winding river resort stables

The horses are beautiful, well-trained yet spirited, and patient, unlike the old nags often found at trail ride places. The staff is professional and friendly. They have a petting zoo there, and children and adults alike enjoy it. This is one of the best places in Grand County to go on a trail, sleigh or hay ride.

Right in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Our guide was amazing and fun. She loved what she does and made sure kids were having a great time. Was supposed to be 12 on the ride but a party of 8 cancelled due to iffy weather. We had a ride for just our family. This was the kids first real ride. They loved having to control the horses, going through the river, and of course the scenery and huge Moose on the trail. That was so cool! As an experienced rider of course I wanted to run but that was not an option. If you have your own horses you can camp here with them. A true gem of a spot. Genuine people with a great locale.

This resort is a multi use resort. They have sites for tent camping, RV, and cabins. It's located on the border of Rocky Mountain National Park. I understand that occasionally Elk, Moose, and deer wonder through the grounds. Although, I did not see any while I was there. They have all kinds of activities for people to enjoy, like an ice cream social, chuck wagon dinner, cowboy church, square dancing, ATV rentals, horseback riding, hey rides. They also have a camp store with all kinds of goodies to buy. The views are phenominal. Their shower and bathroom facilities were very clean. I would go back again. The cost to stay here is resonable compared to the RV campgrounds on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park. It is also about a 2 hour drive from Denver, even with an RV in tow.

We went riding on Labor Day weekend and were expecting huge crowds but were happy to find it was just us & another family along on the ride with Cowboy Bob. We did the 2 hr ride where we rode through forests, in a field along the road to the Nat'l Park and then back through forests. We were disappointed that we didn't see any wildlife the entire time we rode but this is something the stables has no control over. We did find it scary to ride up & down steep hills in the mud. That took some getting used to because it was something we hadn't done before but it made the ride a little more challenging. This is a top notch stables compared to others we saw while in the area. We are so glad this one was recommended before we booked any others.

Ok bridles with the horses names on it is super cute to our entire family and we love the newer stables! We've taken 3 of our daughters 2 years in a row and have loved it each time, even driving from Estes. It's a beautiful ride with the friendliest guides.

We were looking to go riding on one of the busiest weekends of the year and lucky for us the stables in Grand Lake were full because we stumbled on this great gem! It's on the outskirts of town just a couple of miles and this made it possible to actually ride out in the forest away from people and traffic. We even saw a moose! A big thanks to Jim our guide for a wonderful experience!

We stopped by to check out what was offered the day before we wanted to ride. They offer a one hour and a two hour ride. We chose the one hour purely due to cost. We will definitely do the two hour next year! The barn area was very clean. Helmets neatly organized and available upon request. That would be my one complaint - I had to remember to ask for it for my 6 year old. The area where the horses were did not have manure as other outfits do. They had a mounting step which was great for me (I'm only 5'!). They picked out great horses for everyone and told us what to expect if our horses had tendencies. Some included if they look off, the horse walks that way. Nice to know these things in advance! The equipment was all nice and clean. There were rain slicks on each horse in case it rains. They ask that you arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your ride. We prepaid so we were told to check back so we had 10 minutes to look around. The last trail is around 3:30.The one hour trail goes through the private area of the resort and onto some trails of the Winding River Farm, which share trails. The trail is flat and easy. The guides were good, able to give history of the area - and they were young. One was in college and the other in high school. I liked having two guides. The two hour tour goes into Rocky Mountain National Park and I hear they frequently see animals like elk and moose. I was told this tour has some inclines and declines along the way.The scenery is beautiful and it was very peaceful on horseback. The trail went by the area the horses stay at night. I love that the horses are able to relax and have a little area of their own. We had two adults, a 13 year old and a 6 year old. You have to be 6 to ride alone at this stable. Near the stables is a small petting zoo. There is a small store with quality clothing, stationary, and toys. This is the office of the resort. There are bathrooms available at the office building. They do have a very small selection of toys available at the stables. The stables also include several sleighs to look at and to see how they changed through the years.

I have horses but have never hauled them up to Colorado, though I'd like to. But I've ridden the Winding River horses quite a bit over the years. They are good horses, much better than most hack strings. The guides are pretty good about figuring out the right horse for each person. Also their saddles are better than most rental places, not all nasty and torn up. We saw moose and elk up close. They don't seem as wary of a person on horseback; probably just think the horse is massively deformed!

