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Posted: Wednesday, November 2, 2005

See the country from the back of your horse

By Janine Wilder


The unsurpassed beauty of Utah. Photo by Janine Wilder
After twenty years of traveling and riding our horses around this beautiful country of ours Jim and I have seen some of the best trails this country has to offer. We have traveled from the east to the west, north to the south, and everything in between. Our love of traveling and our passion for trail riding even led us to sell our home, store our belongings, and explore the country for over five years as full-time RV'ers. What a life we have.

One of the most frequently asked questions folks ask us is "where is the most beautiful place you have ridden?" That is such a hard question to answer since there are so many interesting, unique, and wonderful places for the adventurous horseman. Each state seems to have a hidden treasure for the enjoyment of the trail rider and his equine partner.

For an overview of what the country has to offer, I'll start with the pacific coast. For a feel of the magnificent, the horseman should try the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The park and even the drive to the horse camp gave us a thrill of a lifetime. This state park is the largest California state park of coastal redwood trees. This place gives the horseman a rare opportunity to enjoy these thousands of year old American heritage.


Anasazi Ruins of Utah Photo by Janine Wilder
As we travel up the coast of Oregon, there is another gem waiting for the horseman at White Mare horse camp located in the Oregon Dunes Recreation Area. Here you camp in a developed national forest horse camp then ride your horse along miles of pacific coastline. If you want a taste of the states rocky shoreline you'll want to stop at Baker Beach near the town of Florence. Here you can enjoy the rocky coastline that the Pacific is famous for.

Another treat Oregon has to offer is the Cascade Mountain Range. A short drive from Sisters, you'll find a horseman's paradise in the Three Sisters Wilderness. The Three Creeks Meadow horseman's camp gives you a great starting place into a land of trails, glaciers, and mountains. Oregon offers the trail rider lots of trails, a large number of horse camps, and scenic beauty beyond compare.


Riding in the Rockies Photo by Janine Wilder
Idaho is a state that offers some of the most beautiful mountains that can be found anywhere. However it also has a little secret nestled in its southwestern region that should not be overlooked. Bruneau Sand Dunes State Park offers a chance to ride in an area that is unique to this area of the country. The huge sand dune located in the small state park, has a big heart for the horseman.

Utah has unsurpassed beauty for the trail rider's adventure. The southeastern section of the state alone offers mountains, canyons, unique rock formations, and high desert country. It's an unforgettable experience to ride through a canyon with its ancient Indian ruins clinging to its towering red rock walls. It's very hard to find words that can express the beauty of this enchanting country.

Probably the hardest place to single out a special riding spot is the Rocky Mountains. This area runs from the Canadian Rockies through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. If your passion is to ride in the mountains then the Rockies are a must for you to ride. Montana's Glacier National Park is truly a spectacular region of unsurpassed beauty. Montana's Bob Marshall Wilderness is a horse packers dream and the essence of "wilderness". Here you'll find nature at its wildest. In fact, if you're not careful a grizzle will have "you" for lunch.


Photo by Janine Wilder
There is no way I can mention the great Rocky Mountains without mentioning Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Teton National Park, and the Bridger-Teton Wilderness of Wyoming. If you are looking for "the" mountain riding experience then it's really hard to beat the Colorado Rockies. Colorado offers more mountain peaks over 14,000 feet than any of the other Rocky Mountain States. The Colorado Rockies offers the horseman unsurpassed beauty in such areas as Rocky Mountain National Park and extends down into the Indian Peaks Wilderness located in the Arapaho National Recreation Area. Other Wilderness areas to explore are the Weminuche Wilderness near Durango, Lizard Head Wilderness near Telluride, the Flat-Top Wilderness near Meeker, and the La Garita Wilderness near Creede to only name a few, mind you. I must say, that the western states offer such vast and wondrous opportunities. The mere acreage offered to the horseman is in its self a wonderful adventure for exploration.

If you find yourself traveling into the north central section of the U.S. there are some very nice places to explore. The most popular of course is the Black Hills of South Dakota. However, some of the little known areas that may offer the horseman a real treat for his/her riding pleasure. The next time you're in the area why not try the Sica (She-cha) Hollow State Park in the Southeastern section of the state. This park offers a variety of scenery and some great views of the flats below.

Minnesota, the land of ten thousand lakes, also has a lot of opportunities for the horseman. A real treat can be found at Maplewood State Park near Pelican Rapids. In addition to their horse camp you'll find miles of trails, forests, meadows, and beautiful lakes. Other area riding opportunities can be found at the Cut-Foot-Sioux horse trails and camp in the Chippewa National Forest. This new horse camp is the gateway to some very nice wooded trails.


Photo by Janine Wilder
As you travel the mid-west, you find the trails in Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri to be very popular and extremely well known. For a unique experience you can ferry your horse rig across the Green River as you travel to ride the trails at Mammouth Cave National Park. The horse trails are beautiful and you'll ride through some great scenery.

A "must ride" in this part of the country is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This magnificent mountain range, located on the Tennessee/North Carolina border, is a real treat for the horseman. Cataloochee horse camp, although very primitive and a little bit of a challenge to get to, is well worth the trip. With trees that can be hundreds of year's old, pristine streams, unbelievable views, and 550 miles of trails make it a horseman paradise.

Ohio offers more than meets the eye for the trail rider. One of the many Ohio parks that offer something special for the rider is Hocking Hills State Forest. Located in a geological wonder you'll find a superb horseman's trail system that's unique to this part of the country. I couldn't possible cover all of the beautiful and scenic places that this country holds for the trail rider. However, I hope that this sneak preview will entice you and your mount to venture out to see this beautiful country of ours. So, why not put your horses in your trailer and hit the road to see the country from the back of your horse.

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