Really disappointing experience. It was wonderful in the sense that we love horses and got to ride for the first time in a long time and see some amazing views. However, the guides made us feel like we were the biggest burden choosing the 3 hour ride, and we had booked online the previous day, so it's not like we showed up the day of to book this. I don't know if they were just feeling overworked from being busy (4th of July week) or what. When we stopped at the mine, one of the other guides asked our female guide if she was having fun, and she very loudly said no. I didn't get either of our guides names because they didn't introduce themselves. The other guide was just ok. His English was broken and he talked more than the girl, but still made us feel like us going on this ride was the biggest pain. The two guides texted the entire time and made us feel like they were talking about us the way one would text and then look back to the other and laugh. The girl guide was straight up rude. I tried asking a question and she responded with attitude. Not only that, but we paid for 3 hours and they took us back early. We paid almost $300 to have a shortened ride.... We started the ride at 1, spent time at the mine, and then were off the horses by 3:40 (which should have been 4 o'clock). DO not tip before your ride. Please make sure you have a better experience like everyone else seemed to have, because I would have been really upset tipping before the ride only to end up with this experience. We love traveling to North Carolina for the people and the hospitality. This place did not have that and we were both very disappointed. They made us feel like we were the biggest inconvenience so the entire experience felt awkward and uncomfortable. I wish we could have had different guides and a ride that actually lasted 3 hours, but due to our experience, I cannot recommend this place. Very very disappointing, as I love horses and it has been years since being in the saddle. read more

Riding a horse was on my bucket list and I am so glad I chose this place. The horses were well cared for and the guides were nice and informative. We chose to do the 1 hour ride (Im a complete beginner in every sense of the word!) and it was a perfect distance. They had a platform thing for ease in mounting and discounting and the horses were calm and gentle. I felt safe and secure at all times. We will be going back!! Thank you so much!! read more

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COHEN IS THE GOAT!!! my sisters and i had a great time here. we had never ridden horses before but it was very beginner friendly. poncho's antics were memorable to say the least! read more

Sandy Bottom Trail Rides - my horse was Little Buck - Horseback Riding Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

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My daughter and I did the three-hr ride on a crisp, sunny fall day. The horses were clean and well fed. Our guide was young and very informative when asked questions. We stopped and dug for garnets, which was a nice break. We definitely do it again! read more

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Dalton was our guide, and while I am an experienced rider, my group was not and he made sure that everyone was comfortable. The views were stunning and it was an easy and enjoyable ride. :) read more

Sandy Bottom Trail Rides - View - Horseback Riding Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

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Beautiful views...well behaved horses, very peaceful! Easy on and off set-up, well managed. read more

Sandy Bottom Trail Rides - Horseback Riding Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

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Wow! What a beautiful experience. My friends and I went one morning during my bachelorette party weekend a few days ago and had the best time. The trail was so gorgeous with mountain views and rolling fog. There were horses roaming the land as we walked through and lots of wild flowers. The guides were very nice and helpful. It felt like we were in the Sound of Music. The horses seemed happy and very well taken care of, which is something I always try to vet before committing. I highly recommended and would return! read more

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We had such a great time on the two-hour ride. It is soooo beautiful. We were in a group with just our guide. Our guide was from Guatemala, so English is not his first language. But he tried to communicate as best he could. We are from Arizona, so everything about the green mountains of North Carolina filled me up. We had great horses. We had also ridden with Smokemont in the GSMNP and this experience was so much better. read more

Great company! We had a blast riding the trails with Justin as our guide. Thanks so much

I am a very experienced horseback rider of over 40 years. We owned a horse farm for decades. I signed up for a HORSE ride, and they put me on a stubborn MULE. When you ethically sign up for a HORSE, you should get a HORSE, NOT a STUBBORN MULE. It was a HORRIBLE experience! read more

Nice trail ride even for beginners. 2 hour ride was perfect length. Beautiful views and patient guides. read more

Sandy Bottom Trail Rides - Horseback Riding Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

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Absolutely awesome experience! The horses and views are the star of the show, but it wouldn't be possible without a great staff at Sandy Bottom. We booked a three hour ride, but got a call on the way there that we couldn't do the three hour ride because it rained for days prior to our arrival. Sandy Bottom offered us an hour ride or a full refund (mud made some trails unsafe). I feel like by offering the one hour ride it was them doing everything they could to not completely cancel our ride. We chose the shorter ride and loved every minute of it. My one piece of constructive criticism would be that I wish we had five or ten minutes with the horses before or after our ride to socialize with them. Highly recommended for all ages and heights (they have a very accessible ramp/platform to mount and dismount the horses)! read more

We had a lovely time on the two hour guided trail ride. Our guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. I highly recommend if you are in the area. read more

Sandy Bottom Trail Rides - Horseback Riding Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

Our guide was so helpful and kind! Such an amazing experience. Well worth the price, the view at the top of the hill was beautiful!!

