AMERICA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL VACATION SPOTS FOR HORSE LOVERS
Whether you're looking to put on your chaps and learn to swing a rope or take a relaxing trail ride in the wilderness with your own horse, there are plenty of vacation destinations in the United States that offer incredible horseback-riding opportunities.
There are trips for everyone from expert equestrians to newbies just learning. Some will try your mettle and give you a good workout as you explore life on a dude ranch, while others will help you relax and unwind. Regardless of whichever one you choose, you are sure to have fun at any of these 25 vacation spots for horse lovers in the U.S.
Sunrise Pack Stations
Location: Bozeman, Montana
The horseback-riding experience: Horse pack trip through Yellowstone National Park
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
There is nothing like Yellowstone National Park, especially from the back of a horse! This unique experience is a seven-day pack trip through one of the most remote parts of the park.
The Bechler Waterfalls trip includes incredible scenery such as wildlife, waterfalls, water crossings, hot springs and even fishing opportunities! Sunrise Pack Stations has other trips as well, including shorter day trips.
Wildfire Ranch Spiritual Retreat
Location: Spring Mills, Pennsylvania
The horseback-riding experience: Week-long relaxing retreat
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
When your batteries are drained and you need to recharge — whether it’s due to work burnout or just life — Wildfire Ranch Spiritual Retreat is the place to go. Here, you can spend five or six days experiencing daily ranch life.
For those looking for it, you can even arrange for equine therapy for depression and anxiety. It’s a wonderful place to go to relax, renew and recharge.
Five Brooks Ranch
Location: Olema, California
The horseback-riding experience: Camping at Point Reyes National Seashore
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Either option is available
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Located about 30 miles north of San Francisco, Point Reyes National Seashore is a wonderful vacation spot if you want to take your horse with you for some lovely beach rides. There are three campgrounds that have spots for horse camping: Sky, Coast and Wildcat. Be sure to follow all Park Rules regarding horses.
If you don’t have a horse, but like the idea of camping at the beach, contact Five Brooks Ranch. They do guided trail horseback rides and also have boarding if you would prefer to have your horse in a stall while you camp.
Black Mountain Ranch
Location: McCoy, Colorado
The horseback-riding experience: Week-long dude ranch experience
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Anyone who has watched “City Slickers” has wondered what a week on a dude ranch would really be like. Well, Black Mountain Ranch in Colorado is waiting to show you!
The ranch has won multiple awards for its week-long trips that include skeet shooting, whitewater rafting, fishing, cattle driving, rodeos and, of course, lots of horse riding.
Sons of the Wind Farm
Location: Merrimac, Massachusetts
The horseback-riding experience: Intensive, five-day dressage skills trip
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Are you hoping to take a vacation that also heightens your dressage skills? Sons of the Wind Farm is a premier dressage facility that offers five-day and three-day intensive training programs in which you will learn from Master Vitor Silva on a highly trained Lusitano schoolmaster.
Sounds like a dream, right? Well wait until you see the amazing onsite accommodations — it’s a true paradise that you won’t want to leave.
Love Valley
Location: Love Valley, North Carolina
The horseback-riding experience: Visit a town where horses are the only form of transportation
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Either option is available
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
If you want to take a vacation and step back in time — to a place where no cars are allowed and horses are the sole mode of transportation — then head to Love Valley. This cute town that time forgot was founded by Andy Barker, who made the law that only horses and horse-drawn vehicles are allowed in downtown.
That was in 1963, and the law stands to this day. You can bring your own horse or rent one, and there are plenty of places to stay in Love Valley depending on whether you want to camp, rent a cabin or rent a room.
Enchantment Equitreks
Location: Edgewood, New Mexico
The horseback-riding experience: Equi-Yoga and horse-riding vacation
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Many riders have discovered how much yoga can help keep you relaxed and balanced in the saddle. Enchantment Equitreks gives equestrians a relaxing and rejuvenating vacation that combines riding and yoga for a truly unique getaway.
There are several different yoga retreats to choose from, all of which will leave you more balanced, emotionally and physically.
Tennessee International Dude and Guest Ranch
Location: Dunlap, Tennessee
The horseback-riding experience: Family farm-stay experience
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
We don’t always have time for a week-long getaway, which makes this vacation spot perfect because this ranch offers a short Family Farm-Stay Experience.
