What's happening at Cave Creek Trail Rides

Horse back trail riding tips.

2012-01-30T14:59:00.001-07:00

I found this article and I thought it was a good one for all horse back riders, whether you were riding your own horse or someone else's.

Enjoy!

Deb

Tread Lightly!’s Tips for Responsible Horseback Riding
To view this information in a brochure format, Click Here.
TRAVEL RESPONSIBLY
Travel responsibly on designated roads, trails and areas
Stay on designated roads, trails and other areas open to horse use.
Ride single file to reduce trail damage.
Don’t cut switchbacks.
Spread out in open country where there are no trails. Spreading out, rather than following each other’s footsteps, disperses impact and avoids creating a new trail.
Comply with all signs and respect barriers.
Riders should match their skill level to the temperament and ability of the horse they ride.
At trailheads or staging areas, park vehicles and secure horses in a manner that provides a safe distance between the horses and passing traffic.
Less experienced horses and riders should ride behind more “trail-wise” horses and riders.
If you are “ponying” a horse, go slow and never take a loose horse on the trail.
Buddy up with two or three riders. This reduces vulnerability if you have an accident.
RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS
Respect the rights of others, including private property owners and all recreational trail users, campers and others so they can enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed.
Be considerate of others on the road or trail.
Be prepared to let other trail enthusiasts know what needs to be done to keep you, the horse and other passersby safe when you meet on the trail.
Remember, many people are afraid of horses and may react unpredictably.
Be alert and aware of the presence of other trail enthusiasts. If possible, pull to the side of the trail when you hear oncoming off-highway vehicles or bicycles.
Leave gates as you find them. If crossing private property, be sure to ask permission from the landowner(s).
Keep the noise down.
Be especially cautious around hikers, bikes and motorized vehicles.
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Educate yourself prior to your trip by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies, planning, taking horseback riding skills classes and knowing how to properly manage your horse.
Obtain a map of your destination and determine which areas are open to your type of pack animals.
Make a realistic plan and stick to it. Always tell someone of your travel plans.
Contact the land manager for area restrictions, closures and permit requirements.
Check the weather forecast for your destination. Plan clothing, equipment and supplies accordingly.
Carry a compass or a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit and know how to use it.
Carry water and emergency supplies even on short trips.
Keep groups small and carry lightweight gear to reduce the number of animals needed.
Pre-plan camp locations that provide plenty of room and the proper environment for confining animals.
Take responsibility for your horse’s education. Introduce it to vehicles and situations it may encounter on shared trails.
AVOID SENSITIVE AREAS
Avoid sensitive areas such as meadows, lakeshores, wetlands and streams. Stay on designated routes.
Other sensitive habitats to avoid, unless on designated routes, include cryptobiotic soils of the desert, tundra and seasonal nesting or breeding areas.
Do not disturb historical, archeological, or paleontological sites.
Avoid “spooking” livestock and wildlife you encounter and keep your distance.
Water animals in areas where stream banks and water access can withstand hard use and are downstream from campsites.
DO YOUR PART
Do your part by modeling appropriate behavior, leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species and restoring degraded areas.
Pack out what you pack in. Carry a trash bag and pick up litter left by others.
Practice minimum impact camping by using established sites and camping 200 feet from water resources and trails.
When selecting a campsite, first consider your horses; the site should accommodate them without damaging the area.
Inspect grazing opportunities before making camp.
Use yards, paddocks, and hitching rails where provided.
Use hitchlines, hobbles and staking to confine animals. Erect hitchlines in rocky areas with established trees and use straps or tree savers to protect bark.
If you use temporary corrals, move the enclosures twice daily.
When breaking camp, remove or scatter manure, remove excess hay and straw, and fill areas dug up by animal hooves.
Repackage snacks and food in baggies. This reduces weight and amount of trash to carry out.
Observe proper sanitary waste disposal or pack your waste out.
Bring pellets, grain, or weed-free hay to areas where feed is limited or grazing is not allowed. This helps reduce the spread of invasive species.
Wash your gear and support vehicle and check your animal before and after every ride to avoid the spread of invasive species.
Build a trail community. Get to know other types of recreationists that share your favorite trail.

Festival Of Horses in Queen Creek

2011-11-13T17:54:00.005-07:00

Jeff & I had a great day on Saturday, November 12, as we attended the Festival of Horses in Queen Creek. We had never been at the Horse Park in Queen Creek and it seemed like a great excuse to see this facility and also see the events offered at the Festival of the Horses event.