Abbey our guide was great!! The horses are well taken care of and we really enjoyed our ride! Not your typical guided horse ride. Plenty of scenery and a family ran business. We went for my wife's 40th birthday and she had an excellent time! We'll be back when in the area! Also enjoyed digging for stones and found a real nice one! Thanks again for a great day! read more

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We had an incredible time. The views on the trail were breathtaking. Everyone was so kind and our tour kind Brandon was so nice. We would recommend everyone to come here and we will definitely be back! read more

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Great experience!! We were graced with lovely weather on a winter's day. Our guide was kind and clear communicator. I really loved being on top of those ridges and being able to stop and take it all in!! We were given the choice of stopping while on the horse or getting off the horses...we stayed on. It was a muddy trail in areas after the rains, 2 months after Hurricane Helene. There had clearly been a lot of work to clear the trails and move over the debris Helene left. It felt safe and was a fabulous ride. My horse, Woodrow was a solid strong beast!! He required a bit of nudging at times to move along, but was responsive. I'm looking forward to another ride/time. read more

The scenery was amazing and the staff was super friendly. Our tour hide Matt was super knowledgeable and did a great job teaching us about the land and how to ride. 10/10!!! read more

Wow! What a fun ride! My mom and I went on the 1 hour ride with Josh as our guide and he was awesome! He was very kind, made great conversation, gave great tips, and he made my mom and I feel extremely safe. I rode on Gracie, who was so sweet and stopped to snack on some plants on the way and my mom rode Alli, the absolute sweetest mule. The views of the property were UNREAL and we chatted with the owner, who was extremely kind and gave us some history of the business. Overall, we have a wonderful experience and the staff was SO friendly. The dogs on the property were extremely sweet, as well. Can't wait to come back next time we visit! Thank you Josh and Sandy Bottom Trail Rides Team! read more

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My family and I decided to do horse back riding while visiting North Carolina. We searched long and hard for a good reputable place and found Sandy Bottom! I'm so happy we chose it. The farm and land is absolutely huge! Once you park you check in and are recommended to get a helmet regardless of age and given saddle bags to hold all of your belongings. Once on your horse you are led on a trail with two guides (one in the back and one in the front) and most of the time some farm dogs will follow! Our guides were amazing!! If you had any problems or questions they would come right to you to help. One thing I would suggest would be to wear long sleeves and long pants as sometimes your horse will brush up against some shrubbery. Overall it was an amazing experience and I cannot wait to come back!! read more

A beautiful and incredible experience!!! The hour trail was the perfect amount of time and the views were stunning! read more

This was our second time here in 2 years. Beautiful and relaxing ride through the mountain trails. Connor was our guide and he was super nice and experienced. Our daughter rode Spring who was a little sleepy on the cold morning and decided to make her own trail. Connor was quick to get them turned around and headed back in the right direction. Everyone we met at the farm was very nice and we even spoke to the owner, who is a fourth generation owner. Great people and great experience! We highly recommend this horseback riding experience if you are in the area. read more

Sandy Bottom Trail Rides - Here we are on the trail - Horseback Riding Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

Highly recommend! While you aren't in the Pisgah, you do get to ride through the 500acre property owned by Sandy Bottom. There are several views and plenty of time for photos! We did a two hour ride, and it was the perfect amount of time. All of the staff was very friend and prompt. Our horses were awesome. It felt casual and fun. They have several farm dogs running around that are very friendly and end up walking with groups along the trails! There is cattle and calves as well. A quick trip from Asheville, about 30 minutes north, and we'll worth it!! The 3 hour ride is essentially the two hour ride, with an hour break in the middle to look for gems. read more

We had such a wonderful time riding with Sandy bottoms trail rides. They have over 550 acres of land and the land has been with their family for over five or six generations. Our guide was James and we took the two hour ride. They take you through their property which is lovely; he showed us the different relatives homes scattered throughout and you come across deer, cows, sheep and the family dogs caring for the animals and land.. James was awesome. He also took us to the Garnet mines that have since been closed but you can explore the surrounding areas. Imagining life on this property, horseback riding throughout was part of the experience. We had an amazing day riding out in the mountains and highly recommend this place. read more

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my friend and I had a fabulous time on our one hour trail ride with Josh. He made our trip very informative and fun! The trail takes you up and through the mountains with many photo opportunities. Our horses, Gracie and Wee-man, were very well-behaved and easy to maneuver. Definitely recommend if you are in the Asheville area. read more

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Great doesn't even begin to explain how wonderful they were! I booked for the wrong day completely and they still accommodated us. They Have their very own welcoming committee (of pups) who want nothing but love! We loved it. Our trail guide was awesome allowed us to just take it easy and ride. We will definitely be going back! read more

Great ride! Good family activity. Only wish the guides had been a little bit more interactive.

