For the past five years Sun Mountain Stables, the Buckaroo Breakfasts, and Chuckwagon Dinners have been my favorite part of summer. The wranglers are friendly and courteous. The horses are kept in wonderful condition. The food is on par with the finest restaurants.I would highly recommend this destination to anyone. I will continue to go every summer.
What fun - a horse ride and dinner all in the one evening! "Red" and the lady wranglers were terrific. The horses were well trained and lovely to ride. The BBQ was outstanding - loved the corn bread and baked beans! Then to top it off were the campfire songs by Hank which brought back childhood memories. Great activity for the whole family! Our teenagers enjoyed it so much they wanted to go on another trail ride the next day.
Terrific value for a brief 90 minute ride around the property! Healthy horses and accomodating guides. Highely recomend!
Want a Ponderosa experience? Then do the cowboy dinner. You can ride a horse or take a covered wagon to the homestead and enjoy a wonderful authentic cowboy meal. We found the horses calm and well behaved and the wranglers helpful & friendly. Wrangler Red takes your safety seriously and tries to match you with the right horse, then rides along beside the string making sure everyone is ok. The food was excellent cowboy fare, with steak, chicken, beans, potatoes, salad, fruit and dessert! Dont miss this!
We did the one and half hour trail ride in the afternoon. The ride went up into the forest area overlooking the lake for part of the way. The horses were well kept and certainly not ready for the old horse pasture. We had three wranglers (all female) that led the ride and helped with the ones who did not have a lot of experience. For those unable to mount the horse in the usual manner they had a stepped up area where you could mount the horse after they brought it to you. We were not staying in the resort and it is a six or so mile ride from Winthrop up the mountain on a winding road. You have to pay the fee at the main lodge and then drive or walk down to the stables below the lodge. At the stable you have to sign the usual forms that you will not sue them and can decline the helmet (adults only as youth have to wear one). Then they will have a short orientation and start the ride. It was a lot of fun and we would do it again.
We are up here visiting friends and took the sleigh ride dinner this evening. What a wonderful time we had - absolutely breathtaking views, a truly delicious dinner in a heated tent where you feel you are on top of the world. We all loved the musical entertainment as we ate as well. The ride down under the stars was truly magical. This is a MUST do if you are in the area!
Can't say enough about the stables. The horses are so well trained, the handlers do a great job keeping everyone save and matching you with the right horse, (in my case beautiful Raven!), the meal was the best bbq I have ever had (thanks Pike!!) and campfire singing (Thanks Hank) and learning to rope made it a memorable ride and dinner! The food was soo fresh and the Pike's cooking is amazing. Thank you so so much!!!!!
The Western Dinner night was superb. We took the wagon down and it was great fun and great food. Fun sing along at the fire pit too!
We stayed at the lodge for three nights, It was a glorious place to stay. The lodge itself was gorgeous inside. The restaurant was very nice. Be sure you get a table by the window because the view is breathtaking. Good food, great wine, wonderful service. Take some time to sit in one of the hot tubs outside and take in the beautiful view. For that matter, you can sit in the jacuzzi inside your room and take in the view as well. Just a wonderful place for a few days getaway.
At Sun Mountain resort, the Sun Mountain Stables offers a horse ride around the mountain to a "Homestead" nestled among the trees where we have a Cowboy Dinner. AMAZING!! We took our twin 8yo boys on the horses, while their 5yo sister rode with Daddy in the covered wagon. Being their first time on a horse, the boys were a bit nervous at first, but the horses were so tame and the ride calm. Red, the owner, was all smiles and helpful encouragement during the ride, keeping an eye on every rider to ensure their safety and comfort. The dinner was in a clearing in the woods, and we feasted on corn bread, salad, hot chocolate (or coffee/lemonade), bbq chicken, pork, hot dogs, beans etc. They were thoughtful enough to have a place to wash your hands after the ride. Then after dinner the kids learned how to lasso a log cow while the parents milled around the fire and listened to Hank croon John Denver. Being late in the season, on the ride home the sun started to set, so we enjoyed some of the 45min ride back with moonlight. Again, never was concerned about my sons' safety. We saw deer along the ride back too. Both boys can't stop talking about the trip and became really attached to their horses. This was truly an once in a lifetime, memorable experience for our family. Good family fun, in the beautiful outdoors. We even had light rain and it was the high light of our trip! NOT TO BE MISSED!!!