If you’re willing to travel off the beaten path, you might be surprised at what you’ll find hidden in Nevada. Tucked in the northwest corner of the state you’ll find the tiny town of Vya. Once a trading post on the busy Applegate-Lassen emigrant trail, today Vya is little more than a crossroads in the desert. The town essentially died out in the 1920s, and though a handful of ranchers still call it home, Vya is considered a ghost town.
It’s here in this remote part of far northern Washoe County that you’ll find the Old Yella Dog Ranch – an equestrian getaway that promises seclusion, comfort, and scenic views. Just a few miles from the Nevada-California border, this little-known guest ranch is the perfect place to escape with your horse and soak up some desert living without roughing it too much.
Shauntel Stark and Roger Hartzo, a couple from southern California, took over the historic working ranch in 2017. Since then they’ve worked hard to fix it up and now invite guests to come experience life in rural Nevada.
Lodging and Accommodations
Old Yella Dog Ranch offers a charming and modern cabin for visitors. With two bedrooms downstairs and three beds in the upstairs loft, it can accommodate small or large groups. The cabin features a covered front porch with a swing, living room, fully stocked kitchen, and laundry facilities. Guests need only bring their own food and drinks to feel right at home. Western décor covers the walls, giving the cabin a rustic feel. There is a television, along with books, board games, and other diversions. But be prepared to be pretty off the grid, though there is basic wifi at the cabin.
Guests will love having breakfast on the porch or watching the sunset over the desert in the evening. This private and remote cabin is the perfect place to get away from it all and relax in the desert. Enjoy stunning 365-degree views of the desert and plenty of quiet. Only the occasional sound of cattle lowing in the distance, coyotes yipping, and birds chirping will interrupt your solitude.
For equine visitors, there is a large pen with a covered shelter just next to the cabin. You’ll be able to easily keep an eye on your horse from the cabin windows. If you need it, they have additional panels to create more pens. Clean water is pumped directly from the spring in the hills above the cabin, so you need only bring hay.
Riding
You can ride right out from the cabin onto the ranch’s 800+ acres or head out to thousands of acres of BLM land adjacent to the property. The ranch sits just at the base of the foothills of the Fortynine Mountain Range. Choose from a variety of nice roads that will take you up into the pinyon and juniper hills that offer amazing views of the valley to the east and California to the west. The hills are also dotted with impressive rock formations of compressed volcanic ash.
In the spring, the hills are filled with colorful wildflowers. Keep your eyes open for deer, wild horses, and other usual desert wildlife. Stock ponds, reservoirs, and springs offer access to water, though not all are year-round. The terrain is interesting and there is enough to warrant several days of exploration!
Vya is a great jumping off point to ride other nearby historic areas. If you want to haul out, Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge is to the north and the Black Rock Desert is to the east.
Other Things to Know
Old Yella Dog Ranch is pet friendly. Well-behaved dogs are welcome and there is a small fenced backyard for those who cannot roam freely. Dogs are an additional $5 per night, with a limit of three.
Horses are an additional $10 per night, with a limit of four. A negative Coggins test is required.
The ranch is open to visitors in springs, summer, and fall – though the shoulder seasons are the best for temperatures. No matter what time of year you visit, a full tank of gas is strongly encouraged. There are no services in Vya. Cedarville, California (22 miles west) is the closest place to get basic supplies.
Getting Here
Vya is about four hours north of Reno. It is easy to get to from Highway 395 through Alturas and Cedarville, and then back over into Nevada. You can also get there on Country Road 447 through Gerlach a shorter, but winding, route.