We went on a 3 hour ride and had a great time. The horses trail-rode well, the staff was so polite and helpful and the ride was challenging enough to be fun and not scary. Thank you for a fun day! read more

Sandy Bottom Trail Rides - Horseback Riding Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

An amazing place tucked away in gorgeous mountains. The place is well organized and cared for. The horses are healthy and seem to be content and cared for. Gentle rid for a couple of hours on well maintained trail. Staff was helpful and friendly and attentive. Wonderful day and worth every penny. Will do this again for sure. read more

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One of the better horseback rides we've been on, with excellent variation in terrain throughout the mountains. Horses were in good shape and staff was friendly. read more

Highly recommend! First time I've ever paid to ride other horses, and it was excellent. Our guide, Alex, was wonderful. The views were gorgeous, and the horses were perfect. We paid extra for a "private ride" - just my daughter and myself with the guide, and that was a great choice too. I was really impressed with the overall operation: very efficient, very clean, lots of staff and lots of horses. Everyone on staff was extremely nice and helpful. We had the best time ever! read more

The views were breathtaking. we did a three hour trail ride where two hours were riding and one hour was gem mining. I didn't think we needed a full hour for the gem mining. The horses were beautiful. Our guide could have been more outgoing and exciting but she was nice. I highly recommend. read more

We had a great experience, we had Ben as our tour guide who was very funny but also took us to see beautiful views. They picked out a horse for us and each one was perfect! Can't wait to come again next time! read more

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Great staff who are more than accommodating. Beautiful scenery and a peaceful ride with a very confident and capable leader. I'd definitely recommend to trip to the mine. It made it just a little more magical. read more

Really great experience! Ask for guides: Bruce and Wild Bill, you wont be sorry! Everything was organized, started right on time and the friendliness of the employees was an A+++. The views are scenic and the horses full of personality. We went on a 2 hour ride which was the perfect amount of time (plus a 10 break made it better!) Although I have years of horse experience, I took a friend who had not been on a horse since elementary school (we are far past that) and we both loved it. They were even accomdating to my post acl surgery woes. Only improvement I would ask for is advanced rides! They have awesome trails perfect for some cantering!! read more

Sandy Bottom Trail Rides - Beautiful sights - Horseback Riding Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

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I came here with my boyfriend. Best part of my trip to Asheville. It's about 30 miles outside of downtown Asheville. we got a two hour ride which included spectacular views and a pit stop at a mine. The owners pick horses that match your enterprise level and personality. Come early enough to bond with other your horse and your guide. Highly recommend and would come back again! read more

Sandy Bottom Trail Rides - Horseback Riding Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

We have ridden with sandy bottom trail rides 4 times. used to be a three hour ride was a three hour ride plus the mine, now thats a two hour ride but you pay for three... its a great ride, but I wont be back. read more

We had a great time! Perfect for novice riders. The staff was so friendly and the horses patient and gentle. The view from the lookout was amazing!! read more

My husband and daughter enjoyed a great trail ride at Sandy Bottom. The views were very pretty. My husband commented on how comfortable he was on his horse. My daughter (15) really enjoyed riding the horse named Wee-man. The guides were great. read more

My partner and I were so excited to ride horses (I'm a huge horse lover) and although I haven't ridden a ton, I was surprised by this establishment. First, we got there a half hour early like I was told to do, then waiting ANOTHER hour and half. I'm not sure what the hold up was because no one communicated it to us, we even talked to another person who was waiting to ride and they said they have been waiting so long for a solo ride and were not sure what to do. Then, we were urgently brought to the stables and had a platform to get onto the horses, almost like a conveyor belt. Once we got on, our guide showed up smoking a cigarette and my partner who doesn't ride a lot was given few instructions on how to maneuver the reins. He didn't even greet us when we were on our horses about to begin our trip. Our time was also cut short which was upsetting because we left so much later than our planned time. The views were nice, but the people who ran this establishment seemed all over the place and did not know who our guide was even supposed to be. I wouldn't have such an issue with this but they had signs posted everywhere about guides being polite and using manners but I just did not see an example of that here. My horse seemed so tired and was going very slow, then the guide gave a stick off a tree to me to hit my horse with to get her to go. The views were pretty and not too bad for a beginner rider but once we got to the point to take a picture, the guide started to hit the horses nose quite hard, repeatedly. My partner and I both said that it was okay and we didn't need a photo (we felt bad for the horses and didn't care about a photo) and the guide insisted and continued to hit them on the head until they complied. We even looked up after our trip if hitting horses like that was normal and found out it is not. On top of smoking cigarettes the entire time, our guide was almost silent unless my partner asked a question and was on his phone. I feel bad for the horses, even though I don't work in this field, it just felt off to see treatment of animals like this. I guess my impression of this business was that they wanted people to connect with the horses and nature, but I just felt rushed along and like another customer during their rush hour. read more