Extremely disappointed with the service and ended up not riding at this stables. We went to Davy Crockett in Townsend instead. First off upon arrival on Monday we were going to simply do a walk up and reserve a ride for the coming up Thursday. As we were walking up to the office, a silver haired lady that we crossed paths with in the parking lot asked us if we had a reservation. I stated 'no' and that we were coming to book one for this Thursday. She apparently did not listen to my response because she proceeded to tell us to go inside and sign the release forms on the kiosk and pointed at my son and said he could not sign himself and must wear a helmet. I did not say anything in return as I could see she was heading out to a wagon ride to help them and was clearly not paying attention so we proceeded inside where another family was signing in. Same woman comes in the office and said "Who's next?" The family at the kiosk signing releases were there first but didn't speak up so I said they are here to ride we can wait. She responded very rudely with basically the same thing back to me. She then told the teenage girl from that family to go over and pick out a helmet from the wall. The young lady walked over to the wall but looked very nervous and then looked back for further assistance. A few moments later the snarky-rude woman said to the girl she must pick out a helmet before going on the ride. The young lady looked about ready to cry. Her family was still checking in and paying so they didn't notice her getting upset. I stepped over and offered to help her find a helmet and explained how they are sized and the fit she needed. Once we found her a helmet she thanked me and looked so relieved. At that point I realized the lack of customer support we were dealing with from staff. Let me stop here to add that I do this for a living; 35 years of horse riding, 26 years as a trial guide and 20 years as a cattle rancher. My husband was silently standing by witnessing/judging . Fast forward to making a reservation (again she didn't listen and was trying to book for the wrong day) and then we stepped outside. We witnessed a young petite girl about to take a ride out that vaguely gave a set of instructions. It's like she was a robot talking to air instead of a guide talking to customers. Upon witnessing a few more unsafe and concern-able things I decided to go back in the office and ask a few more questions. The snarky-rude woman also seemed to be on auto pilot with answers. Never once made eye contact with me and quite frankly I'm sure never even listened to my actual questions. She too responded Luka an AI robot with things like we only walk on our trails, we only offer a one hour and we don't do private rides. Lady you were so far off base! We know how the industry works and how insurance regulates you. We were NOT asking for exceptions. My final straw was her pointing at my son and telling him he couldn't wear his knife on the trial ride. Really? You won't look at me and talk but you can point that out. He is a teenager that has a leather belt with a leather sheath and a knife secured inside that he wears EVERYDAY. Again we are cattle ranchers. He is homeschooled and he totally knows when it's not acceptable to have the knife. I was done then... Absolutely not. I did not say anything and we walked out. I will not be returning and will not be recommending this location EVER. read more

We always have to have a cone while driving around the cove. While it's most always very busy, the staff is kind and quick. Lots of souvenirs to choose from as well. read more

I had such an amazing time at the Cades Cove Riding Stables. It was my first time on a horse. I was a bit nervous but once we were in the trail it was so much fun. I felt like a pro! Our tour guide was Sydney (spelling??) she was amazing. She would get on and off her horse to check on everyone to the back. She was incredibly kind. Front office was nice to us when we came in to check in. There's no reservations, you just come in, sign waivers, and get set up to ride. There's plenty of parking. Please make sure you remember to bring some cash to tip your guide. They work really hard to make sure you have a great experience. read more

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We bought a souvenir mug at the Cades Cove Campground Store for $24.99. Later we discovered that the exact same mug at all other national park stores sells for $16.99 only. A little bit too greedy. read more

We rented bikes from here and did the 11-mile Cades Cove loop. From start to finish, it was a great experience. I reserved the bikes a few weeks in advance and the friendly staff helped guide me on what to know. When we arrived and the shop opened, we got our bikes relatively quickly and the staff were top notch with making sure everything was in working order and fit correctly. Returning the bikes was also a breeze. The prices are steep, but I suppose that's to be expected in a national park with no competitors. I'd definitely come back here again. read more

Horse back riding was really fun. Wished more options but only option is for an hour ride.