The Tennessee International Dude and Guest Ranch welcomes you for a two-night vacation that gives you a taste of farm life. Learn how to milk a cow, feed the chickens, collect eggs, grind wheat and more. If you have the time, they do have longer trips as well.
Brasada Ranch
Location: Bend, Oregon
The horseback-riding experience: High desert horseback-riding vacation
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Either option is available
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
If you want to go on a horseback-riding vacation but would like to do more relaxing than ranch work, check out Brasada Ranch. This exquisite ranch has all the amenities of a vacation resort, including a spa, golf course, stocked ponds for fishing, bike rentals and an athletic club — plus 900 acres of trails waiting to be discovered.
For horseback riding, you can bring your own horse to stay in their beautiful accommodations or take a guided trail on the ranch horses. The property also offers lessons.
Ocean Acres Horse Hotel
Location: Grayland, Washington
The horseback-riding experience: Horseback riding on the beach
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Bring your own
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Bring your horse to this fun B&B on the Washington Coast for a beach vacation you will never forget. The cozy accommodations for both you and your horse are clean and comfortable. Ocean Acres Horse Hotel is known for their breakfasts, too, so don’t skip out!
Then, mount up because the beach is right there, no need to trailer anywhere else. You can ride for miles on a well-kept beach.
Silver Spur Ranch
Location: Dubois, Idaho
The horseback-riding experience: The only authentic Western horse drive in the world
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
There is nothing like helping drive 40-head of horses over 100,000 acres of mountainous terrain.
This horseback vacation is unlike any other in the entire world, and the Silver Spur Ranch is famous for it. Be ready to ride 20 miles a day and really get to work, but it will be an experience you will never forget.
McGinnis Meadows Cattle & Guest Ranch
Location: Libby, Montana
The horseback-riding experience: Working cattle ranch vacation
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Either option is available
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
This cattle ranch is a bit unique in that it allows you to bring your own horse if you wish. McGinnis Meadows Cattle & Guest Ranch also has horsemanship lessons using Buck Brannaman-style horsemanship, for those looking to learn on their vacation.
You will learn safe trail techniques, how to navigate steep terrain and healthy cattle management.
Red Horse Mountain Ranch
Location: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
The horseback-riding experience: Family-friendly horseback-riding vacation
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Red Horse Mountain Ranch is the perfect place for families to take a vacation together, especially if not every member is interested in horses. While the ranch has a special program that allows kids as young as three to have some “horse time,” those family members not interested in riding will find plenty of other fun things to do, including archery, ziplining, fishing, kayaking, biking and golf.
For the rider, be ready for lush scenic views on over 560 acres.
Buffalo Gap Ranch
Location: Sentinel Butte, North Dakota
The horseback-riding experience: Trail-riding vacation
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Bring your own
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
History buffs will love getting to ride where Theodore Roosevelt did at Buffalo Gap Ranch.
Explore the Maah Daah Hey Trail and the new Buffalo Gap Trail. Then, when you are done riding for the day, there are plenty of other activities to keep you occupied, including hunting and shopping in the historic town of Medora.
Double R Guest Ranch
Location: Benson, Arizona
The horseback-riding experience: Desert trail riding and mini cattle drive
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
The Double R Guest Ranch is a great place for horse lovers who want a lot of choices in the type of hired horse ride. There are short vacations for weekend getaways as well as full week stays.
Choose from “fast rides” for those that want to canter or gallop, to leisurely scenic rides for the novice or someone just looking to relax.
Bar W Guest Ranch
Location: Whitefish, Montana
The horseback-riding experience: Relaxing dude ranch
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
The Bar W Guest Ranch in Montana is perfect for the novice looking to learn more horsemanship skills or the expert looking to relax and explore the beautiful Montana countryside.
This ranch focuses on horsemanship skills, offering week-long vacationers the chance to compete in a friendly Bar W guest rodeo with barrel racing, pole bending and more at the end of the week.
Dakota Dream Bed & Breakfast
Location: Custer, South Dakota
The horseback-riding experience: Explore Custer State Park, Mickelson Trail and Custer City
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Bring your own
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Bring your horse to Dakota Dream Bed & Breakfast where you can explore Custer State Park and the Mickelson Trail. Cozy guest cabins and a nice barn with runs await you and your trusted mount.
