Horses were saddled and ready to mount for the first scheduled appointment of the day. It was well…read morethought out and matched horses for riders ability and ages. Our family of 6 went. We had two wranglers looking out for our group. That was perfect. One was in lead, one was last horse. I felt it was very professionally ran. The horses were in great shape despite the hot weather. The equipment was in good shape. We always felt we were in a controlled, knowledgeable environment. After hour ride they helped everyone individually dismount and led horse to water. It's a cute set-up and barn and stables were very nice. PS It was my 70th grandma birthday party starting there before the village. They made it fun and extra special.

As a surprise for my husband's birthday, I gifted him a 60 minute trail ride. When we left our…read morehouse this afternoon (in Layton) it was sunny and warm, but the weather quickly changed while we were on our way to SLC. By the time we got to the barn, the rain had stopped and the weather was perfect. We were happy to have cloud coverage during our ride. When we entered the barn, we signed some waivers and then we went around the side of the barn to be given a horse. They make sure you and the horse will be a good fit (horses have different personalities just like people). Mine was notorious for stopping and snacking (did they give me my spirit animal?), but he was such a sweetheart on the trail. He listened when I pulled his reins and was such a good horse. While we were riding the trail, we saw so many deer. I don't think I've seen so many deer in one sitting. The horses can get spooked by the deer, but luckily no one got spooked. Right as we got to the top of the hill, the storm behind us caught up. At first it was sprinkling...no big deal. Some of the horses didn't like rain in their faces, so they'd turn to the side. We just had to pull their reins a little to keep them going. As we started to slightly descend, my husband's horse was NOT having it. It wasn't too happy about the rain and didn't want to keep going. The trail guides were great with talking him through how to get her calmed down and moving again (not that she was acting crazy or anything, she just wasn't having the rain and didn't want to listen). The rain only got worse. It started coming down so hard that it was stinging my ears. At this point we all had to stop and have our horses face away from the rain because a lot of the horses didn't want to move. We stood there for a few minutes until more help arrived. The guides hopped off of their horses and helped those who needed some extra help with their horses. My husband's was definitely one of them (we call her Diva now). The rain calmed down once we were close to the end of the trail ride. Once we made it back to the barn, the trail guides helped us off our horses and then we headed home. We were absolutely drenched and had to use the heater on our way home. We were so drenched that we were pouring water out of our shoes when we took them off. It was absolutely crazy and never rains that much usually, but I swear my husband and I bring the rain everywhere we go. We seriously had such a great time, even while getting rained on! We would definitely do this trail ride again. It was a fantastic experience that we'll never forget.

I found Bridle Up Hope as I needed to put in community service hours towards earning my Black Belt…read more I previously volunteered at a therapeutic riding program back in Maryland, so I wanted to volunteer a similar place to help give back to our animal spirit friends as well as the women in this program. I loved the mission Bridle Up Hope (BUH) stood for, so I asked to sign up for service. Bridle Up Hope provides equine therapy and empowerment for women. They have a riding program in which women learn to work with, take care of, and learn to ride horses to help with confidence and self-esteem, as well as work through challenges in life. They have great seminars and workshops open to those in the riding program including the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Yoga, self defense, and arts classes, among some of the activities and seminars. They offer scholarships for women to help with cost too, but the takeaways from this program I'm sure are priceless! My niece enrolled in a program similar to this, and she left with much more confidence! Bridle Up Hope also has a boutique for BUH accessories and clothing, as well as a beautiful event hall!

I love coming here! There's a positive atmosphere when you walk in. The lessons are to help you,…read moreand helping you gain confidence through riding horses.

10/10 experience here. My boyfriend and I have gone horseback riding in a few different places as…read morewe enjoy traveling but this by far has been the most informative and professional experience. You can genuinely tell they care for their horses deeply. We had Meghan as our guide and she was amazing. We did an exercise before starting the trail to grow trust between us and the horses which I appreciated. I had Kahlua, such a sweet girl who loved her head scratches. If you're looking for a fun, intimate experience, definitely book here! Carrie helped us book and was also incredibly kind. Thank you Meghan and Carrie for a great experience! (:

If you're considering this place, go for it! We had such a great time and felt completely…read morecomfortable. The trainers are knowledgeable, friendly, and make sure you feel confident before heading out. Being from Florida, I'd only ever ridden on the East Coast, but this was something totally new. It was just me and my husband, and I loved that it was a private ride. The views were stunning, the price was good, and they even took photos of us on the trail. Amazing service all around -- I wish I remembered our trainer's name because she was so kind!

I booked my first horseback riding experience with Red Pine Adventures. It was amazing for…read morefirst-timers. It was very easy to book. After checking in, the staff helped us pick out our helmets. The tour guides were knowledgeable and friendly. Most of the horses were well-behaved. Great views.

If there were 10 stars they would get it. Snowmobiling was incredible and once in a lifetime…read moreexperience. From start to finish this team was incredible. Extremely helpful when emailing as we needed 2 different times as we had to split into 2 groups due to little ones. They were extremely helpful and flexible. Customer service was spectacular and the ride itself was outstanding. Our guides were incredible and created an exciting tour and even gave us some "tips" along the way. If you are looking for an adventure you need to contact them. The area we went to during the tour was like from another world. So beautiful, so peaceful and just made you enjoy life. All around 5 stars for the Red Pines adventure team. I was in the first group and wanted to go back with the second group.

