My friends and I booked an 8 AM, 1hr ride on Friday and it was led by Krys and Brittney! We were…read moreall a little bit nervous when we got started but Krys was very nice and calm when answering our questions. She gave really great affirmations throughout the ride as well. This was an amazing experience and I highly recommend you book with Ponderosa Stables.

My bestie and I did the two-hour trail ride at Ponderosa Stables today and it was absolutely…read moreincredible from start to finish. The horses were calm, well-trained, and clearly cared for. Before we even hit the trail, the team took time to teach us how to properly guide and communicate with our horses, which made the entire experience feel empowering and very safe, even for beginners. Our guides were amazing, personable, attentive, and genuinely fun to be around. Even when we had to cross streets with traffic, the wrangler confidently stopped the cars and made sure we crossed safely. That level of professionalism and care really stood out. The views were stunning. We rode through beautiful desert trails surrounded by cacti, birds, and wildflowers. It felt peaceful, adventurous, and grounding all at once. Ponderosa Stables delivered a well-organized, safe, and memorable experience. If you're looking for something scenic, unique, and perfectly Arizona, this is it! 10/10. I'll definitely be back!

Pro Tip: during the cooler months, you can schedule a hay ride at and around the south mountain…read morearea! Call the ranch to talk about it!!! Where do I begin with this update?? It's been about 3 years since my Girl Scout troop came to this ranch (see my previous review). Since then my kiddo and I have taken classes at the ranch and we both became volunteers at the ranch. We come to this ranch about as often as we can. The owners make it a point to make everyone feel like family! This IS our family now!!! Aside from the joys of the ranch, my kiddo has advanced riding skills so much that my kiddo has participated in the Black Rodeo, Competitive Horsemanship and Riding and trail rides. Like my kiddo, experienced students at the ranch can participate in parades, shows, and more as volunteers representing the ranch too! If you'd like the same opportunities, you just need to saddle up and start your horsemanship journey, or expand it, at the RR! And, For the person who wrote that they called and no one answered... keep in mind, this ranch runs off of its volunteers. There is a limited paid staff and a small army of volunteers who support RR. This ranch serves as a large animal rescue. This ranch is a place of escape for victims of a variety of situations and this ranch services folks with a variety of physical, emotional and mental needs---- on top of the herd of horses, goats, pigs and dogs that live there. THERE WILL BE MOMENTS WHERE ACTIVITIES ON THE RANCH TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ANSWERING THE PHONE. Please, be gentle and understanding. Call back, leave a message and give grace. I've added as many pictures as I can. Come out and schedule a tour, sign up for a class or sign up to be a volunteer: you won't regret it! Return Factor: 10000000%

Good cause and unique experience My group enjoy the wagon…read moreride and John Robinson was very common

We had an incredible experience! Kendace was an amazing guide and instructor. She was friendly,…read moreprofessional, incredibly knowledgeable, and communicated everything clearly, making us feel comfortable from start to finish. The ranch is absolutely beautiful, and the horses are well cared for and wonderful to ride. One of our favorite parts was the tour through the little Western town--it was such a unique experience and really brought the area's history to life. You can tell this land is full of rich history and has been cared for with pride. This experience exceeded our expectations, and we absolutely got our money's worth. If you're looking for an authentic Arizona adventure with great people, beautiful horses, and fascinating history, I highly recommend visiting. We can't wait to come back!

Great experience! Our guide Bob was so informative and fun…read more You can't ask for better scenery!

This review is for the Hau'Pal T-Bone Ridgeline Trail Loop. There are a lot of other trails that…read morestart or branch out from here. This hike in particular is around 3.1 miles (based on my watch :) AllTrails says it's an even 3.0 miles) from beginning of the trailhead back to the trailhead. The parking lot at the trailhead has 26 spots with two of them being handicap parking. By 6 AM the lot was full and there were a lot of cars parked on the streets before the no parking signs. Following the AllTrails review we started counter-clockwise (right) at around 6 AM. The ascent was pretty steep for the first 1.2 miles since there is a 1000-ft elevation gain to the top. However once you reach the top it becomes more flat and gets a bit easier. The only hard parts once you've reached the top are the big rocks you either have to climb up or down to get back on the trail. During these parts we usually had to also use our hands. After that it was a slow descent to the bottom (some parts of the descent were a bit gravelly so be careful not to slip)! Once you hit around 2.3 miles you'll see a sign that splits off the trail to either continue the Hau'Pal loop and head to the parking lot or head to Crosscut loop (according to AllTrails this one is a 4.6 mile loop). We continued on to finish the Hau'Pal loop. Overall we finished the hike in about 1.5 hours moving at a moderate pace. We started around 6 AM and finished before 8 AM. It does get pretty hot halfway through the hike since it was summer so be sure to bring enough hydration and sunscreen or start the hike earlier!!! There are still a lot of people starting the hike after 8 AM so as long as you're properly prepared you should be good! :) This hike can be hard for those who are not used to more steep inclines or declines. The first 1.2 miles up can be strenuous since it is a 1000-ft climb. But there are some shaded spots along the trail from the rocks that you can rest up near! So just be sure to take your time and be careful! There are also currently a lot of bees swarming the water fountain at the trailhead and even during the hike; around every .20 miles we would have bees buzzing around us. If you're not comfortable with bees or allergic, I would suggest avoiding this hike for now.

