Tucson is a fantastic place to live that’s home to many spectacular open trails that allow you to explore the beautiful Tucson landscape. The city is known for its beautiful weather where cloudless days are common and the winter temperatures are mild and comfortable. Although parts of Tucson have a flat, desert landscape, the scenery of the city is varied and can provide you with amazing views when hiking or taking your horse out on one of myriad of trails available to you.
The Rincon Mountains and Santa Catalina Mountains host many of the best horseback riding destinations in Arizona. When you’re looking for a luxury home that suits your needs in Tucson, many of the properties in the city are considered to be ranch style homes, which are perfect for residents who enjoy living the equestrian lifestyle and love spending their time outdoors.
If you’re looking forward to going horseback riding and are searching for riding destinations in the city, the following is a comprehensive guide to the ideal locations in Tucson for you to enjoy horseback riding.
White Stallion Ranch
White Stallion Ranch is a popular ranch in Tucson that’s located right beside the Saguaro National Park. Along with the ranch-style hotel that guests can stay at while visiting this destination, the ranch also provides visitors with a wide range of fun activities to partake in, which include rock climbing, hiking, and horseback riding. When visiting, you can expect a relaxing and laid back atmosphere where having fun and enjoying nature is the main goal. If you’re looking to go horseback riding, you’ll be presented with rugged mountains and pristine desert land for scenery, which will make you feel like your riding on land that’s untouched by civilization.
There are a substantial number of options that you can select when you wish to go riding, which include mountain rides, fast rides, slow rides, and all-day rides. Each type of ride will provide you with breathtaking scenery and fantastic trails to ride on. When you choose a mountain ride, for instance, you’ll experience panoramic views of the ranch as well as miles of farmland. You will be paired with one horse for the entirety of your stay, which is a pairing that’s based on such factors as your riding ambitions and weight. People who visit this ranch love how friendly the staff is and how unique their experience is. You can learn more about the White Stallion Ranch and its rates here.
Houston’s Horseback Riding
Houston’s Horseback Riding is a destination that provides visitors with beautiful trails for horseback riding as well as riding classes for beginners. The main horseback riding trails used by them include ones that extend through the Saguaro National Park as well as the Sonoran Desert. All of the trail rides are scenic and provide riders with a mixture of mountain and desert locations. They solely offer rides during the morning and evening, which means that you may want to call in advance to inquire about when their departure times are. A standard 2-hour walking ride costs around $80.00.
If you’d rather take a lesson before getting on a horse, there are an extensive number of riding lessons for both kids and adults. These lessons will allow you to learn basic horsemanship. If you already have your own horse, you may want to consider taking a timed event lesson, which is type of lesson that will teach you about pole bending and barrel racing with horses.
Customer who have spent time at this ranch find that the guides are extremely knowledgeable and patient with beginners who have no experience with horseback riding. You can find out more about the trail rides and how much they cost here.
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Saguaro Stables
Saguaro Stables is a ranch that’s dedicated towards providing visitors with scenic horseback riding. Many of the various trails that can be found at Saguaro Stables offer beautiful trail attractions like the Bulldog Cliffs and Saguaro Lake, which is among the top reasons as to why this destination is as popular as it is. The experience that you receive when going horseback riding all depends on the type of ride you choose.
The main rides that are offered there include a 1-hour ride, a 1.5-hour ride, and a 2-hour ride. If you’re visiting with younger children between the ages of 2-6, 10-minute pony rides are available. People who have visited Saguaro Stables find that the scenery is spectacular on all rides and that the horses are very well behaved. To schedule a ride or learn more about the rates of doing so, you need to contact the ranch at 480-984-0335.
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Pusch Ridge Stables
Pusch Ridge Stables provides guests with a wide range of equestrian activities to enjoy. Their trail rides take visitors across rural mountain and desert trails that are found along the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The scenery typically includes a large amount of the local wildlife, which can make for an interesting adventure. Along with the rides offered at these stables, you can choose to obtain new horse owner lessons for $100 or eight hours worth of driving lessons for $450, the latter of which teaches you how to handle the lines, hitch your horse, and harness your horse.
They also offer small weekly clinics for experienced riders, which are designed to help these riders improve their skills. Individuals who have visited Pusch Ridge Stables believe that the horses are well trained and that the evening ride offers some of the best scenery in Tucson, which is an experience that’s buoyed by the setting of the sun. Find out more about what Pusch Ridge Stables offers at this link.