The most fun I had on our entire vacation. Our guide was Emily. Our horses was BLUE & Snoop. Blue was very easy riding horse. Snoop didn't like the guide horse behind him so he was being a bit moody. But the trails were great up hill and down. They have horses for all experience levels and they a farm horse trained not the usual reign trained. Would definitely recommend read more

Cades Cove Campground Store and Bike Rental - Horseback Riding Near Me - Townsend, Tennessee

My wife and I took the carriage ride and Marvin was the most fun guide ever! We saw a couple of deer about two minutes after we left that were only about 20 yards away and didn't seem to mind us. Marvin will take plenty of pictures for you with your camera! read more

Cades Cove Campground Store and Bike Rental - Horseback Riding Near Me - Townsend, Tennessee

This was by far the best horse riding I have experienced in the area and I'm mad at myself that it's taken this long for me to try this location. Debbie was an amazing guide and every single person that worked there was amazing. The friendliest people I've ever come across. We got there right at open and the group behind us got spit up so we decided to let them go in front of us so it took about an hour to get going but it wasn't a problem. Blue was the most amazing horse I've ever ridden and my husband had Marie and she was also perfect. Such a good experience and we can't wait to come back. read more

Cades Cove Campground Store and Bike Rental - Blue - Horseback Riding Near Me - Townsend, Tennessee

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This place was awesome!!! I really wanted to go horseback riding, but as a slightly bigger guy who's lost almost sixty five pounds the weight limits were killing me! This place was kind of a whim after driving the loop and my goodness am I glad we stopped!!! The weight limit here is 300 lbs, and I walked in at a slow point because we were able to pay and we were off and riding within a half hour! Our guide was Trish and she was very pleasant the office lady Brenda was a hoot!!! The horses were all so well cared for and perfectly trained!! No bears this time but we'll be back next time we're in the Smokies!! read more

I took my 10 year old son today. Our Guide was Sara. She was absolutely fantastic! The horses are well cared for, the trail was fantastic and we had an amazing time! I will say, the woman in the office needs to work on her customer service. Not very friendly while I was filling out paperwork. Then she's perk up and talk about the bears they saw earlier. Then back to rude with my son, while he was getting his helmet. Not enough to ruin our trip but someone really needs to have a talk with her. read more

We drove an hour and a half and arrived at 3:00 on a Sunday, only to be turned away from a horseback ride. There were only 9 people in the 3:15 and 4:00 rides each, and the girl at the desk was not accommodating at all to add just the 2 of us to a ride or even a waitlist, even though there were more than enough available horses. They should really set up a reservation system to prevent this happening to others. One positive note - the wranglers were super friendly and brought the horses over for us to pet and take pictures, even though we couldn't join the ride. read more

Meh, that's what I have to say. The ladies in the office were not friendly at all. We had to ask all the questions. There was not a lot of conversation. Ironically, they had a jar on the desk asking for tips for the office staff! Ha! That's funny. We were asked not to bring our phones but then during the trip our escort got off his horse and asked if anyone wanted him to take your photo with your camera. The horses did know the trail and were very good. It is obvious that they are maintained. Our guide was not very good. He hardly spoke to us. With the exception of complaining about a splitting headache and didn't know why he was put with our group. He thought he was going to be sent home after our tour. But not before asking for tips as that's how he makes his money. We did get to see a bear. That was nice and unexpected given the time of day. It was a young bear and the smell of grilled cheeseburgers by the staff may have brought the little guy around. All in all, I was not impressed and slightly annoyed. But mostly disappointed. I've never done the horseback riding in the Smokies and not sure what the other stables are like. But I do know I would not recommend the Cades Cove stable and I won't be back. read more

Such a fun time! Josh was a great guide and Emily walked for miles to reassure a little girl who was scared the first time on her horse! Both were amazing! The ride is beautiful! read more

My first horse riding experience.. was awesome.... :-) We were a group of 5 and then there was a one more lady so total 6.. The trail is good through the forest and even across a creek which was a little deep, enough to splash water on my shoes and make it wet.. There were some ups and downs in the trail.. The horses were well trained and you just need to handle them a little bit when they stop in between.. They pretty much followed the horse in front.. The guide was good and gave us proper instructions.. My horse's name was Genie.. I was riding at the end of the group of 6 so had my own time handling the horse and moving it from side to side in between... Never was in a position of falling off the horse.. We even crossed a road and the vehicles had to wait for us to cross as we had the right of way... You can take photos while your riding, if possible or either at the beginning or at the end ask the guides to take your pictures... its 30$ for an hour and you can also get a helmet to rent for free for the ride.. All of us enjoyed the ride and would do it again... They also offered hay rides.. and had some huge horses for those.. read more

Cades Cove Campground Store and Bike Rental - Horseback Riding Near Me - Townsend, Tennessee

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We loved it! We felt like kids again! It was a relaxing ride and we still had a sense of freedom...great time! read more

