Cowboy Up Trails, near Witt Springs, Ar
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This was our second trip to Arkansas and our first time to Cowboy Up. The campground was very nice. Plenty of room to park a large rig and easy to maneuver around in. They provide free panel corals and very nice, roomy covered stalls for $5/night. We chose the covered pens due to expected rain. Trails are rocky and hoof protection is recommended on all 4. We booted our horses and they did very well. Some of the trails were quite challenging and your horse should be legged up for this trip or expect to take plenty of breaks. Highly recommend the Green and Red Trails and the ride to Pedestal Rock is long and that last climb is brutal but it is well worth the ride. Some of the trails encompass some old logging roads which are not my favorite. We had 3 inches of rain come down on us during one ride. The trails were wet but the mud was very intermittent due to the rocky trail. The best thing about the rain was that the trails were completely different. There were waterfalls and the river and creeks were rushing with water making the scenery gorgeous....especially the Green Trail! There was an adequate shower house and a covered pavilion in the event you need someplace to gather outdoors during the rain. Plan to bring everything you need with you as the nearest town is quite a distance away. John, the camp host is very attentive and will do everything in his power to make your stay a good one. Rates are very reasonable, electric and water at your site and a dump station in the camp ground. They also have shavings and ice available to purchase. Bring lots of bug spray you will need it!!! |
| Reviewed by Stacy on 5/30/2018 9:03:04 AM |
Experience: Expert |
Ride Date: 5/18/2018 |
Hometown: Palmyra, NE |
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Falling Water Horse Camp, near Ben Hur, AR
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This was our first trip to Falling Waters Horse camp and it did not disappoint! Although the roads leading to the campground are very hilly and curvy, the road was in excellent condition. Drive slow and don't ride the brakes and you will do fine! We had some concerns about our large trailer getting into the campground but had no trouble getting our 42' trailer situated into a site. There are 25 campsites and the covered barn is nearby. The stalls are nice, roomy and secure. There are bagged shavings available for purchase as well as a nice wash rack. The trails are well marked and the trailheads are simple to locate. The trails were spectacular and challenging enough to hold our attention. There were an abundance of water crossings and water falls. Our horses were always well watered on the trail. We rode for 7 days and could have ridden for another week. The Devils Twin Falls ride was definitely a highlight for us as was seeing several black bears on the trail. Trails are rocky and shoes all around are a must for all but the toughest horses. We put pads on the fronts as well and were glad we did. Excellent, helpful camp host, nice bathhouse and slow Wi-Fi. Make your reservations early as this is a popular destination. There was an evening it rained 3 inches. Although the river couldn't be safely crossed that day we were riding across the very next day. There was water standing on some of the trails but they are rock based and had a solid bottom. Very few areas were muddy and those areas were 1-2 horse lengths and not deep sucking mud. My understanding is the waterfalls dry up after early spring unless there are a big rains so if you want to experience that, go early in the year! A must destination for the serious rider. We have already made our reservations for next year! |
| Reviewed by Stacy on 7/2/2017 12:52:47 PM |
Experience: Expert |
Ride Date: 5/19/2017 |
Hometown: Palmyra, NE |
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Perry State Park, near Topeka, KS
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Absolutely loved our first trip to Perry Lake. It definitely won't be our last! Excellent, well cared for campground with pipe corals assigned to each site. Roomy corrals in excellent condition. Trails are shady, well marked and maintained. Electric and water at each of the 16 sites. Water pressure is low but when the camping and riding are this good, who cares! This specific camping area has no shower house however there is one nearby. A portable toilet is in camp. There are manure bunkers with nice wheelbarrows. Most in our group had barefoot horses and for the 3 days we were there they did fine. There were some rocky areas but they were mixed in and our horses were able to pick their way through. This is a hidden gem only a few hours from home. Don't know how we missed it. Some real thought and experience went into planning this camp. Highly recommended for a long weekend! Trails were not particularly challenging but very enjoyable for almost any level rider. |
| Reviewed by Stacy on 9/14/2017 4:36:31 PM |
Experience: Expert |
Ride Date: 9/10/2017 |
Hometown: Palmyra, NE |
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Flying-R-Ranch, near West Plains, MO
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This was our second trip to Flying R and it certainly wasn't a disappointment! When we arrived in camp on Saturday there were quite a few campers. When we returned from our Sunday morning ride, camp was empty and we were the only campers until the weekend rolled around again! Camp was quiet and comfortable and has all the amenities for a great experience. Stalls are covered with nice gates and they supply free shavings which is a huge plus! Electric and water at the sites and a dump station as well. There is a large, sand filled round pen for your horses to roll in after your ride and a very large turnout area as well which we used all week! Very nice wash rack and an obstacle course. They also have a very nice bath house with flushable toilets. It is always clean and well managed. Trails are very well marked which is great. Flying R also has their trails marked on PDF maps which