After riding, check out Custer City and relax on the beautiful lawns of Dakota Dream.
Bull Hill Guest Ranch
Location: Kettle Falls, Washington
The horseback-riding experience: Relaxing trail rides and exciting cattle drives
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Near the border of British Columbia, Bull Hill Guest Ranch offers a little bit of everything for those looking for a horse vacation. The ranch has relaxing trail rides and exciting cattle drives, and after riding, you can play games in the Cookhouse. Also, be sure to ask about the ride to the Saloon tours.
There are many accommodation choices, too, from glamping tents to luxurious cabins.
Brazos Bluff Ranch
Location: Waco, Texas
The horseback-riding experience: Relaxing getaway with trail riding and unique scenery
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Brazos Bluff Ranch is located where the Balcones Fault line and the Brazos River (the longest river in Texas) meet, resulting in amazing ecosystems with diverse plants and animals. And you can explore this incredible area on horseback.
Beginners are welcome, and lessons are available. Then, you can relax in the lovely guest cabins. There are many fun local attractions, too, including the Magnolia Silos and the Dr. Pepper Museum!
Action Adventures Trail Rides
Location: Ouray, Colorado
The horseback-riding experience: Wilderness pack trips and glamping
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Hired horses
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Enjoy the remote wilds of Colorado with Action Adventure Trail Rides. The company provides overnight and multi-day pack trips on its private ranch or in Uncompahgre Wilderness.
The glamping choices include beautifully furnished alpine yurts, while pack trips will take you up into the mountains where you will get a real taste of the wildness of Colorado. Choose from one-, three-, four- and seven-day night trips, depending on how rustic you want to get.
Turkey Creek Ranch
Location: Newcastle, Nebraska
The horseback-riding experience: Gorgeous camping with plenty of trails and an obstacle course
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Bring your own
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Turkey Creek Ranch is a great place to go if you are looking for camping (with electrical hook-ups for RVs) for you and your horse. Sixteen-plus miles of trails await your exploration, along with a fun man-made trail obstacle course.
For those who enjoy glamping, there is also a fully furnished cabin available.
Bluegrass Country Estate
Location: La Grange, Kentucky
The horseback-riding experience: Luxury resort in the heart of horse country
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Bring your own
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Who want to explore horse country without their trusted mount? The Bluegrass Country Estate has gorgeous rooms and plenty of Southern hospitality for both horse and rider.
There are plenty of nearby trails to explore during your stay. After your ride, you can enjoy the pool, hot tub, and theater, workout and game rooms. Be sure to check out Churchill Downs and the many other local attractions during your stay.
Seventy-Four Ranch
Location: Jasper, Georgia
The horseback-riding experience: Rustic 1800s cabins with gorgeous trails
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Either option is available
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
Seventy-Four Ranch is all about natural conservancy and getting people back outside. This rustic bed and breakfast serves organic meals and puts you up in the historic Butler-Cape House cabins.
You can explore the 20,000 acres of trails on one of their horses or your own. The goal is to enjoy relaxing trail rides that will give you a love for the outdoors to take with you when you leave.
High Pocket Vacation Rental
Location: Colrain, Massachusetts
The horseback-riding experience: 170-year-old farmhouse for rent with trails
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Bring your own
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
For those looking to rent out a place to themselves, the High Pocket Vacation Rental is perfect. The four-bedroom farmhouse has been lovingly kept up for almost two centuries and comes with modern amenities like a rec room and a hot tub.
Explore almost 550 acres on your own horse that will be able to relax in the four-stall barn afterward.
Secret Passage Ranch
Location: Fort Valley, Virginia
The horseback-riding experience: Retreat-style riding vacation with personalized experiences
Hired horses or bring your own horse: Either option is available
Why Horse Lovers Should Visit
At the Secret Passage Ranch, you get to decide your vacation plans. First, decide on whether you want to bring your own horse or enjoy one of the ranch’s well-trained ones. (They are even used for Civil War reenactments!)
Then, decide whether you want lessons, training or to just enjoy the miles of trails. Finally, relax in the cozy guesthouse, which was built in the 1740s. You can book the entire house or individual rooms.
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