We were very interested in seeing the draft horses as well as the other activities which included horse soccer, horse trail competition, clinics on a variety of topics of general interest to the public, girl scout programs as well as competition classes for both youth and adults in both draft and all breeds of horses.

We particularly enjoyed the draft horses running the barrels. It reminded us of the time that our daughter was in high school rodeo and she started out by trotting around the barrels. Draft horses are not the fasted barrel horses :).

Another event that looked like good fun was the horse soccer. Our horses would be scared to death of the ball to start with but our cowboy's would love to square off and have great fun moving that ball down the field with the ball.

The day wad relaxed, informative, a great facility and a really fun day.

Information on Cave Creek Regional Park

2011-11-08T14:23:00.002-07:00

Cave Creek Regional Park

The Cave Creek Regional Park, one of Maricopa County's newest parks, protects roughly 3,000 acres of extremely lush desert foothills just north of the Phoenix city limits. The steep and very rocky slopes offer excellent habitat for cacti, desert trees, and many other plants. The sparse soil is very well drained, retaining little moisture. Yet the steep slopes provide profuse runoff when it does rain. The result is exceptionally beautiful desert scenery, including spectacular spring wildflower displays following rainy winters.

The saguaro is the largest cactus of the Sonoran Desert and its most well known feature. It is actually a rather finicky plant and thrives only in particular conditions such as those found at this park. When thinking about Arizona and deserts, almost all non-desert dwelling people immediately visualize forests of multi-armed saguaros, expansive landscapes, and spectacular sunsets. All can still be experienced here.

The park features a wide variety of desert plants. Watch out for the small, shiny cactus known as the teddy-bear, or "jumping" cholla. It propagates by dropping spiny links off its arms. If you brush against one while hiking, a loose piece may "jump" into your leg! Not only is this painful, but they can be difficult to remove. Look for the green-barked palo verde, Arizona's state tree. It blossoms a brilliant yellow in the spring. Also, you'll recognize the ocotillo during springtime by the flaming red flowers on the tips of its branches.

Wildlife is common at the park. Birdlife is especially abundant, ranging from tiny hummingbirds to hawks. Beware of rattlesnakes while out on the trail! They are not common in the winter but may be out sunning themselves on cool spring mornings. They are not aggressive if you simply give them a wide berth.

The park and surrounding area have a long history of mineral exploration. Prospectors worked the area from the 1870s, discovering minor deposits of copper, gold, silver, lead, and tungsten. Today, abandoned mines can be observed along several of the park trails.

There are a variety of excellent trails through the park, ranging from short and easy to somewhat difficult. The most popular and challenging is the 4.8- mile Go John Trail. It forms a loop around Go John Mountain, the most prominent landmark in the area. The trail climbs and descends several hills and ridges, offering the visitor a wide variety of spectacular vistas. Mountain bikes and horses are permitted on the trail. A concessionaire provides guided trail rides on horseback from late autumn through the spring. Rangers provide a variety of free, guided hikes and activities for visitors of all ages during the winter months. Reservations are always strongly advised.

The park's modern campground is excellent for RVs. It features large, paved sites accommodating big rigs up to 45 feet, with water and electrical hookups. Other facilities include modern washrooms with flush toilets and hot showers, and a dump station. All services and shopping are available just outside the park entrance, heading east on the Carefree Highway. The park is roughly twenty minutes from two major freeways (west to I-17 via Carefree Highway, or south to Loop-101 via Cave Creek Road), providing easy access to the entire Phoenix metro area.

It's good to be back at Cave Creek

2011-10-16T12:28:00.003-06:00

It is wonderful to be back in the Phoenix valley and to see many of the you who came out to ride with us on opening week-end. This is our 13th year in business here at Cave Creek Trail Rides and we are excited to be back.

Our summer was a good on in Idaho with very mild weather, great people to help us and some wonderful guests to share our special Idaho with. Our trail rides hit a record high attendance with out backcountry being slow yet again. We see this as a sign of the times. Everyone can find time to do a ride of 1 to 4 hours but not many people want to commit to an overnight or longer trip. They also don't want to be away from their cell phone or laptops for that long. There is also a growing number of people that have never camped nor slept in a sleeping bag and that is intimidating to them. As a nation we are becoming a urban society. There is nothing wrong with that. Just an observation of the times.