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Excellent time riding. Horses were great and the people helping get the horses ready for us were great. The lady in the front office needs a new attitude. read more

Courteous staff who made us all feel comfortable and went out of their way to make sure everyone had a good time. The horses are very well trained and the ride itself is relaxing and scenic, and yes, we did see a bear on our ride. I will definitely visit again on our next trip to Tennessee! read more

Horseback riding in the Smokies was on everyone's bucket list during our family vacation to Gatlinburg. The folks at Cades Cove Stables made our day a success - from the lovely woman who checked us in and told us a fascinating story of how she came to be in Gatlinburg, to the horse "wranglers" who brought out the horses and didn't laugh at us as we struggled to mount our saddles. The star of the day - besides the beautiful and gentle horses - was our guide Jessie. She made sure we were safe and told us funny stories while we rode through some of the most beautiful scenery in Tn. Great day. Great people. Great Horses. Thank you all! read more

We rode in a small group (5 riders plus 1 guide). The horses were great (most were BIG draft/draft crosses), the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. We saw two deer and a bear (from a very good distance) which is exactly why I wanted to go on this ride. I loved that our group wasn't a huge group and we had a fairly personal experience. Doc was our guide and he was funny, but from the rear of our small group I did not hear him talking about anything history wise or anything like that. He was absolutely wonderful about stopping to answer questions, he took pictures for us, and he was pretty funny. I also loved that he stopped to check girth's and riders more than once on the ride. I'm an avid rider and loved the ride even though it was a pretty cut and dry walk through beautiful country, with some trotting to catch up. The four star rating comes from when I called ahead and the lady was rude to me which was fairly frustrating and the same lady charged my husband almost 2x the cost for a drink inside because the outside machine wouldn't take his card.... OH AND she wouldn't break a $100 bill so I could tip our guide which really bummed me out. read more

We drove an hour to get all the way to the stables only to find out they were booked up for horseback riding; only carriage rides were available. They don't take reservations. Very disappointing. We had this day all planned for our exchange student to come horseback riding for her special activity while on spring break. Maybe they could put a sign out saying horse riding is booked up at the same place where they have their sign saying campground is full, so people aren't wasting their time and gas money driving all the way up the mountain. Just so disappointed!!! Awful! Call before you come but then again, by the time you drive all the way there, they may be booked up. That's where it would be nice if they would take reservations. Grrr... read more

My wife, kids, and I drove an hour from Gatlinburg to visit Cades Cove Stables and we did not regret it. We arrived, signed in, and the guides mounted us on our beautiful horses within ten minutes. We started out with some quick tips from our guide, Jonathan. Jonathan was friendly, engaging, and helpful when needed. He even withstood getting stepped on by one of our horses! Jonathan guided us through a loop around Cades Cove. The loop is wooded, but the trail is clear and easy to traverse. The trail has a few hills, but nothing difficult for the horses or the riders. A great family activity thanks to the fine people at Cades Cove Stables. PROTIP: Be aware of their hours! They are open from 07:00 until 16:30. We got lucky by arriving at 14:00 with no wait. Also, wear jeans and hard-soled shoes. read more

This was the best place I've ever gone horseback riding!!! The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. Our guide was great and made sure the whole time we were all comfortable. We quickly learned how to steer the horses, manual only. No automatic drive. The trail itself is so nice because it's through the Cades Cove woods. There is not much uphill or downhill which can be uncomfortable for inexperienced riders. We were able to see deer, bears, and various wild flowers. We have been to other stables in the area and they have not measured up. They are more touristy and less about the experience. One way you can tell is that they don't offer a picture to buy for X amount. The horses are all very well taken care of and trained. The staff knows their horses very well and were able to match us with the right horse. The stables were clean and we were happy with our entire experience here! Can't beat $30 per person, per hour. Loved it!!! Highly recommended. read more

When we went horseback riding this past week the first thing the guide told my son in law was his horse was going to push him so to be stern with it. The group before us a horse bit the horse in front of it and that horse kicked back. We weren't 10 minutes in and horse tried biting our friends leg and my daughter got scared and wanted off. The guide was not nice to her and said she could not get off the horse. She wanted to go back. While all the horses are standing there my son in laws horse started taking off which spooked our horses. Guide FINALLY called for assistance because all the horses started eating grass and wouldn't listen. It was awful and we did everything they told us but the horses were like angry teenagers. The guide also told us we didn't listen to anything he said before we left. The ladies working there were very nice and the two who came and rode with us back were very apologetic. read more

