SubscribeGift a Sub
Enable cache 100
Horse Travel Vacations and Destinations

Go Horseback Riding in the U.S. National Parks

Grand Tetons National Park has 200 miles of equestrian trails in Wyoming. Photo by William Shafer/Shutterstock

America’s national parks are considered the country’s jewels, and with good reason. They represent the most unique and stunning natural treasures in the United States. For equestrians, the absolute best way to experience a national park is from the back of a horse. After all, most national parks were first explored on horseback more than a century ago, and the rugged terrain and dense forests of these amazing places lend themselves to riding.



Among the 62 national parks in the U.S., the following are particularly easy to see by horseback. These parks not only provide stunning scenery and a plethora of wildlife, they also accommodate people who want to ride. Each park allows equestrians to bring their own horses and provides amenities and trail maps to help enhance the experience. For those who can’t bring their own mounts, stables in or adjacent to these parks provide guided horseback tours of the parks.

If you are lucky enough to live close to one of these parks and can bring your own horse, be sure to take advantage of this opportunity. Or simply plan a vacation and book a guided riding tour for your visit. You are guaranteed an experience you’ll never forget.

Grand Tetons National Park

The pride of Wyoming, Grand Tetons National Park is known for its stunning mountains, pristine lakes and alpine forests. Grand Teton, the peak that gave the park its name, reaches 13,776 feet high, making it the highest mountain in the park. Considered an almost pristine ecosystem, the park is home to species of flora and fauna that have existed in the area since prehistoric times.

Two hundred miles of trails provide a lure for equestrians, who can take advantage of three different stock concessioners from late spring to early fall, including one that provides a complete dude ranch experience. You can also bring your own mount and camp in several backcountry stock camp locations.

Glacier National Park has 700 miles of riding trails in northwestern Montana. Photo by Kit Leong/Shutterstock

Glacier National Park

This majestic park in northwestern Montana is known as the “Crown of the Continent” for its pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains and spectacular lakes. Encompassing more than one million acres and stretching across the border to Canada, Glacier National Park is known for its many lakes and plants and animal species.

The park has more than 700 miles of trials open to both hikers and equestrians. Guided rides on outfitter horses are available during the spring, summer and fall at the Many Glacier, Lake McDonald and Apgar sections of the park.

You can bring your own horse to ride on dirt park roads or backcountry trails, and horse camping is also allowed in a number of campgrounds in the backcountry.

Some of the individual trees in Sequoia National Park can be as old as 3,000 years. Photo Courtesy National Park Service

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

These twin parks in central California rest at the southern end of the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains. Sequoia National Park is famous for its giant sequoia trees, with some individual trees estimated to be as old as 3,000 years. Adjacent Kings Canyon National Park is known for its rugged glacier-carved valley more than a mile deep, along with the raging Kings River.

Stunning views of high peaks are a must-see at both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Photo by James AM/Shutterstock

Both national parks offer horseback riders stunning views of high peaks and tall trees on guided horseback rides at Grant Grove Stables and Cedar Grove Pack Station, both in Kings Canyon. Routes traveled include views of famous sequoias and trails along the Kings River.

You can also bring your own horse to the park for riding on the hundreds of miles of trails. Camping overnight with stock requires a wilderness permit.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses more than half a million acres in North Carolina and Tennessee. Photo by Leigh Riley

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers more than half a million acres and encompasses parts of both North Carolina and Tennessee. The Great Smoky Mountains and part of the Blue Ridge Mountains—which stretch from Pennsylvania to Georgia—make up a large part of the park, which contains the highest mountains in eastern North America. Known for its old growth forests that predate European settlement of the region, the park is rife with wildlife, including many species of birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians and mammals.

There are 550 miles of trails open to horses in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo by Leigh Riley

The park has 550 miles of trails open to horses, and four concessioners within the park provide guided rides from mid-March through November. For horse owners wanting to bring their own mounts and stay overnight, five drive-in horse camps provide access to backcountry horse trails in the park from April through October.

Bryce Canyon National Park

The red rocks, pink cliffs and endless vistas of Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park is a trail rider’s paradise. Geological structures called hoodoos (also called tent rocks, fairy chimneys, or earth pyramids), formed by the freezing and thawing of water within the rocks, provide spectacular views to visitors. Stretching as high as 200 feet into the sky, the hoodoos surround riders along the park trails.

Geological formations called hoodoos make Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah distinctive. Photo by Kenneth Keifer/Shutterstock

Park concessionaire Canyon Trail Rides provides guided two- to three-hour rides into natural amphitheaters along the eastern side of the park from April through October. The Bryce Horse Trail Route accommodates equestrians who bring their own horses and includes trailer parking and a day corral.

This article about horseback riding in the national parks appeared in the August 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

Audrey Pavia

Audrey Pavia is a freelance writer and the author of Horses for Dummies. She lives in Norco, Calif., with her two registered Spanish Mustangs, Milagro and Rio.

Recent Posts

Breed Portrait: The American Saddlebred

The American Saddlebred has an unmistakable presence wherever the breed goes, and these horses can be found just about everywhere…

23 hours ago

Keep Loping: Prevent Breaking Gait at the Lope

It’s no fun to ride a horse that needs to be pushed constantly to stay in a lope. It feels…

2 days ago

Equine Affaire Event Preview

Knowledge is power, and nowhere is that more true than in the equine industry. Empower yourself this spring to become a more…

3 days ago

What is the Cause of Your Horse’s Behavior?

If asked what type of personality your horse has, you might say he’s an alpha, stubborn, people-pleasing, nervous, difficult, easy-going,…

6 days ago

ASPCA Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week: Divine Indy

Welcome to Horse Illustrated’s weekly installment of the Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, offered in partnership with the…

7 days ago

Tips for Spring Pasture Maintenance

These 7 tips for spring pasture maintenance will keep your horses grazing on beautiful, healthy grass all year long. It’s…

1 week ago