Horseback Riding Near Blue Ridge, GA: Prices & Rules (2026)

A guided trail ride is a way to see the mountains around Blue Ridge from the saddle instead of on foot. Four stables near town post their prices and rules online. Here's what each one lists, with every detail linked to the stable's own page.

#Horseback riding near Blue Ridge at a glance

Drive times are from downtown Blue Ridge, checked with a routing service, with no traffic. Prices are per person unless noted.

#Blue Ridge Mountain Trail Rides (Hell's Hollow)

This outfitter is at 319 Hell's Hollow Road and says it's "25 - 30 minutes" from downtown Blue Ridge (homepage). Our routing check came out about the same. Directions are the tricky part. The homepage says "USE WAZE!!! MapQuest & GPS will NOT get you to the Outpost," but the Find Us page, which covers the Madola Road bridge closure that began June 8, says "USE GOOGLE MAPS!!!!" and gives a route through McCaysville that it says takes 30 minutes from downtown. Read the Find Us page and call if you're unsure.

Rides and prices (homepage):

• The Creekside Explorer: $41, 1 hour, on wide, easy paths
• Mountain & River Adventure: $51, 1 hour, with creek and river crossings
• Cohutta Wilderness Journey: $71, 1.5 hours
• Blue Ridge Grand Expedition: $91, 2 hours
• Sunset rides: $85 for 1 hour or $120 for 2 hours. The site says "TIMES FOR THE SUNSET RIDES VARY - CALL FOR DETAILS."

Rules to know:

• Riders must be at least 8, and a guardian must ride with anyone 8 to 15. There are no double rides, so children can't ride with an adult. The weight limit is 230 pounds.
• "No high heels, open-toed shoes, or flip-flops."
• "NO DOGS!"
• Gratuity isn't included. Parties of 10 or more get a 20% gratuity added.
• Arrival: the homepage says to be there 10 to 15 minutes before your reservation, and the cancellation page says check-in is required 15 minutes before departure, so plan on 15.

Hours: "We operate year-round, weather permitting" and are "Open Seven Days a Week," with rides leaving at 8:45, 10, 11:30, 1, 2:30, 4, and 6. The stable is closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day and closes early on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve (hours).

Cancellations: If you cancel less than 24 hours before your ride, you're charged 100% of the tour. If the stable needs to cancel a tour "for any reason," "all guests will receive a full refund with no cancellation fees applied." If you're worried about the weather, the page says to call and it will "gladly reschedule your tour" (cancellation policy).

#Cowgirl Up Stables (Cherry Log)

Cowgirl Up is at 327 Cashes Valley Road in Cherry Log. The site warns that GPS may not work near the trails, so screenshot its directions (contact and directions).

Public rides (choose a ride):

• Novice Ride: $30 for 35 minutes or $40 for 1 hour, walking only, for ages 6 and up
• Intermediate Ride: $47.50 for 1 hour or $60 for 1.5 hours, with some trotting
• Private upgrade: "$15 more per person plus 20% gratuity"

Private and specialty rides (same page):

• Sunset Ride: $75 for 1 hour or $95 for 1.5 hours. Check-in time changes with the season, so call or email.
• Picnic Ride: $75 for 1.5 hours or $95 for 2 hours, with a lunch break halfway. Lunchboxes cost extra.
• Proposal/Romantic Ride: "$95 and up (1-2 hours)"
• Valley River Ride: $100 for 2 hours, $140 for 3 hours, or $180 for 4 hours, in the Cashes Valley Forest Service area. The 3- and 4-hour rides are for experienced riders.

Rules to know:

• Riders under 6 or over 240 pounds can't ride the trails, and riders under 16 are asked to wear a helmet (homepage).
• "Check in time is always 45 minutes prior to ride time." Rides go daily at 10 AM, 12 PM, 2 PM, and 4 PM (important information).
• "We will NOT ride in lightning, thunder or heavy rain."
• Refunds: "Refunds will NOT be issued, only a gift certificate will be issued upon canceling 24 hours or more before your ride time." Cancel later than that and your card is charged.
• Gratuity: the important-information page lists an 18% minimum for specialty rides and groups of 6 or more, while the ride page lists a 20% minimum for private and specialty rides and for groups of 6 or more (which it says also get a 10% group discount). Ask which applies when you book.

