What an amazing horseback experience! I've done a few trail-guided rides and this was the best for sure! All of our ladies that went with us were so welcoming and kind. Very knowledgeable about their horses and the terrain. Got to go across the river a couple of times and that was such a fun experience! The trail is beautiful and the horses were very sweet! Definitely want to come back next time we come to Spruce Pine! read more

Springmaid Mountain Resort - Horseback Riding Near Me - Spruce Pine, North Carolina

WOW!! What an amazing ride! We did a 1.5 hour ride and could've gone all day. Our guides were so nice and the horses are so well taken care of. I really appreciated their kindness and care with making sure some of our less experienced riders were cared for. Bonus points: it was so affordable compared to anywhere else we looked at!! We will be back for more rides and to stay in their BEAUTIFUL cabins. read more

My rating is for the seasonal carriage rides. I was very disappointed in the carriage ride situation tonight. Was told to be there by 5:15 for a 5:30 ride. Waited until almost 6:00 but no carriage. And no warm place to sit and wait. Had to leave because we had dinner reservations. I thought that, since it was opening night of the holiday carriage rides, it would be waiting for us when we got there, but I guess they were unprepared. Can't recommend. read more

We went horseback riding while on vacation here in Asheville, NC. We absolutely loved it. Our instructor James was phenomenal and truly cared about our horseback riding experience. We not only went up and down the mountain, but went through a river. It was incredible. I truly recommend this horseback riding barn and especially having James as your instructor. read more

Springmaid Mountain Resort - The creek/ river - Horseback Riding Near Me - Spruce Pine, North Carolina

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The drive up was a little steep and very twisty but was greeted with a beautiful property. Our cabin was dirty and mold was growing in and on the coffee pot which was disappointing because we were looking forward to having coffee on our balcony in the morning. We were provided basic utensils and some grill tongs for the grill out front but when I picked them up they were dirty and full of grease. This made me uneasy about how"clean"the room really was. I loved the flexibility of being able to check in early and the area we stayed in. There was a beautiful pond just a few steps away and the weather was nice for staying outside. The grounds could've been cleaner outside. I went to take my son for a walk and he kept picking up trash and cigarette butts.. the rooms floor was dirty/sandy and by the time I called they were gone for the day. The heater in the bathroom did not work and the heater in the cabin did not turn on for close to 4 hours after check in. The staff member that checked me out was notified of all of this and all she had to say was, "oh". Despite our troubles, the room was fairly priced had it been cleaned and there was no mold. It was able to hold 4 guests plus ample room for pack and play. read more

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I rented one of the Whispering Pines cabins to stay and cook in while attending 3 separate family reunions over the weekend August 8-12, 2013. My husband and I shared the 2 bedroom + loft cabin with 3 other couples. The privacy of the two bedrooms was great. The couples who slept in the loft as well as in the living room did not have great privacy, but they didn't chip in for the cost so who cares. I called ahead on the day of check in to see if we could check in any earlier than the allotted 4 pm check in time, because we had been driving in from FL and on the road all night. They did let us check in early and were able to get into our cabin before noon. The cabin itself had a musty smell. We attributed it to it's rustic location as well as the massive amounts of rain the area had recently received. A few candles from the grocery store helped. The kitchen was spacious compared to a lot of other cabin rentals. I was able to cook for the 10+ people we had constantly in and out, plus room for my 2 large crock pots I used to cook for our reunions. The kitchen was decently equipped, but I was glad that I brought plastic utensils. The cabin and amenities were definitely on the "rustic" side, but they suited our needs just fine. The beds were adequate. Not insanely comfortable, but not uncomfortable either. The vanities in the two bedrooms also helped a great deal with keeping the traffic in the only bathroom bearable when it came to the 4 ladies in the cabin getting ready each morning. The couches in the living room were pretty dingy, though. When we booked the cabin I specifically asked an employee over the phone if the cabin would have AC, knowing I would be doing so much cooking I knew it would get hot even if the weather outside was cool. I was told yes, they have both central AC and heat. Turns out it didn't. Only heat. Luckily it was cool enough at night to open the windows, but cooking during the day with no AC was not fun. Maintenance collected our trash on a daily basis. They also brought additional towels half way through our 4 night stay. We decided to go tubing, they advertised $6 for a tube rental for the entire day. The other outfitters in town charge upwards of $20 for 1 run so this seemed like a great deal.The tubes they provided were, let's just say, lacking. As an experienced tuber, these tubes were about 1/3 the size of a normal tube. The five adults that were tubing ranged in weight from 140 - 260 pounds, and the tubes they gave us were appropriate for someone no larger than 90 pounds. We had to take them back to the office to have them blown up some more, and even then they were less than adequate. The trail hike to the river drop off was a little challenging as well. There are not any signs indicating distance or how far to the drop. The paths were shaded in the woods and very pretty, especially the two waterfalls along the way. Needless to say, because of the inadequate tubes it was a rough ride. We all got out of the river with various bruises, scrapes and bumps. The water levels were very high due to recent rain, but the stretch of river was so rocky and the tubes being too small was a bad combo on the rocks. I couldn't imagine tubing when the waters were low. Those tubes were completely unsafe, and I feel the staff should not have allowed anyone to rent them. We were worried for the group of smaller kids who had the same size tubes behind us. When I complained to the front desk I was told the larger tubes went missing, and they guess they should get some more larger tubes. You think? All in all the grounds are very beautiful. They have a lot of amenities to keep you busy and help you relax. The staff is overall very friendly and eager to help you have a great stay. For the area you do get a good value for what you pay. We will most likely rent here again next summer for our family reunions. read more