Now that the weather is cooling off we hope that you will come and join the fun, come dress up in our boots, hats, and chaps and take a ride with us.

At a 13th year special we are offering 13% off the 13th of each month! We'll look forward to seeing you at Cave Creek Trail Rides.

We'll Be Back!

2011-05-06T20:02:00.003-06:00

Once again it is that time of year that the Sonoran Desert is in bloom, the temperatures are reaching the high 90s, and we are packing our bags and heading back to a land still covered in snow.
We had an amazing winter here in Cave Creek and we are looking forward to heading back in the fall. But for now we are busy preparing our great journey North. We have a lot of work to do before we start taking guests out on the trails up in Stanley, Idaho but it's always nice to head back home. We hope that everyone has a great summer! Come visit us if you get a chance, we would love to take you on a back country pack trip!

150 Years Ago

2011-04-10T21:51:00.005-06:00

Every winter, we here at Cave Creek Trail Rides have the pleasure to work with local girl scout troops. We always have so much fun with the happy energetic girls that come bounding up to our corral with excited giggles and open minds. We really get to know each troop as we teach them about our horses and even let them do some hands-on grooming and saddling.
This past Saturday we had a special guest for our girl scouts. Cowboy Slade was at the corrals to teach the girls about life in the Ol' West.

Cowboy Slade told the girls what it was like to live in Cave Creek, Arizona 150 years ago. He talked about the mining that took place back then and how rough it really was to be a cowboy. Slade taught the girls all about cowboy attire. Every thing from his 10 gallon hat (which he could fill up with water and let his horse drink from) to his spurs and chaps.
Slade is a park volunteer here at Cave Creek Regional Park and he seems to really enjoy sharing his knowledge about a time and place he truly loves. We felt lucky to have him at the corrals to share his experience and comprehension. Cowboy Slade truly is a rough and tumble cowboy from the Ol' West.

Ride and Rose

2011-03-07T12:34:00.003-07:00

For the past 3 years, Cave Creek Trail Rides has offered the Valentine's Day Ride and Rose special. For a discounted price,from February 1st to the 14th, loved ones can share a beautiful horseback ride, ending with a rose given to the lovely lady. Each year we look forward to this time and being a part of so many special memories.
We had quite a few innovative women this year, booking rides and planning their special day for their loved ones, as well as loving husbands and boyfriends. We had so many lovely couples come to the corrals and each day offered a new love story to be shared.

Straight From the Horse's Mouth

2011-01-28T15:28:00.002-07:00

We have been getting such great reviews on TripAdvisor.com! We just love hearing how much fun our guests had and what the highlights of their ride were. We want to thank everyone who has reviewed us on TripAdvisor.com and encourage our guests to keep sharing their experiences that they had with us.
If you want to read what people have been saying there is a link below that will take you to Cave Creek Trail Rides on TripAdvisor.com. Thanks again everyone!

Cave Creek Trail Rides rated "excellent" by 17 travelers

Cave Creek Trail Rides in Cave Creek has 17 reviews

Girl Scouts!

2011-01-12T16:47:00.009-07:00

This past week we were lucky enough to have a fantastic group of girl scouts visit us for a fun filled day of learning and horseback riding! We had 25 girls and 5 moms with us which made for five full hours of exciting hands-on learning. Throughout the day the girls visited three different stations.
The first station was all about horseback riding. The girls got to learn about safe riding and what to do on horseback, which of course meant that everyone got to ride a horse!
The next station was all about the horses' needs and equipment. The girls learned about bits, saddles, shoes, and blankets but also about all the care that the horses require. The girls got to brush out Sage and learn all about his teeth and eating habits.
The last station was with Ranger Sarah! She got the girls together to talk about all the desert critters. Not only did the girls learn about the wildlife but they also got to try their hands at gold panning!
All in all it was a great day for the girls and for all of us at Cave Creek Trail Rides. The troop said they plan to come back soon to earn the Horse Rider Badge. We look forward to having them back.

Cave Creek 2011

2011-01-05T16:57:00.005-07:00

So far the New Year has gotten off to a great start. Things are pretty quiet here on the home front and we have all taken the opportunity to catch up on projects around the corrals.
Mat Cain, one of our guides has taken the month to complete an 8 eight week program in Tuscon that is enabling him to be a certified farrier. He'll be back just in time to start shoeing all 39 horses here in Cave Creek.
The mornings have been cool but the days nothing short of wonderful, especially if we take the time to check the temperatures back in our hometown of Stanley, ID. We are all looking forward to the spring months ahead when the desert starts to bloom.