This used to be called the Salt Lake County Equestrian Park, but it's since changed names to the…read moreUSU Bastian Equestrian Center. They still offer the same wonderful events as before, as far as I can tell. I've attended a stock show, a county fair, a city festival and most recently, a dog agility show here. It's an arena with multiple uses and they do a good job of keeping it full of action. There are indoor and outdoor areas and a ton of parking. It definitely has a "rural" feel to it, even though it's in the city. My only complaint would be that the bathrooms are really run down. Most of the stalls in the ladies' room were out of toilet paper and/or didn't have locking mechanisms on the doors. It could be that this was on a Sunday and the janitorial staff wasn't on duty, but there were lots of people there for an event and I'd imagine that could have been a problem for others.

Hot, No Shade, Buggy was today's hike. Left too late to miss the sun beating down on me…read more This is a nice beginner trail that is paved with bark. If you go to the end of the trail, it takes you to an off leash dog park. Dogs are welcome on this trail, but please keep them on a leash and pick their poop up and dispose of it properly. **Leave no trace #hikingbootsoverheels

This is it can be a moderate to advanced level trail depending on if you go off on the small…read moreinclined trails that branch off everywhere throughout the area. It's beautiful, you can see the mountains and the small valley at the base of the lone peak mountain from the trail. it's mainly bark pieces for a majority of the trail. *If u have a dog and put their poop in a bag then haul it out don't just leave it on the trail* Enjoy the beautiful areas we have and keep them clean so we can all enjoy them :)

If you're looking for the perfect winter adventure in Utah, Rocky Mountain Outfitters in Midway…read moreabsolutely delivers a magical, unforgettable experience -- especially during the Christmas season. From the moment you arrive, the staff makes you feel completely welcomed. They're friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about their horses and the beautiful area they work in. The seasonal horseback rides are incredible. Early in the season, you ride through the charming town of Midway, surrounded by snowy fields and mountain views that look like a Christmas postcard. Later in the season, the rides move up to Soldier Hollow, where the scenery becomes even more breathtaking -- open meadows, Olympic-era trails, and the Wasatch Mountains glowing in the winter light. The horses are gentle, well-trained, and perfect for beginners and experienced riders alike. But the true holiday magic comes from their draft horse wagon rides. Being pulled by beautiful Percheron and Belgian horses through thousands of sparkling Christmas lights at the Wasatch Mountain Golf Course is absolutely enchanting. The sleigh bells, the crisp winter air, the glow of the lights -- it feels straight out of a movie. Rocky Mountain Outfitters is a must-do winter tradition. Five stars without hesitation! Check out our video https://linktr.ee/reessroots

We booked a horse drawn sleigh ride for a new Christmas experience…read more It was fabulous. They took us on a 30 minute horse drawn sleigh ride through a light show at Jordanelle State Park. I had to book really early they book up fast and it was a nice but not too cold night. They also do sleigh rides for the Ice Castles at Midway. Our horses names were Lock and load beautiful Perchons. So if you want to do something different book now for next Christmas you won't regret it.

So far this is my favorite hike. Not too long, not too short, not too hard. Just enough...well, for…read moreme. It located just south of Pineview dam. This is the Wheeler Canyon trail that follows Wheeler Creek. The trail is wide and heavily traveled. Great for hiking, biking, horseback riding, skiing and snowshoeing. I did the loop, it took me 2.5 hours and 5.73 miles. That was stopping frequently to take pictures because it's so pretty all over. From the beginning it's gorgeous. You're surrounded by towering, rocky mountains and the sound of the river below. As you get farther on the trail, the leaves are gold, red, and orange. One day we took our toddler to walk up the trail and explore a bit. It was easy and fun for her. Lots of birds, butterflies and caterpillars to check out. That's when I knew I had to come back and take a hike. After Wheeler Canyon there's a fork that takes you to Ice Box Canyon on the right or Art Nord trailhead to the left. I read about this trail and many prefer to go counterclockwise and go through Ice Box first. I also recommend going this route. It's a steady climb, not hard and shaded the entire way until you get to the south slope meadows. Ice Box Canyon was magical. The birds were singing, the sound of the water was hypnotic, and the red leaves blanketed the trail like a celebrity red carpet, minus the paparazzi and a little less narcissism. I had to stop and take pictures every second. I couldn't help it. If you're doing the loop, you'll run into another fork (on the south slope) once you're out of Ice Box Canyon. The sign is missing off the post. Go left. That will take you down through some meadows across a couple of bridges and then uphilll to the Art Nord Drive/trailhead. You will see Snowbasin Road on the right as you approach a trail map kiosk. Keep following the trail. You will descend on a windy trail towards a parking area. Keep going and you'll soon be back in Wheeler Canyon. I think about .65 miles. Take a jacket and plenty of water. When I went it started pouring the last quarter mile and the wind was awful tunneling through that canyon. It about knocked me over. I came out of the canyon only to find out there were 2 freaking tornadoes taht touched down. I'm not sure of the odds of that happening again but just be prepared for the weather. This would be a great hike for a family. Do the loop, go check out Ice Box Canyon, or just go up a little and back. No matter what you choose I think you'll enjoy it!