China Ranch, Date Farm Oasis near Death Valley
Table of Contents
Story and photos by Jo Clark and Darrel Mellies
Have You Ever Seen a Date Farm?
“Oooohhh…a date farm!” escaped my lips. Darrel gave me his best incredulous look and quizzed, “You want to go to a DATE FARM??”
I had one free day during a two-week stay in Las Vegas, Nevada, and my research pointed toward Death Valley. The wildflowers would be non-existent (it was September, after all). But I thought this was my chance to see that parched vastness I remembered from a television show of my childhood, Death Valley Days. And, yes, renaming my Southwest road trip Coast-to-Coast—Almost! had definite appeal.
Water and snacks packed in the cooler—Death Valley, here I come! We were making great progress down the Old Spanish Trail Highway, too. Until I spotted a weathered sign that announced, China Ranch Date Farm. “Oooohhh…a date farm!” escaped my lips. Darrel gave me his best incredulous look and quizzed, “You want to go to a DATE FARM??” I gave some thought to palm trees swaying in the breeze after weeks of seeing only desert (okay, I took a breath) and said, “Sure! And their sign said they have a bakery!” Darrel, confessing to hunger, executed a three-point turn.
Off the Beaten Path on a Detour to Death Valley
Nearly two miles later, faced with a sign that said End State Maintenance, he asked again if I was sure about this. I pointed out that there was another sign, “Two Miles” and an arrow to the right. It was a paved road. Good to go! Of course, a quarter-mile further, not only did the pavement end, but the road dropped down into what appeared to be a bottomless precipice. Darrel announced, “We may not be able to get back out of here!” I just pointed down the hill and crossed my fingers.
The walls of this canyon were just stunning. It seemed like at every turn my eyes landed on a new photo opportunity. There were even “windows” in the rocks, one of my favorite things!
A Real Oasis in Tecopa in Southern California
Finally, a sign announced China Ranch. An oasis in the blazing sun, palm trees sagging from their loads. A sign outside the bakery/gift shop instructed ordering at the window if you only wanted a date shake (oh, yes, please!!) or donning a mask to enter the shop. With our masks in place, we stepped inside. Baked goodies galore greeted us, and coolers filled with fresh dates.
Behind the counter, a vivacious lady was busily preparing shakes. Christy Horne explained the different dates available and told me that she made the shakes from a date paste, which was a conglomerate of several of their dates mixed with honey. Christy confided, “I’d been coming here for years. I finally moved to Tecopa so I could work at this ranch!” You know what they say, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” It is easy to see that Christy is doing what she loves!
Christy offered me fresh Barhi dates. They are small and round, with a soft, chewy texture. This gorgeous variety is sinfully sweet, like butterscotch candy.
I spotted the menu and was excited to see that it included non-dairy smoothies. I’m telling you, this lactose-intolerant girl’s eyes got big! They were speaking my language. Yes, Darrel’s date shake was better than my date smoothie, but my tummy was much happier. I can say the shakes were so good we slurped them right down – and this was the only photo! But TRUST ME—they were thick and wonderful! Notice Darrel is eating it with a spoon.
The gift shop had a selection of jams, jellies, pickles, local honey, date paste, custom made soaps, jewelry, and dozens of other items from which to choose. If you can’t visit the ranch in person, you can even order from the China Ranch gift shop online!
Amargosa River Valley History
The southern California area around Death Valley has a rich history of mining. Minerals extracted include lead, silver, gypsum, and talc. China Ranch is not only surrounded by steep canyon walls of rock, but those walls are full of mine shafts. Although those mine entrances are enticing, remember they are a dangerous place to explore.
China Ranch is a public trailhead and has partnered with the Bureau of Land Management to construct an interpretive kiosk on the property in the future. Walk in the footsteps of pioneers on this portion of the historic Old Spanish Trail. There are numerous trails to choose from, ranging from 200 yards to 4 miles. The trails include roadbeds or wide side trails, lined on both sides with rocks. One canyon leads to a seep and a clump of wild date trees—they challenge you to find it!
Oasis Attracts Wildlife in Desert near Death Valley
This oasis in the Mojave Desert is an important stop-over for migrating birds. In total, more than 260 species have been recorded, some coming from as far away as Central and South America. The ranch has a healthy population of Gambel’s Quail. But they are fast on their feet and don’t stop to pose.
The ranch is also home to desert animals, like the fox, bobcat, kangaroo and pack rats, badger, coyote, cottontail, and jackrabbit. Unfortunately, the horsefly also thrives here, so I was relieved to know I always have a can of bug spray in my trunk’s emergency basket. Amply sprayed down, I started walking along the Amargosa Trail. The trail led me beside a small stream, and on to a cabin.
This cabin was probably the assay office, or perhaps the pay master’s office for mining companies from 1900 to 1920. Later, the story goes, it was used as a saloon, and even a residence at one time in this desolate spot near Death Valley.
