History

Double Bar J’s first owner homesteaded the land just after WWI.  With only a handful of previous owners, the family patriarch Cmdr. William Vallandigham took ownership in the late 1970’s.  At his death in 1986, the ranch was passed on to  his daughter Lynne, her husband, James, & grandchildren, Heather and Darren.

Many advised to sell the ranch due to the remote location, but Lynne’s father's last wish was to “hold onto the ranch if you can”. It was decided not to sell, and carry on with developing a guest ranch. James sold his business and concentrated on learning the business of ranching and hospitality. Within two years, plans were started for building our own home on the ranch and we were able to spend our first Christmas there in 1990. The Summer of 1991 began our first guest ranch season. The family enjoyed the hospitality business and loved sharing the property with everyone that came to visit, but life's changing events took them back to California in the late 1990's. The family continued summer vacations at the ranch and as Heather and Darren got older, they began bringing their families and friends to the ranch.