Featured Activities
The spirit of the West meets Silicon Valley at Chaparral Ranch. Surrounded by natural trails and open space preserves, the ranch overlooks stunning Bay views.
A hub of Western and English lessons, trail and adventure rides, with an atmosphere all its own, Chaparral boasts a rich community of equestrians and outdoor lovers. People visit Chaparral from all reaches of the Bay Area. The flavor and people of this place offer an outstanding Northern California experience.
Shawn Mott, Master Horseman and CEO. Shawn trained his first mustang when he was ten years old. Since then, he has truly lived the life of a cowboy. As an eagle scout, he was mentored by a 70-year-old half-Cherokee horseman, who shared his secrets in the ways of the horse. Together, they taught groups of boy scouts trail riding, rodeo and other horsemanship disciplines. As a young man, Shawn raised and raced his own horses. He then built Hillcrest Ranch in Sunol, started the Sunol park pack station, founded Sunset Riding Academy in Sunol and ran the Head to Tail feed store. Shawn has also contracted with Wente Winery, was one of the mounted police for Shoreline amphitheater, and worked with the Fame charter schools. Shawn continues to teach all levels of western riding at Chaparral Ranch in Milpitas.