Horseback Riding in Denver

Basically anytime I’m anywhere I look to see if there’s horseback riding near me – so when a horsey friend invited me for a trip to Denver, I absolutely got searching. We ended up horseback riding in Denver with Bear Mountain Stables which is actually out in Conifer.

How to get to Bear Mountain Stables

While you won’t technically be horseback riding in Denver Colorado, you will be horseback riding in the Denver mountains instead – so that’s still good right?

Bear Mountains Stables, as I mentioned, is in Conifer. It’s about a 45-minute drive south west of Denver, depending of course on traffic. It’s a lovely area so I’d recommend giving yourself some time before or after your ride to explore more of the nature around. And while we got lucky with traffic, definitely count on there being some.

What to Bring Horseback Riding

If you’ve never been horseback riding – there are a few things you should always be wearing. If you want to get really involved in horses, there are a million and a half things you could be wearing, but for a simple day horseback riding in Colorado, these’ll do.

Click on any of the images to see the product.

Really, those are the two things you want to be sure to have. The only other riding essential is a helmet, but you don’t need to pack that, one will be provided for you.

There’s a whole slew of other optionals, like tall socks, sports bras, etc – check out my complete riding packing list here to see what else I recommend.

The only other thing I believe you should 100% ensure you have, is travel insurance. While trail horses are by and large safe, and the ones at Bear Mountain Stables were lovely and well-mannered, riding any horse is by nature a dangerous thing to do. And you don’t want to get caught in a pickle without coverage.

I recommend World Nomads because I have experience with them – they are great to deal with when a claim comes up and they do cover riding.

What to Expect Riding with Bear Mountain Stables

We’d overestimated the traffic heading out to go horseback riding in Denver and arrived to the mountains around Bear Mountain Stables a bit earlier than we felt was appropriate, so we explored the back roads a bit.

We looped around Casto Creek which runs just off the highway, we passed a perfect log cabin (read: mansion) right on its own private lake. We contemplated taking action on the ‘for sale’ signs scattered about and ultimately, when the time was right, we pulled up to the title barn in the woods.

Niceties all around.

We chatted about our background, a bit about our horse experience. What led us here to be horseback riding in Denver.

Both of us having grown up attached to a saddle we were aware of the fact that now, with all the things that life does to your life, our bodies were totally not in shape for any of this. Perry’s even less so than mine – no shade she just rides less! But we’d discussed on the drive up how it was just like riding a bike. And sometimes, for people like us, whose brains remembered but muscles did not, that was very detrimental to the chances of us walking normally tomorrow. But nevertheless, we persisted.

Marie and Maddie handed us helmets, mine of course too small because forever and always my small stature betrays the true size of my enormous head. Then we waited for our riding companions.

Four of us would go out along with our two guides. A mother and daughter were joining us. Interestingly, they were horse familiar but had mostly ever ridden bareback (no saddle).

Once we were all there and had our helmets on, Marie gave us a quick rundown of how on earth to ride a thousand-pound animal. A rundown that were it just for Perry and I would have been wasted breathe. But I can certainly appreciate, as someone who has taught riding lessons, the fact that people rock up saying ‘oh yeah, I’ve galloped before, I’m super experienced’ and then mount the horse backwards. Plus you can never be too cautious with kids in a saddle. So, we watched as Marie quizzed the 12 year old on which way to move her hands to have her horse move this way or that. It’s a quiz that anyone unfamiliar with siting on an animal would be glad they were given.

I was to ride Dancer. Perry was to ride Paris. Mother and daughter, Dancer and Paris that is, not Perry and I; we’re friends from college. Though were we to be mother and daughter I do think it would make sense that Perry was the mother.

Our saddles were western, gear we expected in Colorado, but both Perry and I are English broads through and through. I though have ridden in a western saddle more than a handful of times. Perry, just once. So we both resigned ourselves to having our stirrups adjusted by the wranglers on the ground.  This certainly made me feel like I was just learning again, but I also do not understand why western stirrups have to be so darn hard to adjust!

Anyways, we got our western stirrups adjusted to the length that our English legs were comfortable with and off we went. Out of the little pen, up the hill, and into the forest.

We rode single file, Maddie took up the lead with Marie in the rear assisting the youngster. We chatted about life and horses, the ponies we have loved, and the books we plan one day to write. I encouraged Maddie, as an approaching college senior to go to Ireland after graduation on a working holiday visa and ride horses, as I had done.

We had a little trot up one hill, but otherwise it was a meandering walk through both public and private lands. When all was said and done we were in the saddle for about an hour.

As we approached home again, there was a herd of deer waiting for us in the dirt parking lot. It was not the elk I had hoped for, but horseback riding near Denver wouldn’t have felt complete without at least some wildlife encounter.

Prices and How to Book

Price to go horseback riding in Colorado, in fact prices to go horseback ridging anywhere – are not exactly cheap. But horses are expensive to care for. I had a quick look at horseback riding in Denver Groupon options – and the only thing available was in fact more expensive, and it was an in-ring lesson, which is not what you want to be doing on vacation I don’t think.

At Bear Mountain Stables a one-hour trail ride is $60/person. You can pay with credit card, check, or cash. And can book via phone call or text at the number listed online.

Where to Stay in Denver

The fried I went to Denver with was there on a business trip so we stayed at the Residence Inn Denver Downtown, her comped hotel. And let me tell you, I will never complain about a free stay – but it wasn’t really anything special – and definitely seemed catered to the in town for business crowd, especially with regards to price compared with character. Regardless, the rooms were totally comfortable, clean, and spacious. There was an outdoor pool – though without any character – and a typical hotel breakfast. There was also plenty of parking – my friend had a car but I walked everywhere I wanted to go and managed that just fine.

Rates start around $270/night.

If I were to pick a place for myself I’d go for Element Denver Downtown East, while character and amenities are quite similar to those mentioned above, the price is significantly different, with prices starting under $100/night.

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Another alternative is to not stay in Denver at all and rather to stay over near Conifer where you’ll be riding. If you choose this option I’d recommend taking a look at Alpen Way Chalet Mountain Lodge – this does fit into what I define as the luxury category, with rates starting around $200/night – but it might be worth it. You won’t be having the city experience here, rather a quiet mountain-y experience with easy access to the city still.

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What to do After Your Ride

Once we were finished with our ride, Perry and I got back in the car and headed for Evergreen – an adorable, though touristy, little mountain town. We had a delicious lunch of burgers and fries at Murphy’s Mountain Grill and then a bit of a walk around town. There’s a brewery and a winery in town, plus plenty of shopping and surrounding nature – so plenty to do depending on what you’re feeling up to.

From Evergreen you’ve got a 40 minute drive back into downtown Colorado.

Are you ready to plan your trip horseback riding in Denver? I hope this helps and inspires you, if you’ve got any questions feel free to pop them in the comments or if you’d like more hands-on assistance planning your trip feel free to drop me a line by email!