#Appalachian Trail Rides (Mineral Bluff)

Appalachian Trail Rides, at S&T Stables on Cutcane Road in Mineral Bluff, says "All rides are on a 300 acre private wooded property with creek crossings and possible wildlife sighting" (prices). Rides are "by reservation only," by phone at (706) 374-0362.

Rides and prices (credit card price, tax included, gratuity not included unless noted; prices):

• 1 Hour Trail Ride: $50, walking only, ages 6 and up, 240-pound limit
• 1 Hour Private Trail Ride: $65, same limits
• 1 Hour Group of 9 or More: $60, gratuity included
• 2 Hour Trail Ride: $100, walk and trot, ages 10 and up, 200-pound limit
• 2 Hour Private Trail Ride: $125, same limits
• Pony Ride: $12, ages 5 and under, up to 50 pounds
• Proposal Ride: $220, a 1.5-hour private ride to a gazebo by a stream and lake, sparkling cider included

Rules to know: "All riders over 18 years will be weighed at check-in," and a rider over the limit can't ride and is charged a $10 cancellation fee. "Dogs are NOT allowed on the property." Reservations have a 24-hour cancellation policy, and you need to show up with the number of riders you booked. The page also says "effective September 1, 2026 we will have a small price increase," without saying whether the prices shown include it, so confirm the price when you call.

#Blanche Manor (Copperhill, Tennessee)

Blanche Manor is across the state line in Copperhill, Tenn., at (706) 455-7433. Rides are offered "year round by appointment" (rides).

• 1 Hour 15 Min Trail Ride: $42
• 2 Hour Trail Ride: $82
• Private Trail Ride: add $50 to the group total
• Sunset Ride: $60
• Summer Evening Ride (5 PM): $47
• Pony Ride: $15
• Proposal Package: $190 for two, plus $45 per extra person
• "Triple Fun: Ride, Raft, and Zip": $130 (details are on the booking page)

Prices don't include sales tax, and parties of 8 or more get a 12% gratuity added. Helmets are required for riders under 18. Reservations have a 24-hour cancellation policy "regardless of weather" (rides).

Check before you go: Copperhill is the twin town of McCaysville, Ga. The Chamber's McCaysville page (updated Nov. 10, 2026) says "McCaysville is temporarily closed to visitors" after flooding (Chamber). It doesn't say whether Copperhill is open, so call the ranch first. Our McCaysville and Copperhill guide has more on the two towns.

#Can you go horseback riding in winter?

Two stables say so directly. Blue Ridge Mountain Trail Rides operates "year-round, weather permitting" (hours), and Blanche Manor rides "year round by appointment" (rides). Cowgirl Up and Appalachian Trail Rides don't list a season on the pages we loaded, so call ahead. Cowgirl Up says it won't ride in lightning, thunder, or heavy rain, and Blue Ridge Mountain Trail Rides asks you to call if it has rained, since conditions can differ between locations (homepage).

If you're planning a cold-weather trip, our Blue Ridge in winter guide has more ideas.

#Which rides are made for couples?

Three stables sell proposal rides. Cowgirl Up's Proposal/Romantic Ride is "$95 and up," and it also has private Sunset and Picnic Rides (choose a ride). Appalachian Trail Rides has a $220 Proposal Ride to a gazebo in the woods (prices), and Blanche Manor lists a $190 Proposal Package for two (rides). Blue Ridge Mountain Trail Rides has 1- and 2-hour sunset rides (homepage).

For more date ideas, see our things to do in Blue Ridge for couples and anniversary getaway guides.

#What should you wear?

The Blue Ridge Mountains Chamber's horseback riding guide suggests long pants even in summer, boots with heels for the stirrups, leaving small items like coins and keys in the car, and tipping guides about 18 to 20%. The stables add their own notes: Cowgirl Up says long pants and closed-toe shoes are "strongly recommended but not required" and that flip-flops will be taken off after you mount (important information), and no high heels, open-toed shoes, or flip-flops at Blue Ridge Mountain Trail Rides (homepage).

#Where to stay for a trail ride weekend

The Black Ember is a modern A-frame about 10 minutes from downtown Blue Ridge. After a morning in the saddle, come back to a private hot tub, a cedar barrel sauna, and a wood fire pit with Adirondack chairs. It sleeps up to 5, and it's pet-free and smoke-free. Planning a couples trip? See our romantic cabin getaway from Atlanta page.