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GO HORSEBACK RIDING IN YOSEMITE
Going it the hard way on foot is not the only way to explore the Yosemite Valley or the park's Sierra Nevada high country. Equally popular are day excursions and overnight pack trips into the backcountry courtesy of sure-footed horses and mules. You might feel like a Yosemite pioneer as you traverse granite staircases to reach waterfalls or mountain trails leading to panoramic vistas.
Run almost exclusively by the park's concessionaire, most horse and mule rides in are open to people of all skill levels, including children who are at least 7 years old and 44 inches tall. Reservations are recommended, especially for any overnight saddle and pack trips and also day rides during the busiest summer months. Call (209) 372-8348 for reservations and information about the park's three stables, all usually open from spring through fall, weather-permitting.
Yosemite Valley
In the heart of the park, the Yosemite Valley Stable is a popular starting point for half- and full-day horse and mule rides. If you're a novice rider or looking for spectacular valley views, try the gentle two-hour trip out to Mirror Lake and back. Hardy riders can sign up for a half-day excursion to Clark's Point, which involves steep switchbacks over some rough terrain to reach a fantastic viewpoint overlooking thunderous Vernal Fall.
Tuolumne Meadows
In the Sierra Nevada high country, Tuolumne Meadows Stable stays busy throughout the summer. If your time is limited, take an easy two-hour trail ride around Tuolumne Meadows or a half-day excursion to a lookout over Tuolumne Falls. For experienced riders, the full-day excursion out to Waterwheel Falls is a memorable 18-mile adventure.
Tuolumne Meadows is also a starting point for multi-day saddle and pack trips into Yosemite's backcountry. Guided packer trips can be customized to fit your interests, with the most popular routes stopping overnight at the park's High Sierra Camps (reservations required). For all other overnight camping trips, you'll need to secure a wilderness permit from the park in advance.
Around Wawona
In the southern section of the park, Wawona Stable arranges easy horse and mules rides along an old wagon road. The best reason to go riding here, however, is to make the half-day trip out to Chilnualna Falls, which cascades over granite rocks in the park's wild backcountry.
For horse rides into the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias, contact Yosemite Trails Pack Station, a short drive outside the park's southern entrance. Dating from 1938, this pack station also offers shorter creekside and pine forest rides, in addition to its half-day giant sequoia excursions (available twice weekly). In winter, sleigh rides provide old-fashioned family fun. For information and reservations, call (559) 683-7611.
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