Sugarlands Riding Stables: Horseback Rides in the Smokies Near Gatlinburg

About

Sugarlands Riding Stables is one of the concession stables that offers guided horseback rides inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It sits just minutes from downtown Gatlinburg, so a morning in the saddle fits easily around a day in town. Instead of a ride along a roadside, you follow wooded park trails and mountain streams at an easy walking pace, with a guide leading the way.

Two rides are offered. The one-hour ride covers about four miles and costs $50 for adults and $40 for children ages 6 to 13. The 90-minute ride covers about six miles and costs $75 for adults and $60 for children. Groups are limited to nine riders per guide, and the stable matches horses to riders, so beginners are welcome. Expect to spend a little over an hour to two hours in total, including check-in.

Riders must be at least 6 years old and 4 feet tall, and the weight limit is 250 pounds, with limited availability above that. Riders 15 and under wear helmets. Closed-toe shoes are required and long pants are recommended. Arrive 45 minutes before your scheduled ride. Book online ahead of time, especially for summer and October weekends. The stable operates daily from early March into early January, 9 AM to 4:30 PM, and closes on Thanksgiving Day.

Photo: Sugarlands Riding Stables

Did You Know

• The one-hour ride covers about four miles and the 90-minute ride about six miles of trail (Sugarlands Riding Stables).
• Each guided group is limited to no more than nine riders per guide (Sugarlands Riding Stables).
• Sugarlands is one of three concession riding stables in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, along with Cades Cove and Smokemont (National Park Service).
• Riders are asked to arrive 45 minutes before their scheduled ride (Sugarlands Riding Stables).