Horseback Riding in Sedona: Stables, Prices and Trail Rides

The Stables at a Glance

Drive times are our route measurement from central Sedona to each business address using the standard driving profile, so treat them as a fair average rather than a promise for your exact hotel. Weight policies differ more than you might expect. One stable publishes a hard pound limit, one publishes two different numbers on its own pages, and one publishes no number at all and asks heavier riders to call ahead.

That variation is why we list the policies side by side instead of quoting a single figure for the area. Terrain also differs. Two stables ride the Verde River corridor with a water crossing, while the third rides varied country near Page Springs with big ups and downs.

Trail Horse Adventure at Dead Horse Ranch State Park

Trail Horse Adventure operates from corrals inside Dead Horse Ranch State Park at 675 Dead Horse Ranch Rd in Cottonwood, about 33 km and 34 minutes from central Sedona by our route measurement. It is the easiest to book because we carry its ride as a card. The ride runs at walking pace through the park's hills and valleys and includes a crossing of the Verde River, which makes it one of the only horseback tours in the area that gets your horse's hooves wet.

Riders get views across to the Tuzigoot ruins area. Minimum age is 6 and the published weight limit is 265 lbs. Arrive 30 minutes before your slot in closed-toe shoes and long pants, and bring a regular-sized water bottle.

Trotting and running the horse are not permitted. The operator cites Arizona's ride-at-your-own-risk equine law, so every guest signs a liability waiver before mounting.

Horseback Wine Country at Alcantara Vineyards

Horseback Wine Country and Wild Western Horseback Adventures are the same business, so do not be confused if you see both names. Rides depart from Alcantara Vineyards at 3445 S Grapevine Way in Cottonwood, roughly 41 km and 42 minutes from Sedona by our route measurement. The ride crosses the Verde River, passes ancient Native American ruin sites and travels alongside the vineyard rows, which is the closest horseback riding in sedona az gets to a wine country experience.

Helmets are provided. Its own booking page states ages 10 and up for the standard ride, while the bookable listing takes riders from 6, and a 260 lb weight limit, while a separate FAQ page states 250 lbs, extendable toward 300 lbs case by case if you can mount unassisted. The pages do not agree, so we quote it as around 250-260 lbs and tell you to call ahead if you are near the limit.

Arrive 30 minutes early in closed-toe shoes and tip the guide 10-20 percent if you are happy with the ride.

Horsin' Around Adventures in Cornville

Horsin' Around Adventures is based at 2650 N Dancing Apache Rd in Cornville, near Page Springs, about 29 km and 36 minutes from central Sedona by our route measurement. We do not carry a card for this operator, so the prices below come from its own website. The Cowpoke Ride is a public group ride of about 1.5 hours from $139 per person.

The Premier Ride is private with a 1.5-hour minimum, extendable to a half day, from $249 per person. The Classy Cowboy Group ride runs about 3 hours, needs 10 or more guests and starts at $359 per guest, and the Old West Cattle Drive starts at $459 per guest. Minimum age is 7 for the Cowpoke and 6 for the Premier.

Locals on the Sedona subreddit recommend it for lots of varied terrain and big ups and downs. Departure times shift by season, with a 5pm summer slot timed to the sunset. There is no fixed weight limit.

Riders must mount and dismount from the loading dock with limited assistance, and heavier or taller riders should call ahead so staff can match a suitable horse. Tandem riding is not permitted, and there are no refunds on cancellation, only rescheduling or a gift certificate. Horses are not the only way to cover this terrain, because Sedona ATV tours and side by side rentals in Sedona put riders on similar backcountry trails under their own throttle.

What About M Diamond Ranch

M Diamond Ranch near Rimrock was historically the only horseback outfitter holding a permit from the Red Rock Ranger District, run by the Ingham family on a working cattle ranch, with 1-, 2- and 3-hour rides plus cookouts. We cannot confirm its current operating status from public sources. Tripadvisor flags the listing as permanently closed, the most recent guest reviews date to 2020, and a 2023 reviewer reported the phone number was disconnected.

Some third-party directories still list it as open. We do not present it as a bookable option, and you should not build a day around it.

The State Park Entry Fee Stacks on Top

Trail Horse Adventure operates inside Dead Horse Ranch State Park, so you pay the park's general day-use fee separately from the ride price. The park charges $10 per vehicle with one occupant, $20 per vehicle carrying 2 to 4 people, or $5 per individual walking or cycling in. There is no separate horse-related fee, this is simply the park's standard entry charge that every visitor pays.

A family of four booking the $119 ride should budget an extra $20 for the gate. Have it ready when you pull in, because your 30-minute arrival window at the corrals starts at the gate.

