Smokey Mountain Trail Rides and Bison Farm

This was an great addition to our trip to NC! The horses were obviously use to the trail ride through the mountains on the owners (Gary’s) property. We were surprised to see ponys, lama, alpaca, a water buffalo, and bison right when you turn into the farm! The view along the ride was breath taking and absolutely full of color in Mid October. Be sure to bring a snack for when you stop at the picnic tables at the top of the mountain. We happened to have apples, pistachios and waters in our back packs and it made for a great pit stop. The staff was very friendly, full of stories and made this a great experience for us.

Don’t discredit this place just because there aren’t a lot of reviews. My friend and I were in Asheville and she loves horseback riding. We ended up with Gary at Smoky Mountain because he was the only one that was willing to even talk about more than a lethargic walk through the mountains. We got there and it ended up being just the two of us with Gary (the owner) and his daughter. The experience was more like riding with friends than actually going on a trail ride. The stables are by the animals (kind of a true farm zoo if you will) where we saw at least ½ dozen different animals). The trail is up his property in the mountains with a stop at a picnic table at the top. Had I known, we would have brought some cheese and crackers or something similar as it was the perfect setting for it. Once Gary was comfortable that we were able, he let us pick up speed a few times. It definitely added some adrenaline to the ride. Gary also has a Bison farm on the mountain but we didn’t get to see any on our ride. We enjoyed so much that my friend tried to ride again with him her next trip but was rained out. Gary was flexible and so easy to deal with and I would HIGHLY recommend using him if you want to do a trail ride when in the area.

Five reasons why Smoky Mountain Trails Rides is the best place to ride near Asheville:
1) BEAUTY — with 90% of all trails on the near 500 acre property being carpeted forest you couldn’t possibly find a more magical place to ride. Nearly every bit of the trail has beautiful neon green miss you are riding on, the trails are all covered by century old trees, there are ferns, wild flowers and rhododendron. If you aren’t riding through the cover of the beautiful tree lined trails described in the aforementioned then you are looking out at views from the top of mountains that trump a lot of what you come across on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
2) LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION — besides the trails, views and essentially every corner of the property being gorgeous Smoky Mountain Trail Rides is situated on old Native American ground located just 30 minutes outside of Asheville. Before reaching this majestic property you have a nothing but beautiful views as you drive down the interstate in route to it. Once you get on the 40 interstate in Asheville there are literally 3 turns to get you there, it would be almost impossible to get lost on your way there.
3) PRICE/​VALUE — $ 35 I believe will get you a 1 hour ride and $ 65 I believe gets you a 2+ hour ride. Compare this to the prices of their inferior competitors and you will see not only is it cheaper than the rest, the value in comparison would actually justify paying more. Another thing I found to give them a step up on the competition is their willingness to take you out regardless of your group size. Each time I’ve gone there they are able to accommodate me whether it’s just myself and my girl or a group of our friends. Other facilities I have been to will often refuse your business and make you wait for a larger group if it’s just two of you, here they have taken us out, just the two of us without fuss if there is nobody else on board to go when we were hoping to go out.
4) SERVICE — Gary the owner is a fascinating man, to try to capture who this man is in words would be like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. Once you meet the guy, you will see what I am talking about. He has lived a fascinating life, he has a great outlook on it and he is incredibly hospitable, kind and generous. Gary has also done a great job hiring the right personnel, Marisa and The rest of the staff do a great job making you feel safe, informed and at home. They take safety seriously, they are knowledgable about the land and horses, they know the right horse to match you with and they are beyond welcoming and appreciative of your business.
5) THE HORSES — after all this is why we are here, to ride the backs of these majestic creatures. They have some wonderful horses here, all of their temperaments are exceptional and they are able to match your experience level and willingness with the perfect furry counterpart. They have a number of different breeds of horse on property, all trained to be able to operate in autopilot if needed for the inexperienced and wary first timer. They have nearly any breed of horse you desire, from the fast, gentle and popular American Quarter Horse to the large, majestic, kind eyed gentle giant Belgian Draft to the historical, beautiful, gargantuan Percheron and many more. Outside of horses they also have hundreds if not thousands of enormous Bison roaming the land, when you are riding there it’s as if you went back hundreds of years and are seeing the Smokies as they were before settlers took over and raped the land of its beauty and resources.