We scheduled the Margarita Sunset ride and had an AMAZING time…read more My partner and I searched for trail rides offered and were intrigued by KOLI which we found via TikTok as they shared wonderful videos. We called the business and booked same day which was a super smooth process. Our trail lead MATTHEW took amazing care of us -- extremely attentive, kind, and made the ride really enjoyable as we chatted and learned about the area we explored. We paused and he helped my group take awesome pictures. My observation was that the animals were very well loved and trained which is something I truly value when booking these types of activities. I was more so booking for the trail ride but the margarita and chips/salsa afterwards were a total hit! I 10/10 enjoyed this experience. I highly recommend visiting KEC and would totally revisit to enjoy the experience.

I'm obsessed! Chuy made this an unforgettable experience from start to finish. He was incredibly…read morefriendly, easy to connect with, and shared so much wisdom throughout the ride. He truly went above and beyond to make sure I had an amazing time. One thing that really stood out was how he always knew the perfect moments to stop and take photos. It honestly felt like having my own personal photographer, and I ended up with so many great memories to take home. If you're booking this experience, definitely request Chuy, you won't regret it! I'll absolutely be back, and I highly recommend the Margarita Sunset Ride. It was a perfect way to spend the evening and worth every minute.

Wildcat Ranch is my happy place. It's a safe space where people go to feel like they belong, and…read moreflourish in the moment. I'm so grateful for this community and the friends/family I've made being here. I started as an intern working with another amazing nonprofit (EmpoweRanch) and WCR graciously took us on to hold programs and give us a space to grow as a new nonprofit. ER has since moved but WCR continues to provide services and opportunities for everyone to thrive. Stalls are cleaning 2-3 times daily, water is cleaned daily, fresh alfalfa and bermuda, turn out for socializing and exercise, and supplements or other health products are given based on the owner/boarders request. The horses are treated loved on daily and have good size stalls to roll around. Chickens running around demanding you feed them meal worms and three goats! Renovations coming in the near future will make the property even better! Any donations are so appreciated as they benefit the whole community. Also, I need to give a bigger shout out to Jose Ramirez, owner of WCR because I didn't mention he is a Licensed Social worker and retired army infantry. Maeve is also now a ESMHL certified through PATH, which Sayda and I are working on now but Sayda is way closer than me. Everyone here is a total baddie

This place is a slice of heaven on earth the owners live on site and take great care making sure…read morethe animals are well cared for and are always doing improvements to the place to make it more enjoyable for the boarders and guest it is an awesome Ranch in the city they have horses, goats, cats, dogs and chickens and always a party... Love this place

Amazing location ! So much more than just a horseback ride. The town was a blast and Cowboy Bob our…read moreguide was a good time and wealth of information. Highly recommend

Here are some great photos to go along with the review I already posted! This is definitely an…read moreadventure to bring the whole family on!

Diamond Buckle Adventures is amazing! My sisters and I had some family business in Scottsdale and…read morewanted to spend an afternoon together doing something fun and adventurous. This operation did not disappoint. Diane was our guide and she was just the right combination of fun and informative; sharing interesting facts about our surroundings as we rode, yet not overwhelming us with too much information. The trails were absolutely beautiful, and our horses were delightful. We were also treated to a nice lunch, which was delicious...an added bonus to an already great day!

Took a beautiful New Years ride through the desert this week with Penny from Diamond Buckle…read moreAdventures. I'm a picky professional horse trainer who seldom enjoys the "rental horse" experience. This ride was quite an upgrade from the norm. The horses/mules were well cared for, well groomed, and perfectly behaved. The tack fitted well and was clean. Check out these ladies and their new made-to-order trail riding business!