A beautiful horseback ride through Martinez Canyon in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Pagosa Springs, a little town in Southwestern Colorado, is known for its’ beautiful scenery, relaxing hot springs, and abundance of adventure/nature related recreation activities. This four season destination offers many diverse recreational opportunities, allowing you to enjoy the gorgeous views year round. Aside from the most popular activities like hiking and mountain biking, taking a guided horseback riding adventure is another fantastic way to enjoy the gorgeous San Juan National Forest.

For those looking for a new way to explore the outdoors, a peaceful guided horseback ride is the way to go. It’s much different than exploring an area via hiking or biking, yet still fun and even more peaceful.

Diamond Hitch Stables – a perfect choice for beginners

There are several companies that offer rides in the area, however, I recommend Diamond Hitch Stables for beginners. This wonderful company has excellent guides who know how to work with beginners, in addition to well trained horses that are great for those who are nervous on their first time out. Your guide will be excellent at explaining everything about riding. You will get to mark on your release if you are a newbie or an experienced rider, so you should feel much more comfortable if it is your first time. For beginners, horseback riding can be a really scary experience (especially when taking a trail ride in a mountainous area), so having an experienced, helpful, & friendly guide alongside really does make all the difference.

Diamond Hitch Stables in Pagosa Springs, Colorado
A horse at Diamond Hitch Stable in Pagosa Springs, Colorado
The 3 horses used for a trail ride at Diamond Hitch Stables in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

One of our horses…known as “Big John”

Big John -one of the great horses at Diamond Hitch Stable in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Wonderful guides!

Our excellent guide at Diamond Hitch was very knowledgeable about riding and gave out great instructions for beginners. He also had no problem helping anyone guide the horse, if needed. He was very personable and we had as much fun talking to him as we did riding and enjoying the natural views.

The gorgeous San Juan National Forest

The views are quite breathtaking as you travel through the San Juan National Forest. Aside from enjoying beautiful views of the San Juan and Weminuche mountains, you may also come across some area wildlife. Deer, elk, and black bear frequently make appearances. Bighorn sheep, cougars, and turkeys occasionally cross the path. We were informed of a resident bear in the area who shows up on a daily basis, although it was a bit too hot on our afternoon ride so he was probably taking shade somewhere. On the bright side, we did come across 2 deer, just off the trail. Unfortunately, taking pics while horseback riding is not easy. If you look closely, you can see deer in the distance in the photo below.

A deer sighting by horseback in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Horseback Tour options

There are several trail rides to choose amongst at Diamond Hitch stables, from a quick half hour journey to a 2 hour adventure. An hour long ride and dinner is also available. I recommend the 1.5 hour ride, which was the perfect amount of time to both enjoy the scenery and get lost in nature for a bit.

Our hour and a half hour ride took us on a scenic & peaceful adventure through Martinez Canyon in the San Juan Wilderness. It was wonderful to be in such a quiet, natural environment with no traffic, business, or crowds – just the picturesque views of the forest and the occasional wildlife sighting. If visiting during the colorful fall season, amazing yellow, orange, and red hues of autumn will envelop the forest. Leaf peeping in this region is said to be pretty spectacular. Unfortunately, our late September ride was just a few weeks off and we only caught a small glimpse of the colors to come.

A fantastic peaceful trail ride through Diamond Hitch Stables in Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Taking a trail ride through the beautiful forests of Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Beautiful views in Pagosa Springs

The best attraction in Pagosa!

Taking a horseback ride through the quiet San Juan National Forest is a memorable experience, a much needed break from today’s hectic society. All too often we forget the natural beauty that surrounds us as we are too wrapped up in our daily routines. Turn off the technology for a while and make a reservation for a peaceful guided horseback riding adventure in Pagosa Springs: it will be one of the best things you will do on your trip! Instead of simply strolling the shops and restaurants downtown, be sure to plan some time to take advantage of the 100’s of miles of natural beauty which surround this small Western city.

Soak in natural mineral springs after your ride!

Although horseback riding is relaxing, you are still going to get in a workout! Expect your lower body to be a bit sore if this is your first time out. This is where a trip to the incredible hot springs comes in handy (Pagosa Springs is home to the deepest hot springs in the world!). A relaxing soak later in the evening after your ride will help to soothe your aching muscles and further enhance your relaxing vacation.

Address & Pricing Info

Location: 2404 Piedra Rd, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147

Call (520) 861-7669 for reservations

Prices are surprisingly affordable. Half hour rides are $35, 1 hour $40, 1.5 hours $60, and 2 hour rides $75. Advance reservations required.