makes following the trail a breeze with just your phone and no cell signal! You cannot get lost! We plan 5 days of riding when we ride here which is perfect for us. We do not ride on travel days as this is about a 10 hour drive for us. We are able to ride all the marked trails in 5 days riding. I highly suggest the forest trail! It was a 14 mile ride. Even though the temps were high it was very comfortable in the shade of the trees. Our rides averaged 7-14 miles each day and between 3-6 hours (We ride quarter horses so keep that in mind!). The terrain was varied and offered changes in elevation and deep river crossings. Most levels of confident riders will enjoy these trails. The ground is fairly rocky and I would highly suggest shoes all the way around. We often pad our horses in rocky areas as we have no rocks at home and our horses tend to get tender but we get along just fine at Flying R without pads. Love the camp employees, the ice cream cones in the store and the well maintained trails. We will continue to return to Flying R on a yearly basis, it is well worth the drive. |
| Reviewed by Stacy on 7/22/2016 11:58:00 AM |
Experience: Expert |
Ride Date: 6/23/2016 |
Hometown: Palmyra, NE |
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Pinecrest Campground and Cabins, near Salem, mo
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There are no enough good things to say about our stay at Pinecrest Campground. The hosts/Owners live on-site and are more than attentive to all your needs and requests. Ethan and Marie are very knowledgeable about local sites and attractions as well as great places to eat. The campground is meticulously kept and the new covered barns and stalls are absolutely gorgeous. Even though the temperatures were hot, our horses stayed cool and comfortable in the shaded barn with a beautiful breeze running through it. Great bathhouse with flushable toilet and all the hookups and amenities a campground can offer. The trails were fantastic and rocky as you would expect in Missouri. Shoes or other hoof protection on all fours is a must. There were many, many river crossings in the clear, rock bottomed river. We tend to be directionally challenged, especially on our first time visits but most of the trails were easy to identify and navigate. You will want to visit Susie Nichols Cabin, the old car and the man tree!! We will be uploading our tracks from View Ranger so others can follow the trails we took during our stay. The only downside at all to the trail was the itch weed we ran into. Two of our horses absolutely lost their minds forcing us to get off and rinse them in the river and lead them onto a wider trail to wait for the affects to subside. This is not unique to this area and not the first time we have run into itch weed and it certainly did not affect our trip. Ethan guided us on a kayak tour of the river which was a fantastic way to spend a hot afternoon. We also enjoyed a firework display at a neighbors which rivaled any high dollar show in a big city. Ethan was also kind enough to take us on a tour of the area on his UTV and show us some of the trails for our rides. We stayed during the week and had the entire camp to ourselves until the weekend rolled around. I would highly recommend staying during the week! You will get to know the owners well and experience much more than during a busy camping weekend. We rode for 5 days and averaged between 9-12 miles each day which suited us well. We travel a lot and have visited many places and this is definitely on the list for a return trip....maybe early spring or after a hard frost to avoid that darn itch weed! |
| Reviewed by Stacy on 7/22/2016 11:40:38 AM |
Experience: Expert |
Ride Date: 7/11/2016 |
Hometown: Palmyra, NE |
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Big South Fork National Recreation Area, near Jamestown, TN
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I travel with my family to Bandy Creek once a year. It is about a 9-10 hour drive for us but it is worth it. We love going to Bandy Creek. You can't beat the hospitality that you get from Bobby Gene and Gretta. We love getting to see them every year. Very nice stalls! I wish we could camp a little closer to the horses, but it always works out okay. The rules at the campground seem to have lightened up over the past few years. Camping is great for family and children, not the greatest if you like the horseback riding party scene....I believe QUIET time starts at 10pm at the campground. All in all, the trails are some of the best I have ever seen... you can ride and ride and see beautiful scenery. We can't wait to go back. |
| Reviewed by Stacy on 10/4/2008 9:18:49 PM |
Experience: Not Specified |
Ride Date: 1/1/2004 |
Hometown: Orland, IN |
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East Fork Stables, near Jamestown, TN
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Oh how we love East Fork!! We have ridden at many different places and East Fork by far tops them all. I can't wait until next Memorial Day so we can go back. The campgrounds, the barns, the hospitality---everything is TOP NOTCH!!! If you have not been to East Fork, you have to go! |
| Reviewed by Stacy on 6/13/2010 8:59:22 PM |
Experience: Expert |
Ride Date: 5/26/2010 |
Hometown: Orland, IN |
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We love East Fork, we have been going there every year for about 6 years. The owners have really made this a wonderful place to go. Great stalls and camp sites. Love the hospitality. Can't wait to go back! |
| Reviewed by Stacy on 10/4/2008 9:21:16 PM |
Experience: Expert |
Ride Date: 5/1/2008 |
Hometown: Orland, IN |
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East Fork is excellent. We drove almost 10 hours to go to East Fork and it was very well worth it. The trails were excellent. We truly enjoyed the campground and stables. We highly recommend trail riding at East Fork. |
| Reviewed by Stacy on 7/15/2003 2:18:24 PM |
Experience: Intermediate |
Ride Date: 5/29/2003 |
Hometown: Orland, IN |
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