 reviews
We had a great time here! Plenty of space and convenient camp amenities, the host is awesome, and the close proximity to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park make this site a real gem! Looking forward to a future stay and to see this space continue to thrive.
Sean S.
5 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2021
Matt was a phenomenal host. He has a beautiful property and is very outgoing and responsive. Had a great time and highly recommend Downer Ranch!
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Vanessa H.
2 reviews
The entire property was gorgeous! Chickens and an old very sweet German Shepard did roam the property freely so be aware of this if you arent as keen toward animals as we were. The wifi at the top secluded area of the campsites wasn't working quite yet however he said he is working on further extending the range. Repeaters were even available to borrow and plug in if you have an RV/Trailer (Overall wifi works great in the main areas and he cares A LOT about his wifi). Matt was incredibly kind and accommodating for the entire duration of our stay. This place looks like it would be a lot of fun in peak season so we will definitely be back!
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Matt M.
2 reviews
Recommends
· April 2021
Group trip ·
Downer Ranch Animal Sanctuary
Matt was a fantastic host, very friendly and helpful, with BIG DREAMS for his place. It's only about 20 minutes to the National Park entrance, but beautiful to just stay around the Ranch as well. Look forward to seeing it again as his plans develop.
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Garrick O.
2 reviews
Matt's place was awesome! It was easy to miss the driveway at first, but wow his property is beautiful! We stayed here in March, and the weather was beautiful and only 30 minutes from Kings Canyon, which was great since the National Parks were still covered in snow. The property is large and you are free to camp wherever you'd like; dirt roads at the front of the property lead to some spots, and you could go further back on the property if your car can handle the drive. There are plenty of spots that are already cleared out and flat, perfect for tent camping. It was not busy at all during March, but he mentioned there are some weekends his place is packed. There are chickens, dogs, and horses roaming free around the property, and they may come up to your area, so if you are not okay with animals this is not the place for you. Matt is very friendly and very talkative, and has lots to share/lots of cool insights about the area if you're interested. There is a shower with hot water, as well as compost toilets. Since there were times we were the only ones on the property, these resources were always available.
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Kennady H.
5 years on Hipcamp
Location
Fresno, California, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Matt D.
Joined in January 2020Things to do nearby
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