Rustic Luxury

The River House Bed and Breakfast

By Bernard Bass

From downtown Willow Creek, traveling toward this bed and breakfast, it is as if you are slowly moving through a soft, sunlit, emerald green tunnel; old trees draped in moss bend inward over the thin, winding road. After passing the rolling hilled golf course of the Willow Creek Country Club there is a small drive on the left marked only by a street sign and an address post. Still tucked comfortably under the woods, the

drive curves down a small hill and levels out into a small personal vineyard where the trees give way to the open sky. Across from a small field, splayed atop a large piece of land at the river’s edge, stands an impressive cedar lodge. This is Moss Manor and it at once commands your attention.

In one concept or another, the history of the Bed and Breakfast in the United States dates back to the early settlers when pioneers, travelers and drifters would seek safety in private homes and taverns. In the course of The Great Depression, many would open their homes to lodgers as a source of extra income, but as motels were built alongside the new highways the Bed and Breakfast would quietly slip into obscurity. Not until recently, due to American travel in Europe, has the Bed and Breakfast resurfaced as an attractive alternative to the standard chain hotel or motel.

Although the geographical area in which a Bed and Breakfast is located tends to play a large part in its design, each has its own touch. With their quaint accommodations built and adorned with the owner’s unique flourish, character and personality, no two Bed and Breakfasts are the same. Moss Manor is no exception.

Save for the rough plumbing, roof and drywall, Moss Manor was completely constructed by owners and caretakers Larry and Lynne Moss. After taking five years to build, it was officially established and opened for business early in 2012. Located a few hundred feet from the shore of the Trinity River, Moss Manor is a luxurious 6000 square foot, two-story mountain river lodge.

Both grand and simple, MossManor is soft with its strict architectural details but rugged with its strong red oak frame and cedar exterior. The entrance opens into a large, well lit, common area with a high ceiling. The common area is equipped with wet bar and ample seating for a large number of guests to gather. A smaller more intimate common area is located upstairs, overlooking the vineyard and the river. There are two spacious and elegant bedrooms; both of which have a private balcony that also overlook the Trinity River and the surrounding mountains.

After a long day swimming in the Trinity or fishing for Steelhead, turn on the flat screen television and sprawl out on a leather sofa in the media room. Guests are encouraged to cook and with granite counter tops, multiple sinks and a convection oven, the kitchen is a culinary masterpiece.

A wood burning stove in the formal dining area adds to the rustic ambience. Its glass table, made by Larry Moss himself, along with each blade of the ceiling fans carved in the shape of a leaf are among many examples of how certain personal touches are what make a Bed and Breakfast special. A fashionable mix of old-home and modern art respectfully combine with tribal artifacts to bring about a comfortable authenticity of the area.

Moss Manor is a beautiful place. It is luxurious and calming. While there, your backyard is the Trinity River and the mountains of Northern California. Every room has a view of an area overflowing with the restful exhale of nature’s cadence. It is an area that gives you no choice but to relinquish all the pains and weight of worry to the calm, awe-inspiring landscape that is the doorway to the Redwood Curtain.

For availability, rates and reservations visit Moss Manor’s website at

http://mossmanortheriverhouse.com or call 530-629-2790