Welcome to Rio Sierra Riverhouse, our unique resort hotel property at the base of Sequoia National Park, in Central California's Sierra Nevada foothills. The hotel sits on 2.5 acres of pristine private beach facing the best stretch of the Kaweah River in town. Three custom rooms, all different, are comfy and stylish at the same time. Each one features an outdoor deck where guests can enjoy their morning coffee with fresh air and breathtaking views. The property's grounds contain lots of outdoor seating, paths, cabanas, umbrellas, beach loungers, picnic tables and hidden conversation spots. In this park-like setting by the river, guests can be as private as they want, with plenty of room for everyone to maintain social distance. Chances are you plan to explore nearby Sequoia National Park while you're here, to experience its giant trees, rushing waterfalls and protected wildlife. Grab your map and get out there. The adventure of a lifetime awaits. At Rio, we know that adventure travel can be tricky. Travelers want to break out of their comfort zone, but they want to relax too. They want to squeeze in every moment of fresh experience, but they want to rest too. This balancing act is our mission at Rio Sierra, and why we’re not like most hotels. Our house is your home away from home. No lobby, no greeters, no daily housekeeping. We set the comfy stage. You create the adventure. With a few groceries, you can snug in happily for days at a time on the river. Or venture out into our town for yummy food, or to the park for hiking thrills. Two-night minimum booking. Adventure well, friends! And after a day of exploring and hiking, or horseback riding or mountain biking, the river will be waiting for your return. Choose a spot to chill. Let nature do the rest.

Mars, Rio Sierra’s owner, personally handles bookings and guest relations. Got a question now, or while you’re a guest, she’s just a text away. You might even see Mars for a friendly hello. She’s onsite many afternoons feeding Clue, the hotel cat, or tending her favorite flowers. Mars’ background spans years in journalism and television production. She broke one of the nation’s first major death-row innocence cases, which exonerated a wrongly convicted man. She later helped launch Fox TV’s "America’s Most Wanted" as the true crime show’s first news director, and followed that with "Strange Universe," her own television series about paranormal phenomena. With a name like Margaret, nicknames were bound to follow. But strangely, while on "Strange Universe," Mars stuck. By then, it was time to escape from LA. She headed to Three Rivers, California, the land of big trees, big water, and big starry night skies. That’s how Mars the traveler came to create real life outdoor vacation fantasies by discovering a hidden gem of a place, one she never wants to leave. “They’re not making any more rivers,” she says with a smile.

Three Rivers, California, is a quirky little mountain tourist village with a population of about 2,000. Arts, crafts and music thrive here. Restaurants and bars are locally owned. No corporate chains yet. Take a drive up one of our leafy country roads and you might see a llama, or an ostrich or some other rare creature. (The oldest operating post office in America is just a couple miles up North Fork Drive.) Do a little shopping at our thrift store (aptly named "The Thingerie"). Or check out our studio and art gallery scene, especially on "First Saturday" every month. You might even get hooked on our country way of life here in Three Rivers, and decide you'd like to come back and stay a while longer.