We are beyond disappointed with this location. Our party of 8 drove over a half-hour to take a Cades Cove Hayride. When we arrived, we were told that we needed to make reservations for the ride 48 hours prior. According to the website, reservations were unnecessary for groups smaller than 15. We then decided that we would take a carriage ride but were disappointed once again to learn that one driver was out sick and another was running late. The desk attendant was neither pleasant nor helpful. I would strongly discourage anyone from visiting this location. read more

I had mistakenly placed this under the wrong stable. We visited the one inside the park, highly recommend! We did the carriage ride, they allowed our daughters to sit on the top and hold the reins for a significant part of the ride. The staff was all very friendly, it was a great time. The kids got to pet the horses afterward, we were told interesting facts about the area and animals. In the actual scenic loop we saw up close a black bear with her three cubs, she was behind one of the cabins, so definitely get out and walk around and explore, also found a buck and a doe behind other cabins. Wild turkeys as well, we had a VERY fun day at Cades Cove! read more

This stable is IN Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Great experience! CLEAN, HEALTHY horses & FRIENDLY, KNOWLEDGABLE Guide. No Comparison to the awful place on Hwy 73. read more

I typically do not give 5 stars. If there was one negative it would be the wait. We had a great guide that works great with the younger and old family members to get them comfortable with being on a horse. My daughter stared to get tired of the wait and wanted to leave. Once they called our number and put her on Cinder she didn't not want to get off. They want you through the National Park and go over history and different aspects of the Park you are not going to get just driving the loop. It was a great time and we will be back. read more

We loved the horseback riding . The trail was good and the guide was very nice . They don't allow cameras or phones to take pictures, but they don't take pictures either . read more

Friendly and capable staff, and great horses that are well taken care of. However, the wait time was much longer than announced (two hours instead of one). The 'general manager' didn't seem too receptive for feedback... The route was kind of boring: no Cades Cove views, no Cades Cove meadows, just forest. The only animals we spotted were the (great) horses we sat on. read more

Frank was our tour guide last Sunday and he was excellent guide. This was my second time on a horse and I felt completely safe and comfortable on my horse Puddin. My suggestion is to get their early and always tip your guide :) read more

Long wait but it was a great ride. Get there early. Beautiful and easy. Our guide Jessica was sassy and entertaining. I have never been on a horse before but I felt pretty safe and taken care of. The horses have their own personality but they are pretty trained. The intro is brief and fast so there's no time to be afraid. I can't wait to do it again. read more

Cades Cove Campground Store and Bike Rental - Horseback Riding Near Me - Townsend, Tennessee

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This was my first time ever riding. Staff is great with beautiful gentle horses. A peaceful hour ride through the forrest of Cades Cove. This is a must do! read more

Our family had a great time! The horses were all sized to us. My mother in law had double knee replacement surgery within the year and was easily able to get on the horse they selected for her. Our 6yr old twins and 9yr old daughters had sweet horses that were easy to handle. The trail was an hour long and very scenic. Our trail guide Rhonda was knowledgeable and so kind answering all the questions our youngest had! We had to wait through two other groups before us (so 2 hours since each trip is an hour) but the wait flew by. The wait time was a little startling at first but with a long trail you'll have that. We got there at 11:00. Pack a picnic lunch to eat while waiting and walk down to the creek to play or get ice cream from the general store. The horses are so healthy and clearly well loved and cared for. We went during COVID and this place took all the necessary precautions. Definitely will be back! It was everyone's favorite thing we did!! read more

Called ahead to change our reservation due to the time we had available for the ride. When we arrived office staff had the rudest nastiest attitudes ever about the change. The manager was called and he say no issue with us changing our reservation but the two office ladies were mad because he did not side with them. They continued to be rude and nasty. We decided our bus load of patrons would not be spending our money there. After a few very heated exchanges our money was refunded. Clearly the two ladies are in need of customer service training. read more

2nd time here and this is still the best I have found in the area. Horses are very well kept and trained.

We went on the carriage ride. The site says it could last up to 30-45 minutes long. In reality you take a very small loop right beside the barn and they stop to let the horse rest. Not even 15 minutes. I usually don't give reviews but I felt mislead. Not worth the money. read more

What a nice way to see the Smokies! The staff at the stables were all wonderful. We enjoyed a quiet ride through Cade's Cove with a small group. The scenery was beautiful. Michael and Miko led us, Velvet, Blue, Lena and Noble were great guides. read more