OMG! What an experience this was. First off.... the staff were amazing. So friendly and accommodating. We were a little late but thank God they weren't upset.... At least they didn't show it . The price ($200 pp) was reasonable considering we rode the horses for an hour and a half. We went horseback riding through the Indian Canyon. Beautiful views around the palm trees. I even wanted to get off the horse and hike around LOL. They do ask for your height and weight when you fill out the agreement form. The guides will match you with a horse that is obviously suited for you. I was apparently matched with the grumpy one LOL. Still a cutie pie! I was definitely nervous since it was my first time riding a horse. Our guide was super sweet and very helpful so that helped ease my nervousness a bit and It turned out to be an amazing experience and I'll definitely do it again! read more

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I took my 2 year old dog to SMOKE TREE STABLES in PALM SPRINGS because I try to introduce her to different experiences. When I got there, I asked if I could come in with my dog. They asked me if she was a barker and I said "no", keeping my fingers crossed. They allowallowed us to go in. It was fantastic! So many different scents and sights for my dog. She was mesmerized. My point to this review is to say the people that run this place are super nice even for someone like myself that didn't ask to go riding. We're going back again in the fall. Oh.. she didn't bark! read more

Smoke Tree Stables - This is as close as I wanted to get, not "knowing" this beautiful horse. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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If you are looking for something to do in Palm Springs that's off the beaten path, this is it!! Thank you Smoke Tree Stables for showing us another beautiful part of PS. Our guides were ready to roll upon our arrival and were very knowledgeable on the area. read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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Loved the trail, my guide was super nice and friendly. It was a nice day, horses were well trained and the guides were very knowledgeable about the whole trail and giving tips on how to ride the horses if ur a first timer. read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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What a great day!!! If you haven't or unable to visit Murray Canyon Taking a horse ride there was wonderful. The Canyons, streams & vegetation beautiful. SmokeTree staff was excellent providing a safe & comfortable ride. No Senior Saddle soreness either. Thank you Mary & Gg Thomas read more

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I had such a fun time on our trail ride yesterday through the Andres Canyon area. Such a beautiful ride! Everyone from Smoke Tree was amazing and the horses were so sweet. I highly recommend! read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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Amazing ride! Guides were knowledgable and excellent system in place for the whole group to get us there and back safely! Gorgeous ride through Murray Canyon...will definitely be back!! Well done Smoke Tree Stables...going on 100 years of trailriding read more

My daughters and their grandfather went on a trail ride this morning and had a great time! The area is so beautiful and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. When you arrive they confirm your paperwork's been complete and then you're given a helmet and a saddle bag & a water. They load the horses into the trailer and head down the road a few miles to Indian Canyon, unload and get everyone up on the horse, making adjustments to girths, stirrups etc. Then they're off! The ride was about 1hr 10mins from the start of the ride to getting back off. Several water crossings and beautiful scenery. Such a great experience they had! The horses are well looked after - hooves picked before leaving, well fed, and big water troughs they made sure the horses all drank from upon returning. In the summer hours, their day ends early due to the heat. They also adhere to strict weight restrictions to protect the horses. All of these things are so important to me as an animal and horse lover and I'm so glad to see a place that so strongly upholds these standards! read more

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All of the horses were perfect and the guides very helpful and courteous. The oases that we rode through follow the Saint Andrea's fault and had running streams through them. A lot of the trail was narrow, rocky and up and down, so not boring at all. So even though this was a nose to trail ride, there was always something to look at and pay attention to. I wasn't bored at all. read more

The staff could not be any more professional they went above and beyond to make our experience the best ever I highly recommend this to all that visit the area read more

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We had an absolutely amazing experience here this morning! Well organized, great staff and gentle horses that somehow knew we hadn't ridden in many years. This is one of those epic adventures through rocky canyons and spectacular desert scenery that was so well worth the effort to do so. Special thanks to Jackson (our cowboy guide - 5 stars!!) and Ryan, who saddled us up and got us on our way. Thanks also to Diego and Spanky, the best horses ever!! :) :) read more

Great horses that were very well cared for. Staff were all so very friendly and made you feel like part of their ranch family. read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Rider - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

