GUALALA, Calif. — It's not uncommon to experience a little rain on the Mendocino Coast but don’t let it ruin your experience. Head to the Mendocino Stone Ranch where rain enhances it.
The unique 50-acre property overlooks the little town of Gualala and if you take a tour with resident artist Amanda Stinson, she for sure will tell you about the creator, the late Peter Mullins.
“He was a stone mad rock guy. Just obsessed and in love with rocks,” said Stinson.
With the help of other artists, Peter built more than 30 stone installations for visitors to explore on the property. If you get up close to many of the rock structures, you will notice something: there is nothing holding them together.
“That’s right,” said Stinson. “It's build using a process called 'dry stack.'”
Dry stack is kind of what it sounds like: rocks stacked or wedged on top of each other. It’s an ancient style of building with rock that holds up in earthquakes, according to Stinson.
“We had a 4.1 (magnitude) earthquake back in May and the only thing that fell was a small rock balance that I made which had been up for five years,” she said.
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Many of the rock installations are interactive, meaning you can walk on or walk through them. Touching is highly encouraged, especially in the rain.
Genevieve Mullins is Peter Mullins' daughter. She says her dad designed the place to interact with nature. His prized masterpiece is the Fish Rock Tower which changes when it's raining.
“It is made with a hot lime mortar that strengthens with the rain,” said Mullins.
Stone Ranch was a collaborative process. Mullins says her father never could have built this place without other rock-loving artists. He had a knack for befriending and inspiring people.
“This is a space for artists to create and that is something my dad always wanted,” said Mullins.
Peter Mullins died in 2022 but left behind a rock-solid legacy for all to enjoy no matter the weather conditions.
“When you are snuggling up to a rock, you are just snuggling all these years, these hundreds of thousands and millions of years and that’s incredible,” said Mullins.
You can sign up for a tour or stay the night at Mendocino Stone Ranch by signing up for a tour on their website.
ANOTHER AMAZING BUILDING ON THE BACKROADS: Pulga's Water Temple is a monument to one of California's most valuable resources, and the brilliant way it's delivered to a thirsty city of millions.