China Ranch’s Story
China Ranch’s history is a long and interesting story. The owners have found numerous mentions of the ranch in historical papers. The first known visit by a European to this area was in 1830, when a New Mexican horse trader, Antonio Armijo, came through and established the trail now known as the Old Spanish Trail (now recognized as a national historic trail). The trail at the southern end of Death Valley went from water hole to water hole and was called the “longest, crookedest, most arduous trail in the west.”
For the next 20 years, the area was used by horse thieves, a group of American, Mexican, Canadian, and Indian raiders. Horses stolen in California were driven east on the Old Spanish Trail. By the time they reached Resting Springs just east of China Ranch in the southern California desert, most posses had given up the chase.
China Ranch Gets a Name
Sometime in the late 1800s a Chinese man named either Quan Sing or Ah Foo left the Death Valley borax mines and came here. Using the available water, he planted fruits and vegetables and raised meat for the local mining camps. It became known as Chinaman’s Ranch. With its cool-running sweet water springs, nearby Willow Creek, and beautiful trees, the ranch became a favorite resting spot in the Death Valley desert.
Willow Creek is one of the most important tributaries of the Amargosa River—a life-giving ribbon of water in one of the most arid places in the world. Many rare and endangered species are found in its waters and along its banks.
In 1900, a man named Morrison appeared, and, as the story goes, he ran the Chinese farmer off at gunpoint and claimed the ranch for his own. Even after he sold the ranch years later, the name stuck.
Dates – A Sweet Story in the Southern California Desert
The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is the oldest known cultivated tree crop, dating to at least 6,000 B.C. It was cultivated in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), and mentioned in both the Bible and the Koran. Many in the Middle East consider the date palm the tree of life.
The date palm was first commercially imported and planted in the United States in the 1890s. China Ranch’s date grove was planted from seed in the early 1920s by Vonola Modine, youngest daughter of Death Valley pioneer R. J. Fairbanks. China Ranch was purchased in 1970 by Charles Brown Jr. and Bernice Sorrells, son and daughter of area pioneer and state Senator Charles Brown. It remains in the family, and today it is operated by father and son team, Brian and Travis Brown.
The ranch has a collection of antique vehicles and machinery just outside the bakery. Here is the original delivery truck, and a piece of irrigation equipment.
Growing Dates is a Labor of Love at China Ranch
Half of the trees are male, producing only pollen. The females bear in the fall, with each tree yielding from 100 to 300 pounds of dates. Because of the surrounding desert and the resulting lack of water or other food, bees are not present in sufficient numbers to pollinate the dates. Because the bees are not getting the job done, it is handled every spring by the hard-working team at China Ranch. Yes, you read that right; the staff pollinates the trees by hand.
The colors of the fresh dates are really surprising if you are only familiar with the mushy brown ones found in a typical grocery store. In late August, the branches of dates are nearly full-sized but are still green and immature. At this stage, they are covered with heavy paper wraps to protect them from rain, birds, and sunburn.
However, it did not deter a sneaky coyote from grabbing the low hanging fruit. The dates are tempting treats for the birds and must be protected from the weather too.
Dates are harvested by hand, using “cherry-picker” equipment, the common name for those contraptions that lift a person high to reach and pick the fruit. Then the dates are sorted, weighed, and packaged.
A Modest Museum
Located between the bakery and the palm grove is a small museum that includes photographs and artifacts from early Indian sites and archeological digs in the Death Valley area, the pioneer families that were here in the early 1900s, and the mysterious Chinese man for whom the ranch is named. The Browns call this a Modest Museum, but I call it a well-researched and rich history.
Get Your Sugar Fix
Christy offered us tastes of several varieties of dates, asking, “Do you remember the last time you had a great date?” A wise man, Darrel placed his arm around me and replied, “Twenty-three years ago!” Aaawwww…right? You have to love a smart man!
Today, China Ranch offers not only the well-known Medjools, but also heirloom Black Beauty, Dayri, Barhi, Deglet Noor, Halawy, Honey, Egyptian Hyany, and their own China Ranch Hybrids. If you time your visit right, you may even get to pick a couple of fresh dates right off the tree—if you can beat the coyotes to it! Can’t make it to the ranch? Not a problem. They happily ship worldwide.
Beautiful palm-lined paths beckon you to wander through the grove for hours on end in this oasis in the desert of southern California.
China Ranch from LA, Death Valley, or Las Vegas
China Ranch is located near the southern end of Death Valley National Park. They are open 9-5 every day except Christmas. It is 50 miles north of Interstate 15 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Directions from locations such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Death Valley can be found on the China Ranch directions page.
Jo Clark is a happily-retired teacher, travel writer, photographer, food and wine lover from South Carolina’s Grand Strand. She loves learning about local flavors unique to travel spots and adding to her list of places “off the beaten path.” She is a member of the ITWPA (International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance), TravMedia, ITWA (International Travel Writers Alliance), and Travel Massive.
Travel partner Darrel Mellies is a retired Chiropractor, who loves to travel, take photos, and eat almost as much as Jo does! He is a member of the ITWPA (International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance), TravMedia, and Travel Massive
Websites, Portfolio & Blog: www.HaveGlassWillTravel.com & www.PhotographybyDarrel.com