Our Campus
Rancho Cielo is located on 100 acres and is a restored piece of history in the heart of the Salinas Valley. Removed from the urban neighborhoods that have fostered self-destructive lifestyles, the Ranch provides a safe place to run, hang out and breathe fresh air. It also enables outdoor science education and enrichment opportunities in ways not available on most campuses.
The setting encompasses two stocked fishing ponds, an apiary, mountain biking and hiking trails, horse stables and an organically cultivated garden. Additional classroom buildings are located near the outdoor Sally Hughes Church Amphitheater, as well as an indoor gym with a basketball court for recreation year-round.
Ted Taylor Ag Vocational Center
Our newest facility is the 30,000-square-foot Ted Taylor Ag Vocational Center, for which we officially broke ground on April 8, 2017, and completed and opened in 2022. The center is a training hub supporting Monterey County’s largest industry, agriculture, among several additional vocations. There is a barbecue/lawn area with picnic tables located outside. The four wings of the structure house classrooms for academic instruction, lounge and dining areas, offices and spaces for vocational programs, including:
- Automotive and diesel repair and classic car restoration
- Metal fabrication and welding, irrigation and water solutions
- Agricultural technology, refrigeration and food safety
- Sustainable construction solutions
About Ted Taylor
Ted Taylor was a maverick and brilliant agriculture businessman known for mentoring others in the field to become ag leaders. He died too young, and the community wants to honor his legacy in this building—and with the Ag Technology & Mechatronics program to train Rancho Cielo youth in high-paying, in-demand jobs in agribusiness.
Master Plan
The Monterey County Planning Commission unanimously approved our EIR and Master Plan at their September 8, 2010 meeting.
Rancho Cielo has and will continue to develop and expand the use of the land to include an array of healthy, enriching activities for all Monterey County at-promised youth and their families. We are excited about constructing new facilities to increase the number of people we serve.
Thanks to our dedicated partners, donors and volunteers, we will be able to expand our educational and recreational offerings in response to the expressed needs of our community. In addition to the ongoing development of existing programs, our master plan includes large-scale projects; some are still on the horizon, and others, like the Ted Taylor Ag Vocational Center, have already been completed.
Our Master Plan also includes future development for sports fields, a three-hole golf course designed by the late John Zoller, and possible agriculture fields.
Event Spaces
Our campus provides a beautiful backdrop for your personal and business occasions. We cater small private events on site with our Drummond Culinary Academy and offer indoor and outdoor facilities rentals for large celebrations, team-building, sports and other social events.
Event spaces include our Ted Taylor Ag Vocational Center, Drummond Culinary Academy dining room, gymnasium, main lawn and BBQ area and Sally Hughes Church Amphitheater.
Main Lawn + BBQ Area
Located outside our Ted Taylor Ag Vocational Center is a spacious BBQ and lawn area complete with picnic tables.
Zoller Gymnasium
Our Zoller Gymnasium features a full basketball court and a variety of exercise equipment. The space is also available for various sporting event rentals throughout the year.
If you are interested in holding your next event at Rancho Cielo, please complete our Event Inquiry Form.
Drummond Culinary Academy Dining Room
The dining room at Rancho Cielo is a unique and sophisticated window-lined setting, boasting a lovely view from inside as well as the glassed-in outdoor patio. It’s a casual, friendly atmosphere for a wonderful dining experience for you at the hands of our culinary students.
The 1,300 square-foot facility accommodates up to 60 seated guests inside and an additional 30 seated guests outside. A fully equipped commercial kitchen is adjacent to the onsite restaurant dining room for hands-on culinary and hospitality instruction.
Sally Hughes Church
Amphitheater
We host a variety of outdoor events at the Sally Hughes Church Amphitheater, including musical acts and festivals, such as our Jazz at the Ranch concert series, as well as our annual graduation ceremony.
“The sitelines are incredible, the sound is great, the views are from Monterey to Santa Cruz, out across the Monterey Bay. We’re really lucky to have this place and share it with other people.”
—CEO Chris Devers
