Gave my five year old nephew a twenty minute pony ride for Christmas.Owner was very friendly and…read morepatient. Yes it was far from Mesa, but it was within my budget and worth the drive to give my nephew a fun time. When they have a special on their trail rides we plan on going.

I board my horse Maui there and she is in wonderful hands!! I feel like it is my second home and…read moreCheryl is so patient teaching me new things! I would recommend to anyone! They have trail rides in the winter, horse riding lessons, boarding, etc :)

My friends and I booked an 8 AM, 1hr ride on Friday and it was led by Krys and Brittney! We were…read moreall a little bit nervous when we got started but Krys was very nice and calm when answering our questions. She gave really great affirmations throughout the ride as well. This was an amazing experience and I highly recommend you book with Ponderosa Stables.

My bestie and I did the two-hour trail ride at Ponderosa Stables today and it was absolutely…read moreincredible from start to finish. The horses were calm, well-trained, and clearly cared for. Before we even hit the trail, the team took time to teach us how to properly guide and communicate with our horses, which made the entire experience feel empowering and very safe, even for beginners. Our guides were amazing, personable, attentive, and genuinely fun to be around. Even when we had to cross streets with traffic, the wrangler confidently stopped the cars and made sure we crossed safely. That level of professionalism and care really stood out. The views were stunning. We rode through beautiful desert trails surrounded by cacti, birds, and wildflowers. It felt peaceful, adventurous, and grounding all at once. Ponderosa Stables delivered a well-organized, safe, and memorable experience. If you're looking for something scenic, unique, and perfectly Arizona, this is it! 10/10. I'll definitely be back!

Amazing location ! So much more than just a horseback ride. The town was a blast and Cowboy Bob our…read moreguide was a good time and wealth of information. Highly recommend

Our guide Rusty was fantastic, super knowledgeable about the desert and very entertaining in the…read moreold western town.

Great experience! Our guide Bob was so informative and fun…read more You can't ask for better scenery!

Wrangler Bill was great. He educated me about the people, culture, history, flora and fauna in the…read morearea. It was beautiful. My horse was super chill and easy to ride. I had a great time!

We came for a bachelorette and we had so much fun! It was my first time horse back riding and I was…read moreso scared but the guys are there to guide you and the horses to make sure we stay on path. It was such an amazing time!

Super fun trip and amazing employees!…read more My group of 3 booked the 1.5 hour horseback ride and we were joined by another group of 4. Rick led our group on the ride and Lex followed. They were kind, funny, and very helpful. They took us on a great relaxing ride and by the end of it I felt like an experienced rider! The horses were beautiful and very easy to ride. They fit us for our size compared to their horses before and gave us instructions and information on how to ride and deal with the horses. They gave us a water bottle for our trip too. The trail was beautiful and scenic and it was nice to pet and love on the horse too. Plenty of photo ops and Rick stopped and took photos for us on the horses! I would absolutely recommend Cave Creek Outfitters for a beautiful ride in the Tonto Forest. Thank you guys!!

Staying at this dude ranch truly felt like coming home to family. From the moment we arrived, the…read morestaff welcomed us with genuine kindness and treated us as if we'd been part of the ranch for years. The ranch itself is a treasure--old and full of character, with history dating back to the 1940s. I loved wandering through the original buildings, admiring the authentic architecture and décor, and flipping through the photo albums filled with memories from decades past. The team here is absolutely outstanding. The cooks, Jesse and her husband Jeff, made every meal feel like it came straight from a family kitchen--comforting, delicious, and made with care. In the front office, Lisa was friendly, organized, and always ready with a smile or helpful suggestion. And the wranglers, Wendall and Ritch, were simply the best I've ever had the pleasure of riding with. Their knowledge, patience, and humor made every ride unforgettable, and Wendall's personality in particular was a highlight of the entire stay. Being tucked away in Wickenburg--the roping capital--meant that daily roping competitions were part of the experience, adding excitement and authentic cowboy culture to each day. The trail rides were scenic and peaceful, offering a perfect way to soak in the Southwest landscape. On top of everything else, the ranch doubles as a stunning venue for weddings and corporate events. With its history, charm, and warm-hearted staff, it's hard to imagine a more perfect setting. If you're looking for a genuine dude ranch experience filled with heart, history, and unforgettable people, this is the place.

My friends Danielle & Garrett had their wedding here & Garrett used to work here as well. Beautiful…read moreplace for a wedding & since it was an "unplugged" wedding, I wasn't able to get a photo of the scenic beauty & spot where the wedding took place. It was quite a drive up to the ceremony area. 4 wheel drive vehicles only recommended just for that. We had an amazing dinner cooked/catered from the Flying E staff. Everything was so delicious: steak, salad, baked potatoes, corn, rolls, and there were plenty of drink options & hors d'ouvres before the meal. Funfetti & chocolate cupcakes, white cake, & carrot cake were the dessert options. There was dancing, cornhole to play, S'mores to make, and a log coaster branding station. This is a great place for weddings. Once it gets dark, it's hard to see to get out and it gets dusty but if you like a western theme, this is definitely your place!

