STABLES

Campers enjoy at trail ride

Campers heading out on the stables over night ride

The Horsemanship program is one of Lost Valley’s signature attractions.  Besides Horsemanship

Merit Badge, we also offer trail rides and special overnight meal rides. Tickets for these rides can be purchased at the Grace Trading Post.  There is a weight limit of 200 lbs. to ride on our horses.  

Trail Rides: Horseback is the best way to travel around Lost Valley!  Our hour long trail rides are for all experience levels from those who never ridden, to experienced riders. Scouts and adults are welcome to ride; Scouts do not have to have or be enrolled in the Horsemanship merit badge to participate. Staff will saddle horses for all riders. Rides depart from and return to the stables, but will travel around camp at a walking speed.  Trial Rides are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.  Long pants and helmets (provided) are required for everyone (adults and staff included), and boots with a heel are preferred. 

Overnight Rides: One of our most popular events.  Horses will take campers down the trail to the overnight site for a bbq cowboy dinner, games, and a night under the stars.  Bring along your sleeping bag and stretch out on the ground for a night of cowboy-style camping, just like the cattle drivers of the old west.  Rides depart before dinner (around 4:45), since a bbq cowboy dinner is served at the overnight site.  Scouts ride their horses back to the stables in time for breakfast.  No prior riding experience is necessary to participate.  Scouts do not have to be enrolled in the Horsemanship merit badge, and adults are welcome as well.  Rides are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and they fill very up fast. Long pants and helmets (provided) are required for everyone (adults and staff included), and boots with a heel are preferred.

Horsemanship Merit Badge Instructional Ride: During the instructional ride, Scouts will be taught by staff how to control a horse, and then follow a pattern as required for the merit badge completion.  Scouts must pay a fee for this ride, which is required for merit badge completion. Around $10.  Long pants are required and a helmet will be provided.  Boots with a heel are preferred. 

Historic photos of the Lost Valley Stables Program:

Trail Ride, 1974.	Stables Wrangler, 1990.	Stables Pasture Aerial, 1988.	Trail Ride, 1980.
Stables, circa 1975.	Stables, 1983.	Stables fire, 1986.	Stables re-construction, 1987.
Trading Post Wagon, circa 1972.	Chuck Wagon, 1985.

History of the Stables Program

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