Our actual ride and guide were amazing. Beautiful surroundings and excellent guides. The bad is actual service we received upon arrival. One of our party had explained that she was allergic to horses and had come prepared with all of her gear. The main gal who was coordinating was not listening to the women in our party and then threatened that she couldn't ride. She was simply asking for some accommodations so that she could experience this with her kids. The main gal at the Ranch got so mad, pulled her aside and said "she was this close to not letting her ride." Which was bizarre because she had taken the equipment and was transferring over. She then pulled her aside and said we need to tone it down because the last thing her kids needed was to see their mom have an issue. This women has NO idea what our family has dealt with. If a customer has signed a waiver, they know the risks. For the front desk women tp threaten not to let this mom ride, but then to also offer unsolicited parenting advice and telling her to "calm down". The lady at the front desk is NOT an active listener. The situation would never had been an issue if she had treated the information about the allergy with some compassion rather than running defense. Unfortunately despite the AWESOME guide and ride, I would not recommend this Stable. Customer Service is their business and they should be better equipped. As a sidebar, the precautions the mom took prevented any issues, but there were people on our ride with severe dust allergies and the front desk never addressed that. Shame on that management because there were a few in our group who started having breathing issues and you could see their red eyesl Do better at active listening before preparing to react and identify any possible allergens on the course so people can plan accordingly read more

Amazing ride through a beautiful canyon with knowledgable guides and sweet horses! They also put safety first!

My mom & I spent the morning being guided by two lovely ladies through the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation on beautiful, well-behaved horses. We were apart of a group of 6, and these ladies managed to steer everyone in the right direction the whole 4 mile way through! One of them even shared with us the entire history of the land we were treading on which was so informative! We couldn't recommend this experience enough, should you have the chance to while you're in the area. read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Ride Through Water - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

It was such a great experience and the horses and the guides were amazing... the desert landscape was absolutely magical and I cannot even explain it... everyone was very nice and accommodating and as an animal lover, I see that they take very good care of their horses... defo a must when in Palm Desert! read more

Had an amazing trail ride with incredible guides and horses . Went through the canyon and through water ! read more

Amazing experience. Firstly the stables are like something from a movie set - the owners have owned the ranch since the 1920's and they are super friendly. The riding was amazing through some tougher terrain than I imagined - our guide was amazing, educating us about the area and wildlife as we were riding through the beautiful scenery. A must do if you're visiting PSz read more

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I was so impressed with everything about our trail ride with Smoke Tree Stables. I'm advanced and my 21 yr old daughter is a beginner. They assigned us just the right horses and for my daughter provided a full overview of her position and how the horse will best respond to her hands and leg. The horses were so well cared for and do well on a slack western rein. I was delighted that I could just relax and focus on the scenery and taking photos. I recommend renting the saddle bag to hold your belongings and a water bottle. We will definitely return in our next trip and recommend STS to family and friends. read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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My granddauther age 7 and I had a terrific first time experience yesterday. She was a nervous, a bit scared, but the staff there were wonderful. Kristi rode in front of us and pointed out geologic features and various plants (love the lavendar). And she carefully watched my grandaughter to assess her comfort level, suggest options such as how to use her hand and arm to balance and just made it a great experience. Highly recommended. read more

I called them because I accidentally booked the wrong day and they switched me over, quick and easy! The confirmation email was clear and concise about what they recommend wearing, their safety requirements, where to meet and what was going to happen. Spot on. We arrived at the Stables which were clean and organized. The horses looked healthy and very well taken care of. We got fitted with our cowboy helmets and were instructed to hop back into our cars and follow them into the park. We bypassed paying the admission fee to enter. They were very communicative on how they wanted us to approach the horses, wait to be assigned, wait for someone to assist you mounting the horse and simple instructions on how to steer/stop. If you're a beginner, rest assured, you do great! We brought our 7 year old daughter, it was her 2nd solo ride so she was comfortable and excited. They placed 3 of their employees/guides in between the group so they were chatting and providing instruction and managing expectations of the trail throughout the ride. The trail provided an excellent variety of scenery, it went from desert landscape, different rock-types that made larger hills/landscapes that changed from round boulders to flat smooth slabs, we crossed through several streams (I'd like to say at least 4-5), hills that were covered with some type of greenery (granted it may not be green mid-summer), and ended up winding up a mountain/peak that may not have been as pleasant if we were walking ourselves (haha) and back down again. The terrain/trail is mostly sandy/dirt but there were rocks embedded in the dirt which could prove challenging for humans, let alone these beautiful 4 legged animals, but they managed to make it a smooth ride nonetheless!! We passed a ton of hikers doing the same trail and they were all so curious/envious of our ride and a lot of them asked if we liked it/recommended it- which I do! This was the perfect length, it wasn't too short, leaving you wanting more and it wasn't too long where you were getting fatigue/achy/uncomfortable. We did the morning ride and the weather was perfect (March) and it left us more than enough time to have a little picnic lunch. We took the opportunity to do the same trail on foot, just stopping at the first stream and playing around with the rocks and snapping some family photos before heading back home. The only downside is the trail has horse poop throughout, from our horses. As we were leaving, they were brining in different horses for the 3rd group of riders, which again, made me feel like they care for their horses. We were sure to tip our guide 10%, as we tip all of our guides on our vacation excursions. I highly recommend booking, it was enjoyable, relaxing and fun! read more