My wife and kids had a blast. Very knowledgeable personnel. The guide picked out the perfect rides for my daughter (6) who had never ridden, and my two boys (12 & 13). My wife and I had a great time, and the kids were very happy with the ride. Book at least a day in advance to avoid complications.

Try the other trail ride companies in Grand Lake before considering Winding River this year. 15 family members rented a house at Sun Valley Ranch for a week Aug 11-18. After driving past this facility for several days, about 9 of us (ages 16 to mid 50s) stopped by to schedule a trail ride on Aug 16 at about 3pm. We were told that the last riding slot for 3:30 pm was full and that there was availability the next day. We asked if we could pay in advance to secure the reservation, and we were told that it wasn't needed. We provided a reservation name and a request for at least 7 riders. When we showed up on Aug 17 at about 3:05pm, we were told that we had no reservation. We were also "late" and the 3:30pm slot was full. We saw that a group of riders were saddled up and about to leave. When we insisted that we had a reservation for the time slot 3:30pm from the day before, the staff person looked at the "record" and we were told we were booked for 10am and that we were "no shows". We were shocked because the kids had been promised the ride and we deliberately booked the afternoon so that there would be no conflict with planned morning hikes. The rest of the last day in the Rockies was spent getting over the disappointment. We cannot recommend trail riding from this business. We could have gone to the others if Winding River had told us that we could not be accommodated.

This is a great all-around family-oriented outdoor resort! The camp offers lots of activities for small children (hay rack rides, pony rides, a playground, and more), and also lots of other activities such as an ice cream social, chuck wagon breakfasts, square dance lessons, and horseback riding tours. On Sunday mornings, Cowboy Church takes place down on the bank of the Colorado River. The availability of renting a.t.v.'s is also an option. There is also an off-road forestry trail system for those wishing to partake in those types of activities. A very short distance south of the resort is the town of Grand Lake Village, which offers boating, fishing, and water sports, as well as a hike to a falls area. There are also some good restaurants and a couple of grocery stores in Grand Lake. There are actually three lakes in the area, and all offer water sports in a gorgeous mountain setting! A very short distance from the resort is Rocky Mountain National Park. There are countless opportunities there for a great experience mountain biking, hiking, touring, climbing, wildlife viewing, and tons of activities for small children there as well. The resort offers two shower facilities, both of which are maintained in excellent condition. They also have nice laundry facilities, a general store offering camper's needs, ice, firewood, and souvenirs. We had an all-around excellent experience with this resort, and HIGHLY recommend it for people of all ages and outdoor interests!

This was one of the most beautiful trail rides I have been on. Winding River Resort is right on the Colorado River and borders Rocky Mountain National Park. We took the 2 hour ride. We rode through the forest into Rocky Mountain National Park and then along the river. We saw a herd of cow elks across the river while we were riding. Our guide Bob was very knowledgable about the area and the flora and fauna in the area. The scenery was amazing! This was a great ride!

This is a great place to tkae small children. They have one of the most beautiful locations, every direction you look is postcard picture worthy. The campgrounds are spread out and many have a good amount of privacy. There is the best little petting zoo we have ever been to and the staff are very helpful.

Winding River Resort was VERY clean, organized, horse friendly, and peaceful. Camping was quiet, except for the occasional horse sounds that drifted our way. Definitely a horse-lover's camp. My girls went for the kids' horse ride, where they got to ride around the camping ground. It was very safe and I never felt apprehensive. Very close to Rocky Mountain National Park Visiting Center, which made for fantastic entertainment. We will be back.

Horseback Ride - Winding River Campground_______Outfitter: Winding River Resort StablesRate: ExcellentCost: $45 per personDuration: Two hoursTrail: 2 hour trip in the Kawuneeche Valley and on the Colorado River.Directions: Located at Winding river campgroundOverview: This horseback riding trip begins at the Winding River Resort Stables and then takes a route into the Kawuneeche Valley and back along the Colorado River. This trip is very beautiful and very scenic. Our guide was extremely pleasant, very friendly and very fun to talk to. She knew a lot about the area. The horses were great and the whole trip was excellentOur Objective: To take a horseback-riding trip in the RMNP, hopefully from Winding River Resort where we were camping.Sites: Kawuneeche Valley, Colorado River, old miner homesteads, deer, elk, many mountain views of the Never Summer Mountain RangeConclusion: We highly recommend this Horseback-riding trip. They did an excellent job of providing a fun and relaxing horseback riding experience.