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Pima County Fairgrounds
Pima County Fairgrounds is an event facility in Tucson that has a focus on various events and attractions including horses. They offer a substantial amount of indoor and outdoor equestrian facilities that you might be interested in. The main attractions of Pima County Fairgrounds are the horse show, which has been held at the Pima County Fairgrounds for more than 25 years. There are nearly two dozen different questions events that are held at the Fairgrounds on an annual basis, a few of which include up to six days of competition between professional riders.
The types of competitions that are held at this venue include jumper, rodeo, dressage, and reigning horse. If you’re an experienced horseback rider who has engaged in competition before, you might want to look into the equestrian competitions offered at Pima County Fairgrounds. Visitors at the Fairgrounds find that the facilities are vast and can accommodate any crowd size. They love how fun the horse shows can be as well as the fact that other exciting activities are offered. Visit this link for additional information about the horse shows provided at Pima County Fairgrounds.
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Colossal Cave Mountain Park Riding Stable
The Colossal Cave Mountain Park Riding Stable is housed at a sizable park in Tucson that’s known for its distinct rock formations, a butterfly garden, and various museum exhibits. The main type of ride offered at the stable is a guided and scenic one that takes you through the La Posta Quemada Ranch. You’ll be able to view sprawling geological formations along the ride as well as a unique bedrock mortar site that’s found in the Sonoran Desert.
There are also three additional trails located in the park that you can ride as well if you would prefer a non-guided experience. These trails include the Gale Bundrick Trail, the Path of the Ancestors trail, and the Arizona Trail, the latter of which is part of a larger 800-mile trail that extends all the way from Utah to Mexico. Visitors of the Colossal Cave Mountain Park Riding Stable love how even young children can safely go horseback riding. They also enjoy how the guides provide commentary about the history of the area and the land that they ride on. If you want to reserve a ride at their stables, you will need to call them at 520-647-3450.
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Tucson Mountain Stables
Tucson Mountain Stables is a ranch that provides lengthy horseback rides along the beautiful Sonoran Desert. Their standard rides include 1-hour, 1.5-hour, and 2-hour rides that provide you with desert scenery and mountain backdrops. The rides themselves are designed to be simplistic and easy for beginners in order to accommodate all ages and skill levels. If you want the more picturesque ride, consider the 1.5-hour sunset option. They also offer specials throughout the year that include additional amenities and different riding routes.
For instance, the Valentine’s Day special provides visitors with a romantic ride that begins at dusk and ends in the moonlight. Champagne and appetizers are also offered throughout the ride to complete the setting. If you would like to go on a longer ride than the ones mentioned previously, you can call the ranch for pricing at 520-310-2001. People who have spent time at Tucson Mountain Stables love how personalized the rides are and how attentive the guides can be throughout the ride. You can learn more about the various rides and rates at the Tucson Stables by visiting this link.
Heart of the Horse
Heart of the Horse is a special ranch in Tucson that’s designed to provide visitors with such services as equine therapy, boarding, trail rides, and riding lessons. Their trail rides will take you along beautiful desert scenery that provides you with views of the Santa Catalina Mountains. You will be matched with a horse that accommodates your skill level. You can choose one of two horseback riding packages, which are priced at $55 per hour and $65 per hour. The least expensive of the two options allows you to ride on the trails at a walk or trot, which gives you more time to take in the beautiful scenery. The $65 option allows you to ride the horse at a gallop for a more thrilling adventure.
Another horseback riding opportunity for you to consider at the Heart of the Horse ranch is a riding lesson. If you’ve never ridden a horse before, these lessons are $45 per hour or discounted if you purchase a package of five. People who have spent time riding horses at this ranch find that the horses are always calm and that the riding experience is amazing and highly varied. Learn more about the services offered at Heart of the Horse by contacting the ranch here.
Conclusion
Tucson’s beautiful landscapes and numerous trails make this city a premier destination for horseback riding and enjoying the equestrian lifestyle. If you’re looking to explore the community of Tucson or put down roots with a luxury home in this spectacular city, contact Susanne Grogan of Grogan & Grogan Tucson Luxury Real Estate today!