The New Year

2010-12-29T15:24:00.004-07:00

Yesterday we had 126 horseback riders! The corrals were bursting with activity and smiles all day long and the weather couldn't have been nicer. We were truly blessed to meet so many lovely people. The rain has slowed us down some today but we have our fingers crossed for better weather since that's what we Arizona (working) Snow Birds love the most about Cave Creek!

The upcoming new year offers a time for reflection of 2010 and the memories made during. Upon looking back what else can we say but..."wow". The years just seem to keep flying by as our family grows up and gets bigger and as we continue to share a passion for horses and knowledge with our guests. The bits and pieces that make up our days, like dressing up guests in chaps and saddling horses, has melted away another year, leaving behind great memories, new friendships, and more love in its wake. We can only hope that 2011 will present us with equal characteristics and even more opportunities.

Holiday Hustle and Bustle

2010-12-18T10:40:00.004-07:00

With the big holiday rush approaching we have been staying busy with preparations this past week. There are horses to be shod, lights to be hung, gift certificates to sell, and of course corral maintenance to keep up on. Also Jeff and I are preparing to fly back to Idaho for some much anticipated family time, leaving the corrals in the sturdy hands of our crew. So much to do and always so little time.
Young Wyatt Chatburn has been interning with us this last week from Villa Montessori Middle School and he has been a true delight. Even at the age of thirteen he has kept up with the rest of the crew and has even volunteered his own after school time to come back and help around the corrals. His spunk and willingness have been greatly appreciated.
The rain has also kept us busy scrubbing down dirty horses in the mornings, who seem to take humor in rolling in the mud every night. We look forward to better weather out there on the trails and wish everyone the warmest Christmas wishes.

Cool days but wonderful people

2010-11-22T16:48:00.002-07:00

Days are cool right now at Cave Creek Horse Trail Rides but we have met the most incredible people. New riders that have never ridden before but have such a sense of accomplishment after they have done that first ride. We had the most charming 3 year old, all dressed up, that had us all held hostage. I don't know who was having more fun, her or the adults. The new riders give us a lot of joy. It is a great sense of accomplishment for them to overcome the fear and have that sense of adventure and get on that horse and ride. Not just a little ride but really riding a horse up into the mountain. They are really hills but mountains to many. Adrian, made a comment that we love what we do. How lucky we all are to be able to get up each and every day and be able to love what we do. Truly blessed....

Incredible sunsets

2010-11-07T13:04:00.003-07:00

We have been having incredible sunsets this fall. The wispy clouds have made the evenings skies light up with some of the most spectacular skies I can remember in the 12 years we have been doing our rides here in Arizona. I hope that you will come and join us.

We have just put of our video on our site and already had a couple of comments on it.

Friends, old and new have been stopping by to ride, give us a hug or a quick hello. I hope that you will stop in and see what we have to offer. If you have ridden with us and have a great photo, I'd love to post it on our site.

Make your days magical and everything you hope it to be.

Days couldn't get any more beautiful

2010-10-26T17:02:00.000-06:00

What wonderful days we are having in the Park. I planted my flowers in my wheelbarrow like I have for the past 11 years. This year for the very first time the wild pigs came and ate them. A little friend and his daddy brought me some flowers to replace them which I keep on my table. The other day one of my horses took a big bit out of them. Man, there is nothing off limits anymore.

Adain, my wonderful little friend comes several times a week. He thinks that scooping poop is the almost as fun as riding the horses. When you are 2 you have a warped sense of humor or maybe not.....

I'd like to invite you to come out on Monday through Thursday and ride for $10.00 off the regular price. Let me know you saw it in my blog. I'm going to try and do better with writing more often.

I'll keep you posted.

It is still hot in AZ

2010-09-26T10:19:00.003-06:00

We have been following the temperatures in Cave Creek and it is still above 100. Ouch! When we open our doors for the 2010-2011 horseback riding season we hope that it will be a little cooler than that. Whatever the temperature we are getting excited to come and see all our friends and spend the winter in Arizona.

We have some exciting news for everyone. The county park system and been so good to us and we have another opportunity to offer horse trail rides in south Phoenix that we have decided to open a second corral in Estrella Mountain Park just south of Glendale in the city of Goodyear at the very southern end of Phoenix. About as far south as Cave Creek Trail Rides is North.