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We've been going to SpringmaidMountain annually for nearly 40 years for a week of family vacation. It is a rustic resort with stocked trout ponds, bass and bream, hiking trails, horseback riding and a great launching place to other Smoky Mountains areas. Love the peace and quiet with the river that runs through the property. read more

My husband and I went horseback riding at Springmaid mountain today. This trail was better than others I've ridden in North Carolina, Colorado and Jamaica! The horses were healthy and a pleasure to ride. The trail was spectacular because we went through some heavily wooded areas, a pasture of clover, a hay field, steep inclines and along the river. We even crossed the Toe river twice and the horses got a good drink of that cold mountain stream water. Teresa, our guide, was friendly and good natured, but she said we couldn't trot the horses; otherwise it was a fantastic trail ride. read more

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Spent two nights in one of their one bedroom cabins. Beautifully done, and clean as a whistle. Lots of land. They have 3 ponds and horseback riding. There is no playground or pool. The Toe River is very accessible, and the suspension walking bridge there was very nice. We did a 1 1/2 hr. trail ride (horseback). That particular ride goes around the 400 acre perimeter of the property, crossing the Toe river twice. The only thing I feel they could improve on would be riding instruction before a trail ride. I had zero experience, and was given zero direction. Just get on and go. All in all, would highly recommend them. btw - there is NO cell service (at least for ATT) on that mountain. You have to go to the Walmart about 10 minutes away just outside Spruce Pines for that. read more

So fun! We only did the horseback riding and it was beautiful! $40 for an hour and $50 for 1.5 hours. Best deal I could find in the area. They promptly answered the phone, were friendly, and knowledgeable. The horses were beautiful, I rode an Arabian! read more

Springmaid Mountain Resort - Horseback Riding Near Me - Spruce Pine, North Carolina

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Very nice for a rustic environment. A little worn, but very comfortable. Slept like a log with the quiet. Very peaceful. I'd stay there again. Great place to bring kids! read more

We went riding here and are looking forward to returning for a week of camping ! Beautiful place. The people are friendly. Horses clean and well taken care of . read more

Dec 25th 2017 great place to spend Christmas Day. Very nice accommodations. The folks are friendly and the scenery is awesome. The worst thing about the cabin we stayed in was no closets and if that's all I can find to grip about then it's pretty good read more

Terrific vacation spot! Awesome cabins and horseback riding with pretty views. Very quaint (no wi-fi, only Verizon and Tracfone seem to have service...) and affordable. By quaint, I mean bring your own food because the drive up that mountain is kinda scary unless you grew up in Boone. At the bottom of the mountain, there is a Burger King and there is a Wal-Mart, the end. Linville and Blue Ridge Parkway is right up the street from Springmaid, lots of hiking and tubing opportunities. North Toe River runs right in front of the cabins and beside the horse stables. Each cabin is equipped with dishes, tables, couches, tv, beds, and linens for the beds. A great idea for a quiet and peaceful trip to the mountains. read more

8/26/19 My son made the reservations to the campground. He and his friends were going to stay in their tents they carry on the motor bikes. My wife and I pulled our travel trailer to the campground from long Island New York. When we pulled to the grounds and saw the office in front which looked very nice. We checked in and then was told that the camping areas were up the hill and past the horse pastures. We got in our car and proceeded up a steep, seemingly washed out dirt road overhung with tree branches, making me nervous about the height of my trailer hitting them. When we got to the camp area we had to go around the loop twice due to the camp site areas not being marked very clearly. Again driving on very rutted roads under untrimmed trees. We got to our camp site, which was very small and hard to position our 21 ft trailer. Looking around the campsite, I found it to be very dirty with garbage all around. I cleaned up some of the garbage in order to set up my camp. As I looked around at the other sites, the vista reminded me of a run down, overgrown campground from the 60's. My son and this friends pitched their tens on their assigned campsites but not on the overgrown and rutted and rotting boards of the tent platforms that were there. Then I checked out the bathrooms and showers. The bathrooms were very basic looking like they were in dire need of a revamping. The showers were in such a state that I was SO thankful I had my own in the trailer. They were dark and looked very dirty and in need of much repair and cleaning. Again an old design where the doors to them were from the outside. When I was on my way to leave we tried to use the dump station. I had to specifically ask the office lady where it was as it was very hard to find. When I pulled my trailer up to it with the side of the sewer hoses, The pitch of the road was such I could not drain my tanks as the trailer was tilting to the opposite side. I had to elevate the trailer to at least drain some of the tanks. I also found that during a rainy night, something happened to the electric plug hookup. I thought I was getting power from the plug, when in reality I was using battery power over the night. Thus my battery was drained for the next days camp at the National park. Over the years I have stayed in many campgrounds with tents, a pop up camper and now a travel trailer, finding some to be very good to very basic, but I have never been in one with all the bad conditions Springmaid mountain campground proved to be like. Needles to say, this is one campground that tops my list that I will never stay at again. read more

Perfect spot just out of the way off the Blue Ridge Parkway! And Joe there went WAY out of his way to make sure we were taken care of!!!

Came up here from Florida for husband and I's honeymoon and booked an hour long horseback ride through the mountains and were blown away. Joe the owner was incredibly sweet and made the entire experience that much better. The mountains were beautiful as well as the horses! Worth every penny. If you are in the area definitely experience it! read more