Great Smokey Mounts National Park
One of the best ways to explore the spectacular Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina is by horseback. You can enjoy incredible views, explore hundreds of miles of trails and view and photograph a variety of wildlife on a horseback riding trip in the Park. Back country camping is also available if you would like to plan a horseback riding excursion in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can either bring your own horses to the Park or plan to take a guided tour with one of the Park’s concession stables. To plan your own horseback riding adventure, start by obtaining a trail map of the Park. You can ride on any of the trails designated for horses, plus take advantage of several drive-in horse camps located throughout the Park. If you would like to take a guided horseback riding tour at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, plan to visit one of the Park’s four concession stables. There are two stables located near Gatlinburg, TN, one near Townsend, and one near Cherokee, NC. Rates for guided tours at these Park stables are $20 to $25 per hour, and there are riding opportunities available for beginners. Rides usually last from 45 minutes to several hours.