Texas Trails on Horseback: Toss these hiking boots apart and hop in the saddle. These 4 Texas state parks feature designated horseback riding trails and totally geared up riding stables so you possibly can discover the Lone Star State in a historic and particular approach.
Caprock Canyons State Park
House to Texas’ official bison herd, Caprock Canyons State Park (positioned a few five-hour drives from Dallas) can be recognized for having about 140 kilometers of multi-use trails. Tackling the paths by horseback permits you a novel perspective of the panorama. You’ll be able to even ride by means of one of the final active railroad tunnels in Texas.
Caprock Canyons’ trails are open to riders of all ranges. Nevertheless, a few quarters of the trails have rugged cliffs, sudden drop-offs, and steep descents which might be the finest left to skilled equestrians. You’ll be able to book a guided horseback tour with Quitaque Riding Stables, which can deliver your horse to the park. The stables are open every single day of the week. Texas Trails on Horseback
Big Bend Ranch State Park
Big Bend Ranch State Park, the most important state park in Texas, spans greater than 121,000 hectares of the Chihuahuan Desert. You’ll be able to expertise it on horseback (by means of the 380 kilometers of multi-use trails) or by leaving the paths and exploring the backcountry. Greater than a five-hour drive from El Paso, the park is thought for its stunning and ranging landscapes — ragged cliffs, cascading waterfalls, fluffy cottonwood groves, and prickly cactus flats.
Big Bend Ranch Sate Park’s rugged mountains and steep canyons require comparatively superior driving abilities. For some skilled steering, arrange a tour with Lajitas Stables, positioned on the southeast nook of the park alongside the Rio Grande River. For a family-friendly tour by means of the desert, go to Huge Bend Stables, positioned somewhat over 3 kilometers from the park’s west entrance. Excursions vary in size from one hour to all day. Texas Trails on Horseback
Hill Country State Natural Area
Hill Country State Natural Area is a secluded surprise, with over 64 kilometers of rugged multiuse trails. Situated about an hour and a half northeast of San Antonio by car, Hill Country awes with its sprawling grasslands, cross-spring-fed streams, and towering limestone cliffs.
For guided horseback excursions, go to the century-old Hill Nation Equestrian Lodge, which prides itself on genuine rides with light, responsive horses. For these seeking extra rustic lodging, the park gives six equine-friendly campsites that present hitching posts and water troughs.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
You’d be hard-pressed to discover a view of the Texas panhandle higher than the one from the sting of Palo Duro Canyon, the second-largest canyon within the USA (after the extra well-known one at Grand Canyon Nationwide Park in Arizona). At 193 kilometers lengthy, 32 kilometers vast, and almost 245 meters deep, the canyon is a geologic surprise 250 million years within the making. Palo Duro Canyon State Park — almost six hours northwest of Dallas by car however only about 4 hours west of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — features 607 hectares put aside for weaving your approach by means of the canyon on horseback.
To get a full image of the canyon flooring, join a one-hour guided tour with Previous West Stables, which results in Timber Creek Canyon. There may be loads of particular wildlife- and bird-watching alternatives. The park is house to a number of members of the official state Longhorn herd and two threatened species — the Palo Duro mouse and the Texas horned lizard.
