The colorful story of the picturesque and historic lodge on the Truckee River dates back over 100 years. Originally called the Deer Park Inn, it was completed in 1888 and grew into a fashionable watering spot on a narrow gauge railway which brought many visitors to its door.

The Inn was always a featured and favored stop. It remained a popular resort until the Great Depression of the thirties, when tourism came to a stand still. The Inn was abandoned and became dilapidated through disuse. In 1950, the old structure was cleared and new building was erected on the same site. During the 1960 Olympic Games at nearby Squaw Valley, numerous foreign diplomats used the lodge as their headquarters. Continuous renovation has made the River Ranch into the cozy, wood shingled lodge it is today.