Las Vegas Horseback Information Page

For fans of the old west, the highlight of any trip to Las Vegas is not the casinos, or the nightclubs, or even seeing the Grand Canyon. For closet-cowboys Vegas is all about the horseback riding. Saddling-up and heading on out into the desert is the city-dweller's Wild West fantasy come true. Whether you prefer riding in the early morning quiet, or riding off into the sunset, Las Vegas horseback tours are pure horseback-riding heaven.

One local ranch that seek to provide visitors with that genuine cowboy experience, is the Bonnie Springs Ranch. Situated about a half-hour's drive from the city, it offers a number of riding-tours along trails located inside the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The rides take place several times a day, in order to suit a variety of tastes and schedules. Most include a cowboy-style meal either before or after the ride. There is even an authentically recreated replica of an 1880's mining town that provides some light entertainment to go along with the ride.

The breakfast ride allows you to experience the desert just as it is waking up. As you ride in the coolness of the morning, you can watch as it comes to life in before your eyes. After a ride lasting about an hour and a half, you return to the ranch where you are served breakfast. If you would like to have your breakfast before heading out, there is always the possibility of going on a later ride.

Those people wanting to see the desert when its colors are at their most vibrant should take a mid-day lunch ride. It is at this time of the day that the rich redness from which Red Rock Canyon takes its name is most pronounced. You will also get to experience the stillness that is characteristic of the desert during the peak of the day.

Dinner rides take you out into Red Rock Canyon during mid-afternoon. Aside from the spectacular scenery, you will get to see the beauty of a desert sky as sunset approaches. A western dinner at the ranch follows the ride.

Old Nevada gives the visitor plenty good clean cowboy-style of fun after a the day's riding is done. Among its many attractions are a simulated hanging, a gunfight, and a melodrama that takes place at the saloon. Children have a petting zoo to enjoy, and a make-believe, villain-chasing posse on week-ends and holidays. There is also a wax museum and wedding chapel. There is plenty of shopping, too.

About forty-five minutes outside of the city is another great horseback riding location. The Sandy Valley Ranch offers a full-day ranch experience designed to give you an authentic taste of cowboy life. Your day starts off with a morning ride in the Mojave Desert, followed by a light lunch. During the afternoon, you head back out to the desert for a cattle-drive, followed by some cowboy games when you're done, then it's off for a sunset ride. When you get back, you will be put to work helping to pen the cattle before wrapping up your day with a genuine western barbecue.

Anyone wanting to combine a little romance with their cowboy experience can opt for a sunset ride and barbecue, followed by a sleepover in a covered wagon. In the morning, you get to collect your own breakfast-eggs.

If you are longing for the Old West, you can find it easy enough with Las Vegas horseback tours. They are certain to satisfy the cowboy in your soul.