The Branded Calf B&B - Yokuts Valley, California

Angela H.

The rooms were spacious especially the bathrooms, mini fridge and sitting area a plus. The living room is huge and the atmosphere very relaxing. Connie is the best host. Very knowledgeable about the area and makes a mean frittata! I would highly recommend a stay here!!

Leo I.

We loved our one night stay here, and would recommend this place for longer stays if you are visiting the nearby national parks, details below.

We stayed here for one night after driving down from the Bay area, before continuing on to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.

Room - we had the very spacious family room with two queen size beds. It was spotlessly clean and the beds were very comfortable, and I got a good night's sleep after a long drive. Amenities included a fridge and TV (didn't use the TV), and the ensuite bathroom had a separate sink area which was useful.
Host - As other reviews have mentioned, Connie is a fantastic, welcoming host with a wealth of knowledge of the places to see and hike in Kings Canyon and Sequoia National park. She highlighted the locations of the key hikes and trees that we intended to visit, and advised on an itinerary that suited our 4 day visit. Make use of her knowledge, is what I advise.
She also kindly let us use her kitchen for our sandwich prep, and gave us some freezer blocks after ours had defrosted.

Food - Breakfast was served communally, it was delicious and there was plenty of it. Connie made a vegetarian frittata, and freshly baked breakfast biscuits (I wish I had taken more of these). There were two other groups at the dining table. It was a great way to meet people who had already been to the parks.

Other tips - The local gas station and supermarket are cheap. We stocked up on gas and food supplies here. The shops in the parks are expensive, and the only place we could get fruit/vegetables was at Lodgepole. There is a gas station at Stone Creek in between Kings and Sequoia, but it is more expensive.

LA W.

Great location. Convenient to Sequoia National Park. Breakfast was delicious and recommendations for where to go while up there super.

lee B.

By pure luck before our April, 2024 vacation to the west coast, we happened to see some glowing recommendations for The Branded Calf B&B. These recommendations referred to the clean and comfortable bedrooms, the safe and secure location, the close proximity to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, the beautiful uniqueness of the surroundings, the superb breakfast, and the congeniality of the wonderful host, Connie. All of these positive remarks were accurate, even though some may have been posted some time ago,
There was recent snow in the mountains when we arrived, so we were concerned about accessibility of the parks for our drive through the next day. When we got up the next morning, Connie had a map of the parks laid out and marked with certain roads that were closed and alternate routes that were available, plus other tips. She had contacted the park service for up-to-the minute conditions. Then she delighted us with a delicious breakfast. Before we departed, she even offered suggestions for other sites that, if we had time, we might not want to miss on our drive back west to catch our train to Seattle. We took her suggestions and were fortunate to see some attractions that we would have missed had it not been for Connie's advice.
If you are looking for a multi-story southern mansion type B&B, this isn't it. But if you are nice people looking for a nice place to stay with a host that makes you feel right at home, we highly recommend The Branded Calf. Thank you Connie.
Lee and Judy Bandy
Virginia Beach, Va.

Chetan R.

One of our best experiences to stay with Connie at The Branded Calf B&B!
Very charming and warm welcome, spacious and well equipped rooms, easily accessible parking, kitchen full of amenities and all this surrounded by farmland!
On the top of all this, you can enjoy tasty breakfast made by Connie herself!
Surprisingly the farmhouse also has many bird feeders and you will enjoy hummingbird photography!

Thomas E.

Connie your hostess is very accommodating to your needs. You are in a great location to get into and out of either Kings Canyon or Sequoia National Parks. Clean, comfortable quarters (5 rooms in total). Breakfast was great but conversation even better! Connie rocks!

Fay W.

Stopped overnight at this quiet rural spot. Typical American home, large en suite bedroom good sized bed, with ceiling fan which was definitely needed due to the heat! Plenty of storage for a longer stay. We could watch hummingbirds from our window!!|Our hostess Connie was a delight, a mine of information, helpful and friendly. Her breakfast tortilla was to die for!!|If you enjoy the quiet life you’ll love this rural idyl with its horses grassland and Australian Shepherds- we were lucky enough to meet the puppies!!|My only niggle was the lack of A/C as it was very hot, but apart from that it was a great stopover. I’d live there if I could!!

Harley B.

Fantastic experience! I stayed here for 3 nights as a solo traveler while exploring Sequoia NP and Kings Canyon. The B&B was beautifully decorated, with spacious and well-furnished rooms, and Connie's breakfasts were perfect for my full days of hiking! Connie was so warm and welcoming, and treated everyone like part of her family. The outdoor space was also stunning, complete with hammocks, hummingbirds and horses for the most picturesque setting.

In terms of location --you won't find much else that's closer to Sequoia or Kings Canyon, so Connie's place is great on that front. HOWEVER, just be aware that while the B&B is close to the national park entrance, it will still take you anywhere from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours to get to your desired location within the park. This is no fault of the B&B but rather, is just because of how huge the national parks are. Anyone who's been to a national park will know that even once you "enter" a park, there is still a long drive to your specific destination/trail. So budget your driving time accordingly and map it out to where you actually want to go, not just the park entrance. This is especially important for the end of the day, where you want to be out of the park before it gets too dark.

Overall, I'd 100% stay here again!