We are working hard on permits with the county and the city but should be able to open the doors by Christmas. We'll have the same great quality of horses and guides. The boots, hats and chaps have been such a hit at Cave Creek Trail Rides that we plan to do that at the new corral also.

We'll have lots of new trails to explore and adventures to be had. Stay tuned for more information on this new horse riding adventure in Phoenix. We are very excited to be offering our loyal guests another option to ride with us. This park is 20,000 acres and may of the trails we have yet to explore.

I'm starting to hear from you :)

2010-09-21T13:50:00.001-06:00

We are starting to get phone calls from people asking about trail rides. We are getting excited to be coming south for the winters. I have a girl scout group that has booked with us as well as a birthday party. I have some really great birthday party plates, napkins and invitations this year that I'm very excited about.

It looks like we are going to have to raise our prices a little bit so that we can survive. We sure did not want to but we plan to keep it as low as possible so that you all can still come out and have a great time.

I'm having a bunch of new chaps made that are looking great. I'm really excited about them. A little old lady that lives in the mountains are making them for us. I think you will really love them.

We are soon to be headed back to AZ

2010-09-04T14:52:00.002-06:00

I can't believe it is already September and we will soon be back in Cave Creek and ready to open our doors for our 12th season of horse rides at Cave Creek Trail Rides inside the park. Wow, summer really went fast for us. The horses made it through our summer in great shape and will be down to give the great customer service you have come to expect.

Spring break is upon us!

2010-03-13T09:47:00.001-07:00

Finally we are getting sunshine and warm weather and kids are starting spring break across the country. Many parts have had a lot of winter and are happy to come to sunshine! We have been busy the last 2 days with lots of kids and lots of smiles.

Rain brings wild flowers

2010-02-26T13:53:00.003-07:00

With all the rain this winter, we should have a glorious showing of wildflowers this spring. A few of the early flowers are starting to show. We have Fairy Dusters blooming and the Wild Onion. Lots of green is showing on the trails and we are looking forward to more flowers to start showing their beautiful shades of color soon.

Our Ride and Rose Special -A Huge Success!

2010-02-13T18:51:00.002-07:00

We have had a huge success with the ride and rose special. The guys have been very sweet about giving a rose to each lady and the $5.00 off coupon to the men for their next ride with us. The ladies seem to enjoy the extra touch and we have had a fun time with the whole experience.

The weather has been treating us extra nice and we have meet a lot of incredible people.

Friends coming to ride

2010-02-07T11:53:00.002-07:00

It has been fun to have some of our friends come and ride and share the desert experience with us. We love it when they bring a friend. Marty is getting ready for the sunset ride and took lots of pictures to share!

Ride "n" Rose Special

2010-02-04T17:45:00.001-07:00

Cave Creek Trail Rides is offering a special for couples on our 1 hour and 1.5 hour sunset ride. Book these rides between now and Valentine's Day and receive a discount plus a rose for you sweetie!

Birthday party week-end!

2010-01-31T15:30:00.001-07:00

We had lots of birthday parties at the corrals this week-end. We did a little girls party with a birthday cake, a boys birthday party with no cake but cowboy hats, scarves and sheriff's badges and a teenage girls party. What a variety and all of them fun, fun, fun!!!

6+ inches was a lot of rain!

2010-01-28T14:16:00.002-07:00

6+ inches was a lot of rain. We did not float away but we certainly settled the dust! Since we knew we had a lot of rain coming we were able to get ready for it. No real damage but things are wet. The trails are fine and we are back in business. Come see us after the rain as the desert comes alive.

Children always make my day.

2010-01-18T15:17:00.003-07:00

Yesterday was a quiet and wonderful day. We meet the most incredible people in this business. In the late afternoon we had a wonderful family of 4 come to ride with us. A grandmother, her daughter and the daughter's two children a young boy and a young girl. They loved the ride and loved the horses. The little boy came up and gave me 28 cents because he had been taught to give to those who had less than him. Each of his guides were given 50 cents each for their tip. GOD BLESS the children. It was the best tip I have ever received:)

Beautiful Days and dramatic sunsets

2010-01-15T18:35:00.001-07:00

The days here have been wonderful with highs in the low 70's and some of the most spectacular sunsets I've ever seen seen. They fill the whole sky. Mid-week has been quiet with week-ends filled with birthday parties, girl scouts and guests of all ages and sizes. We have fun with them all.