Gratuities and the No-Refund Rule

Guides at Trail Horse Adventure and Horseback Wine Country work for tips, and both operators suggest 10-20 percent gratuity for a job well done. On a $119 ride that is roughly $12 to $24 per rider. The bigger catch is cancellation.

Both rides we carry are non-refundable once booked, so a sick child or a flat tire costs you the full fare. If your plans have any wiggle in them, book the morning slot early in your trip so weather or fatigue does not sink a non-refundable booking on your last day.

Published Weight Limits

Trail Horse Adventure publishes a firm limit of 265 lbs. Horseback Wine Country states 260 lbs on its booking page and 250 lbs on its FAQ page, with case-by-case extension toward 300 lbs for riders who can mount unassisted, so call ahead if you are anywhere near those numbers. Horsin' Around Adventures publishes no pound figure at all and instead asks heavier or taller riders to phone ahead so staff can check height and weight proportions and pick a suitable horse.

None of these is a legal requirement. They are each business's own policy. Being honest when you book is far better than being turned away at the mounting dock.

The 20 Percent Guideline

You will see the 20 rule mentioned in riding forums. It is a general horsemanship guideline, traced back to U.S. Cavalry manuals and echoed by the Certified Horsemanship Association, that a horse can comfortably carry about 20 percent of its own body weight including rider and tack combined. A 1,000 lb horse carries roughly 200 lbs total.

It is not a Sedona regulation and it is separate from the pound limits above, which are each stable's own figure for its own string of horses. The guideline explains why the limits exist and why a stable may ask your weight rather than guess.

Age Minimums and Clothing

The river-crossing ride takes riders from age 6, and the vineyard ride's listing does too, though its stable's own page says 10 and up. Horsin' Around Adventures takes age 7 on its public Cowpoke Ride and age 6 on its private Premier Ride. No Arizona state law or Sedona ordinance sets a minimum riding age, so these are business policies.

Every rider rides their own horse, tandem riding is not permitted anywhere. On clothing, the rules are consistent across all three stables. Closed-toe shoes are required, and boots with up to a 1-inch heel are ideal.

Long pants or jeans are required or strongly recommended at all three for leg protection, and skirts and high heels are out. Bring layers and sun protection, and at Horsin' Around plan on mounting from a loading dock with limited assistance.

Which Trails Welcome Horses

The Red Rock Ranger District states that most forest trails are multi-use and open to equestrians, and it publishes a recommended list for horse trailer access and beginner to intermediate riders. That list includes Cockscomb, Girdner, Rupp, Dawa, Bell, Jim Thompson, Brins Mesa, Soldier Pass and Loy Canyon, among others. The clear exception is Oak Creek Canyon, where the Forest Service does not recommend riding at all because the trails are short, very steep and narrow, and the parking does not fit horse trailers.

The Lime Kiln Trail, reached from the Deer Pass Trailhead off FR89B, is rideable and connects Dead Horse Ranch State Park to Red Rock State Park if you want a longer point-to-point option.

Trailer Parking and Etiquette

Some trailheads restrict trailer access, and this is where people get caught. The Jim Thompson Trailhead requires calling the Red Rock Ranger Station at 928-203-2900 in advance for the gate combination to reach horse trailer parking. At the Dogie and Loy Canyon trailheads, trailers longer than two horses are not recommended because the access roads are narrow and rough.

Clean your trailer at home rather than at the trailhead, since weed seeds spread between districts that way. Do not tie horses to native trees or ranch fences for long periods. For current trail conditions and gate combinations, the Red Rock Ranger Station Visitor Center sits at 8375 State Route 179 in Sedona, and rangers there answer equestrian questions directly.

Pair a trailer day with our hiking trails coverage to understand which trailheads share parking with riders.

Book the Slot That Matches the Season

All three stables run walking-pace guided rides, so you will be out for the full booked duration with no way to hurry. In summer heat, take the earliest departure you can get. Horsin' Around Adventures shifts its public ride times by season, running 10am and 2pm from January through April, 9am and 5pm from May through August, and back to 10am and 2pm from September through December.

The 5pm summer slot is the sunset ride. That also means the true sunset slot changes month to month, so book the later of the two daily slots and check it against that month's actual sunset time rather than assuming any fixed clock time is a sunset ride year-round. Horseback Wine Country runs a 75-minute Sunset Tour with a 6pm departure that adds a climb up what it calls sunset hill.

Best Months and What Sells Out

Spring and fall are the busiest seasons for horseback riding in Sedona. Summer rides work if you go early or late, since there is little shade on a walking-pace ride and you cannot hurry it. Winter rides run on the reduced schedule, so midday is your warmest and often your only real option.

Whatever season you pick, remember both bookable rides are non-refundable, so lock in a slot early in your stay rather than on your final night. Our best time to visit page breaks down Sedona's seasons month by month.