Tortilla Ranch 2.5

​Short scenic trip to the site of historic Tortilla Ranch, upstream of Tortilla Flat on Tortilla Creek.
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A nice way to spend a few hours away from the rat race on Apache Trail.  The only real obstacle is less than a quarter mile from the start, so you will quickly know if you want to go all the way.

Three miles one way, plus a short optional side spur.

Combine with Hoss 2.0 to make a longer day.

There is a GPS - gpx track file at the bottom of the page.
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Tortilla Ranch early 1960's
The first portion of the trail is not only the most difficult part, it is by far the bumpiest.  The original road was likely smooth, but all the dirt has washed away and you are driving on ledge.  The majority of the run is smoother.
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First portion of the trail
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Major obstacle 1/4 mile in
Climb the hills above Apache Trail and the road flattens out with nice scenery in all directions.  This part of the trail is not very close to Tortilla Creek. 

Pass through a saddle then begin to descend into Tortilla Creek.  You can see the wide, somewhat flatter, spot that was the center of Tortilla Ranch.
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Headed in
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Bluffs above Tortilla Ranch
From what we can find on the internet, the house was torn down first, then the barn was removed in the early 1970's.  We believe the barn was on this concrete slab.

We did not find anything we were sure was the house location, but we did find two sets of steps close to each other.  PERHAPS a house with little foundation and an attached shed built at a later date.
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Concrete slab for barn.
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Two sets of steps may have been the house.
There was a large cistern for stock water.

​We have no idea what these structures were for.  Our buddy with a big imagination said they were mounts for landing strip approach lights.
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Cistern for stock water
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Structures of unknown purpose.
After you spend time trying to reconstruct the ranch drive to the end of the road to Tortilla Tank and a fallen-down windmill.

Take a short run to the end of a dead end spur on your way out.  Good spot to enjoy the view back down Apache Trail.
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Tortilla Tank
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End of spur
This page was written in spring of 2019.  The Woodbury Fire burned the area in summer of 2019, and we reran the trail in fall of 2019.  The fire was fairly light in many areas and a few spots were left unburned.  We were surprised how much was still green.

The road going in occasionally acted as a fire line.

​The ranch area burned but brush was quickly resprouting.  Steps and cistern are farther from the road and will be harder to find as the area revegetates.
Page updated 2019.
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