Spanning over 900 acres of privately owned land in Kern County, California, Bufford Ranch is a working cattle operation and living field-study site where history, ecology, and conservation converge. Located approximately 50 miles east of Bakersfield and 23 miles south of Lake Isabella, the ranch rests on the north side of Walker Basin. It is approximately 125 miles north of Downtown Los Angeles—about a 2 to 2.5 hour drive—and situated roughly 70 miles outside of the Los Angeles Studio Zone, making it scenic, production-friendly, and accessible via State Route 58 and Caliente–Bodfish Road.

Set within the historic Walker Basin, a valley framed by Breckenridge Mountain to the west and Piute Mountain to the east, Bufford Ranch features a diverse landscape of open grasslands, rolling hills, and rugged backcountry accented by oak, pine, and cottonwood groves. The property is further distinguished by striking Rocky Mountain–style rock formations and dramatic natural outcroppings that add depth, texture, and cinematic scale to the terrain. Distinct natural and cultural features across the ranch include historic gold mines, Native American pictographs, archaeological sites, and a year-round creek.

Beyond its cultural and ecological significance, Bufford Ranch is fully equipped for active ranching and educational engagement. Facilities include two double-wide residences, a red cabin, multiple utility sheds, a stocked pond, and heavy ranch equipment such as a backhoe and bulldozers. The ranch supports horses and cattle, preserving its heritage as a working livestock operation while serving as a resource for students, researchers, conservationists, and filmmakers.

Through its permanent conservation easement with the California Rangeland Trust, Bufford Ranch protects open space, wildlife habitat, cultural history, and vital water resources. As both a working ranch and field-study hub, it offers immersive opportunities in archaeology, rangeland science, ecology, and cultural history—making Bufford Ranch a truly exceptional setting where the past, present, and future of California’s landscapes converge.