With prompting from our daughters we decided to gift them both a horseback riding lesson for their…read morebirthday this year. Neither of them (6 and 10) had ever been on a horse before so we researched to find a place that would take that into account. We were really excited for our girls to do the "family" fun package. I called and arranged a time for the ride. Luckily we planned to get there early as we accidentally ended up at a neighbors house and had to course correct. We got there and after filling out a lot of paperwork (waiver forms, info sheets, etc.) It was time for the girls to ride. They were each fit with a helmet and taken to a horse by the owner Anita. She had 2 other ladies with her that helped with the ride. Both girls were walked around the pen with their respective horses and learned the basic commands like move and stop. My older girl was able to catch on to direct the horse with the reins. Both girls seemed to have a good time. The only let down and the reason behind the 4 stars instead of 5, was the pretty hefty price of $120 for both my girls to be able to ride for just 30 minutes. (The owner only wanted cash or bank transfer m, FYI.) And I specifically mean 30 minutes, as the owner kept asking one of the other ladies how much time was left. That was a bit distracting and honestly made it seem like she just wanted it over with. The last concern I had was the fact that my youngest (who I admit is a talker) kept trying to talk to her and the other lady helping, but they kept having their own conversation. I had explained this was a birthday gift/celebration for both girls and we were hoping it would be special. The fact that the paying customer (who was disappointed) was being ignored is pretty sad. Luckily my girls were so excited to ride a horse they didn't see the issues I did. (Mentality of ride 30 minutes then be gone. No petting the horses or seeing the other ones.) This was a decent first experience and there was no concern for their safety, but we will probably explore other options in the future.

Great social distancing activity!! My family and I loved our experience here. We opted for a 2 hour…read moreride. The trail was STUNNING. I wish we had come for their sunset ride because that would've been breathtaking on that trail. The staff is friendly and our guide Jordan was sociable and did an amazing job. The horses are so sweet and were easy to ride. Check this place out to support local business!! They take walk ins or you can call to make a reservation.

Fabulous ride! Our group participated in 1.5 hour ride. Hands-down, we had the best guide and…read morehorses! Highly recommend the 1.5 hr trail ride at Cave Creek! Cora was knowledgeable, was an incredible instructor, giving kind directions, and was a great resource for our group ranging in age from 25 to 78. We all cannot say enough great things about her, if you get the opportunity, ask for Cora!! And of course, we were on the best horses - Dickie, Amy, Ghost, and Fish. They all had fun personalities, remember to bring a sweet treat if you ride Dickie!

I took my girlfriend (now wife) there and we had a wonderful time, with one exception. And after…read moretwo years I'm still talking about him. Machos, the half draft horse. He misbehaved, annoyed the horse they said was his girlfriend (she had other ideas when she tried to kick him and he almost fell) and I have NEVER had to be that rough on a horse's mouth. The place was great but unless you're over 250 pounds, refuse Machos. He is more of an ass than a horse. A friend had a similar experience with Machos prior to mine. Say no to Machos!

Tonight, I took my 10-year-old to the Critters and Campfires event; basically, with a small…read moredonation, people sitting around a decent-sized campfire, making s'mores, listening to music and hanging out under the stars in a farm setting. Saddles of Joy's under new management and they're trying new things...which is good because the last person in charge (who recently retired) had terrible customer service. I get it, maybe they were just wiped out, but still...! Anyway, tonight was pretty nice. We brought our own blankets and chairs along with hot cocoa (coffee for me) and just chilled out. They're thinking of doing it like this once a month...I'm all for it. Recommended!

I go here and volunteer sometimes and so far I like they have a lot of animals like pigs and…read moredonkeys I think I saw a small pony as well overall is a fun place to be if you wanna help out or get volunteer hours

A difficult hike with amazing views! I loved this hike. It's a long way back to the trailhead from…read morethe road and there are places where having 4x4 or higher clearance would be nice, but I saw a Prius at the trailhead. There are workarounds. It's a long and steady climb, definitely one of the more challenging hikes in the west valley. The last little bit there's some scrambling to get to the peak. The views are amazing and the giant slabs of quartz are beautiful.

For years, I had stared out at the Sierra Estrella mountains wondering if I'd ever get the chance…read moreto hike to the top of Quartz Peak. I'm a Civic owner, so as soon as I heard about the sand roads and necessity of a high clearance/4x4 vehicle, I thought the day would never come (there's no way I'm buying a gas guzzling Jeep with a 30-mi each way work commute lol). That is, until I met some other awesome hikers from the Valley and coordinated an epic carpool! We met up in downtown Phoenix and headed out in the Jeeps to Goodyear. After getting off the 10 and heading down Estrella/Rainbow Ranch roads for what seemed like a good while, along came the sand/dirt roads. And man did they live up to their reputation! Some super fun off-roading action ensued, and let's just say I was so glad I wasn't in my own little car. One of the hiking buddies advised that he once tried to get to the trailhead in his Dodge Caravan but got stuck in the sand and wrecked the transmission. Yikes! Once we got to the trailhead (obviously an adventure in and of itself), it was a steady 5-6 mile uphill climb to the summit. There are definitely some false Peaks to conquer along the way that are grueling physically and mentally; however, once you get to the last half mile or so, it's a fairly short scramble and totally doable. Once you get to the top, you are greeted by a fantastic view of West Valley, South Mountain, Four Peaks, the Supes, East Valley, and the vast desert to the southwest. The way down is easier on the cardio but harder on the knees due to loose rocks so watch your step and don't rush it. Your legs will probably be sore for the next day or two but it'll be accompanied by the feeling of accomplishment! I also recommend going with a group as I did. Strength and support in numbers people! Plus, you may meet someone new and make friends along the way! I'm not sure when I'll get the chance to hike Quartz Peak again, but now every time I look out to the west at it, the memories will never fade!