We went for a trail ride on 3/23/24 through Indian Canyon. To say the least, it was amazing and the most fun we have had since moving full-time to Palm Springs back in 2022. The horses are beautiful and so well trained and trustworthy. The wrangers are wonderful and take good care of you as you enjoy this beautiful and scenic ride through the gorgeous Indian Canyon trails. It was such a relaxing and serene experience. You don't need to be an experienced horseman to enjoy - they'll match to with a horse that meets your skill level. Just trust the horses - they know what they're doing. A must experience for everyone who visits Palm Springs!! read more

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The stables are in tribal land that are hard/ expensive to access without guides. We did the 11:00 am ride and it was incredible. The most beautiful area to go for horseback riding. We went after the rains in beginning of march and the weather was warm. I think this may be the perfect time to go, since summer months get very dry and hot and the desert is less green. The horses were in good shape and regularly walk these trails. The guides as very knowledgeable and have a deep knowledge of the land. There are multiple river crossings, fun cowboy helmets, and palm tree oasis. There is lots of rocky terrain, uphill and downhill portions. You will be in a big group! Over 12 horses read more

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Easy booking , great horses, beautiful canyon and great guides. I am middle aged and have had horse dreams my whole life so I started taking lessons and riding regularly 5 years ago when I finally had the time and money. The ride was pretty much what I expected for a tourist trail ride, maybe even a little more challenging that I expected with going through water and some rocky terraine, and I enjoyed it immensely. I do love it when I go to places that offer "intermediate" trail rides which opportunities to trot and lope, but I understand that would be less in demand and add a higher level of liability to the owners. thanks Smoke Tree for the work you do with these lovely horses!! read more

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The Johnson Family is first rate in everything! This was my 8 year-old granddaughter's first ride and she is ready for #2! Everything just perfect! Big Bob read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

What an amazing and beautiful ride! The staff was so nice from the minute we arrived. This is a great ride for even someone with no experience. I have been on several trail rides but this was the best by far. The horses are experienced and make it very easy going up and down the mountain. The views are spectacular! We will defiantly be back. read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

Had an absolutely incredible time! Jose was one of our guides and he was very informative and fun! Highly recommend!

The Murray Canyon trail ride was exceptional. It was a beautiful day and the ride took us from sea level to 1200' and back down again, we crossed creeks, saw water falls and the views were spectacular! The horses were well cared for and our guide Reagan was fabulous. She was very knowledgeable about the trail and the history of the area. We will be back! Thank you Smoketree Stables! read more

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This was a great ride that brought us to a spectacular part of the Indian Canyon. The staff were wonderful and made the whole experience great. One of the staff members, who was two horses in front of mine, gave ongoing and detailed commentary of what we were seeing - cactus, flora, rocks formations, etc... but most everyone on the trip couldn't possible hear him - including me. My suggestion would be to do what all walking tours now do and give everyone earbuds and a small transmitter so the tour can really be "guided" and everyone can get the same experience. Also, there is no picture taking allowed while on the horses, so no shots of the spectacular scenery from the top of the mountain. Maybe there is a way that everyone can dismount at the summit for ten minutes for photos? It would mean creating some sort of hitching posts up there... read more

Always have a great time, great ride, amazing landscapes. Horses are so nice. Staff very professional. I recommend it

