How many trail riding operators are in California?

Equestrian Hubs lists 24 trail riding operators in California as of today: stables, ranches, and academies offering trail riding. New operators are added as they're verified.

Is trail riding good for beginners in California?

Many California stables and academies offer beginner-friendly trail riding with experienced instructors and gentle, well-schooled horses. Each operator's profile notes the rider levels they accommodate. Message them directly to find the right fit.

Do minors need a waiver to ride in California?

Yes. California stables and ranches require a signed liability waiver, and riders under 18 need a parent or guardian release on file. Each operator handles the minor-release process on their detail page or at barn check-in; confirm the specifics before your first ride.

How do I book trail riding in California?

Browse the California operators below, open a profile, and contact the stable or ranch directly to check availability, rider requirements, and rates. Equestrian Hubs is a free directory, so there's no booking fee and no markup on the operator's price.

Trail Riding · California

Trail Riding in California

24 operators across California.

California riding

California may be the only state where a rider can choose between redwood forest, ocean beach, alpine wilderness, and open desert without crossing a border. The Sierra Nevada, the Central Valley, the Pacific coastline, and the Southern California deserts each carry their own riding: redwood trails near Eureka, beach gallops in Santa Barbara County, hard desert country in Anza-Borrego. The regions run on different seasonal clocks, which means somewhere in the state, the riding is always good.

The industry is as big as the geography. Guest ranches run everything from working cattle drives to luxury resort stays. Trail-riding stables concentrate where the visitors do: around Yosemite National Park, in the Santa Monica Mountains outside Los Angeles, through the Sonoma and Napa wine country. Riding academies serve every level of rider, with deep rosters in Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Orange and San Diego Counties, teaching English and Western disciplines side by side.

About trail riding

Guided and self-guided trail rides: scenic hour rides, half-day loops, and beach or backcountry routes for every level.

Quick facts

Best season: Year-round

Operators

Trail Riding operators

Loads the full map of every listing on this page. We leave it off by default so the page opens fast on mobile data.

Loading map…

Alisal Ranch

Solvang, CA

Alisal Ranch is a guest ranch in Solvang. The ranch offers two-hour group horseback rides across its 10,500 acres of preserved California landscape. Lodging is available in luxury ranch cottages.

Trail Riding operators

Alisal Ranch

Circle Bar B Guest Ranch & Stables, Lodging and Events

Circle Bar B Horseback Riding Stables

Clyde Pack Outfitters Dinkey Creek Station

Frontier Pack Train

Greenhorn Ranch

High Sierra Pack Station

Hunewill Ranch

Kaweah River Horse & Guest Ranch

Los Angeles Horseback Riding

Los Padres Outfitters

Malibu Riders

Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit

Marble Mountain Ranch

McGee Creek Pack Station

Rainbow Pack Outfitters

Rankin Ranch

Rock Creek Pack Station

S&D Horseback Riding

Shaver Stable

Smoke Tree Stables

Sunset Ranch Hollywood

Virginia Lakes Pack Outfit

Yosemite Trails Horseback Adventures

Get listed free

More to explore in Trail Riding

Videos worth watching

Your free outdoor toolkit

Everything Map

Trail Explorer

Route Planner

Riding Clubs

Photo ID

Gear Checklists

Take every trail with you.

Run your equestrian business?Launch your branded surface.

Run your equestrian business?
Launch your branded surface.