Horseback Riding in Alabama
BEST OF APPALACHIA RIDING |
Trotting down a country lane
A little house in the woods
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This is Southern hospitality at its best, hosted and organized by a group of southern women who each bring to the table a special expertise; cooking, organization, horse training and guiding skills.
They are from a friendly, drowsy, hometown with a post office, gas station, a few churches, and two historic hotels. Mentone seems impossibly quiet, but behind the scenes, an entire community is interested in and supportive of this horse riding vacation business.
For those that need a shorter version of the South Appalachian Trail Ride, this will meet your needs. This ride is designed to go at a more leisurely pace to enjoy the scenic beauty of the area.
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| Itinerary |
| Day 1: | Arrive at Valley View Ranch by 1:00pm, check-in.
1:30pm- General orientation, paperwork. There will be a place to change into riding clothes if needed.
2:00-4:30pm – Assignment of horses, get acquainted in ring. Ride out from the barn on shady paths through the woods. Depending on rainfall, there may be small streams to cross. There may be an opportunity for a “walk to” visit of a seasonal waterfall along the trail.
4:30- Transfer to accommodations.
7:00pm-Dinner.
Guests may enjoy the common areas which include a 2nd story level screen porch or book a massage from a local vendor in the evenings. There is a stone patio with fireplace outside surrounded by “wild” gardens. WiFi is available at the lodging
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| Day 2: | 7:00-8:30am- Early risers coffee and pastries followed by breakfast.
8:30am- Leave for Estelle Springs Trail at the base of Pigeon Mountain. From there we will take the Estelle Mine trail, passing an early iron mine, to The Pocket. The Pocket is a wildflower viewing area with a boardwalk over a creek where many species of native plants are on display. We then ride up the mountain past a wet weather waterfall to an old farm site.
12:00noon-1:00pm- Saddlebag lunch at The Pocket wildflower viewing area.
1:00-3:30pm- Ride. The afternoon is a return to Estelle Campground.
4:30pm-Return to accommodations.
6:30pm Dinner.
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| Day 3: | 7:00-8:00am – Early risers coffee and pastries followed by breakfast.
8:30am - Leave for Pigeon Mountain, which has moderately steep areas. Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area has miles of dirt roads and riding paths on this peninsula of Lookout Mountain. The name “Pigeon” refers to the now extinct passenger pigeon, which once nested here in great numbers. Trails follow the edge of the plateau – with impressive views across the valley – and wind through the forest. Some trails are narrow with a few steep, rocky descents and ascents. Ride will include the East Brow with the lunch stop at Hood Overlook with a view of the valley 1000 feet below.
12:00noon-1:00pm-Saddlebag lunch.
1:00pm-4:30pm – Ride the afternoon loop with shady trails and views of both Shinbone Valley and 18,000+ acre Mountain Cove Farms. Mountain Cove, in McClemore Cove, was recently bought by Walker County, GA and slated to become recreational area adjacent to Pigeon Mountain.
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| Day 4: | 7:00-8:00am – Early risers coffee and pastries followed by breakfast.
8:30am – Leave for Little River National Preserve. The wide firebreak roads through the Preserve are ideal for riding, and 23 miles of roads in the Backcountry Area are open to horseback riding. Many of the roads run alongside the river, and we will visit 2 different fords on the Little River.
12:00noon-1:00pm--Saddlebag lunch.
1:00pm-2:30pm – Ride
2:30pm – Return to accommodations. Guests may want to visit Mentone shops prior to dinner.
7:00pm – Farewell dinner at the Wildflower Café.
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| Day 5: | 6:30-8:00am – Early risers coffee and pastries followed by breakfast.
All guests will depart by 11:00am or continue their stay on their own.
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| THIS ITINERARY IS FLEXIBLE. CHANGES MAY OCCUR DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. |
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Horses have the right of way
Water feature along the way
A little entertainment
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| Pricing and Dates |
| Meeting Point | Cloudland, Georgia |
| Length of Ride | 5 days, 4 nights and 3 1/2 days riding. |
| Riding Ability | Intermediate Novice |
| Group Size | Minimum-2 Maximum-10 |
| Riding Per Day | 3 to 6 hours |
| Pace | Moderate depending on terrain |
| Tack | Western, English and a few plantation saddles are available. |
| Horses | quarter horse and quarter horse cross |
| Weight Limit | 225 |
| 2012 Dates | April 25-29
Sept 26-30 |
| 2012 Price | 2-3 Riders $1375
4-5 Riders $1315
6+ Riders $1250 |
| Single Supplement | $225 |
| Transfers | Transfer services are available from Atlanta and Chattanooga (not included in the price) |
| Additional Information | Riders will be in groups according to riding ability. |
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