We had such a memorable experience with the kindest staff and horses! My horse Dusty was so gentle and friendly. The horses are very experienced and really help calm my nerves. As a beginner, I loved this ride and the gorgeous views all through the trail and recommend to anyone visiting Palm Springs. read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Murray Trail - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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This was a perfect birthday present for my husband. He is an experience rider and I am a beginner. We both had a great time. The staff was excellent and never did I feel out of control or feel that my safety was compromised. The staff gave great instructions and cared about our wellbeing, including our enjoyment of the trail ride. The ride itself was beautiful and had a variety of landscapes involved, including a few water crossings. I highly recommend this stable for all types of riders. read more

Such an awesome and fun experience! Everything went smoothly. So much to see and the staff is wonderful. 10/10! One thing: would love the opportunity to have the staff take photos of us while on the adventure. Even stop if it was just one at the midway point. You're still able to hold your phone and take photos along the ride but that's really the only thing we would change. FYI they do snap photos of you at the end of the ride before you get off the horses. Totally worth it! read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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Great staff. This was the highlight of our vacation here in Palm Springs. Breathtaking scenery. The ride was just long enough to enjoy without getting tired. It was perfect. read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Great trail ride! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

Friendly people Wonderful horses Great experience We arrived about 45 minutes in advance for a two hour ride through Indian and Murray Canyons, and began registering, getting gear, and then observing the horses in this inviting stable complex. (We also spent considerable time petting Jax, a sanguine, relaxed greeter of a dog who remained pleasantly plopped near the office accepting affection from all comers.) Protective head gear, saddle bags, and bottled water were all available (included), and I believe sunscreen was as well, though we brought our own. The staff made us feel comfortable, explaining the morning's progression to us, and then we rolled out in our own vehicles, following the two horse trailers to the canyon entry gate and into the park area. Once mounted and underway, Blue & Buck were outstanding guides - easy-going, funny, hyper-knowledgeable, clearly experienced, and congenial. The ride took a progressive set of turns upward to excellent vistas overlooking the valley, down into lush palm stands in babbling creek beds, and around passes that revealed the canyons in their glory. I would be remiss not mentioning "Moose," my outstanding mount for the ride, a wonderful ten-star specimen of a horse. I hope this review earns him a treat or two. Good boy, Moose! Highest recommendation. read more

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This has been by far the best horse back riding experience. Starting from making reservations., making changes, communicating w Stacey via e-mails and then driving out to Palm Springs w my 2 kids and a friend. Every person working at the S'more Tree Stables was warm, knowledgeable, understanding and helpful. Everyone has a great attitude and smile on their face. One of my kids has motor skills disabilities and I can't stress enough how helpful and great everyone treated us and so understanding. Alex was one of several guides that came w out group and he was attentive, told us so many cool facts about the area and nature. Horses are amazing! All of them! It is a harder trail, sand and rocks and very narrow path at times, up and down and it all went so smooth. We were provided excellent hats and water for the ride. Super organized. I can't wait to come back here w my husband again to take this ride and see all the cactuses bloom. Thank you so very much for an amazing experience! read more

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Wonderful trip. Highly recommend. Guides very organized and friendly and informative. Safety conscious. Trail beautiful and diverse. read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Lots of water in the canyon this year. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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I had so much fun doing their trail ride through Indian Canyons. it was beautiful and the instructors were great. read more

This was my first time riding a horse in years and the only time outside of a stable/ring setting and it was a pretty rocky start. My boyfriend and I were beginners and I felt like I could have used some more instruction or a minute to get a feel for the horse walking before we got going. The path was immediately through rocks and uphill with the horses very close to the edge of the steep cliffs. I started panicking as I watched the feet of the horse in front of me and one of the guides held back to be next to me as we got down the hills. It seems really beautiful but I honestly was too nervous to look around too much. Once we were back to the palm grove area, I started to relax and had a much better time- we saw some big horn goats and Roper was a very nice horse. I guess 'beginner' in my mind would be something flatter and a little more instructive. That said, I'm very glad we did it, definitely earned a tequila and a soak in the hot tub after. Thanks for putting up with a scaredy-cat. read more

Smoke Tree Stables - Feeling very relieved after a very nerve wracking ride for these city slickers - Horseback Riding Near Me - Palm Springs, California

Happy horses, great rides, knowledgeable and experienced ride leaders. Definitely recommend! Ed and Buck were great, and the entire team at the stables knows what their about. Show up early, as you need to check in and follow the trailer into the park to the trailhead. Wear pants when you ride! read more

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