We had a younger nervous 11 year old rider on a horse that was not behaving. The trail guide went to try and hook up to her horse and it caused the horses to nip at each other and our young rider got even more nervous. The situation was not handled quickly or correctly as it was happening for a bit before she addressed the problem. The trail guide gave no instructions on how to handle the horses before we left. We were lucky we had all ridden before and already knew. There was no talking by the trail guide during the ride except once to tell us to lean forward going up a hill and then once to tell us to lean back going down a hill. We had a fun time but there definitely could have been more communication and information given with the horseback riding. We also had two people ride an ATV and they had a great experience and lots of fun and learned a lot about the farm and area we were in from their trail leader. read more

Western Trails - Horseback riding - Horseback Riding Near Me - Oakland, Maryland

The family was super welcoming and very friendly. Especially Elizabeth. We were hoping for speed and adventure but this is slow steady ATV ride. All the same we had a ball. read more

Great place for an hour trail ride close to Deep Creek Lake. We took out Miss Rebel and Danielle, guided by Tiffany. It was a hot day but a cool breeze made it bearable and relaxing. The incoming T-Storm luckily stayed away. The horses are well trained and calm. Tiffany was very knowledgeable about horses and the area. USD 84 plus tip made it well worth it. Highly recommended. Call in advance to book. We will be back. read more

See all

Every year at the end of spring/ beginning of summer my family & I go out to the Deep Creek area to visit our family land & cemetery & we make sure to have fun too! We absolutely make sure we go horseback riding every trip to create those forever kind of memories ! My parents have been taking me here to ride horses since I was a young kid.. probably before I could ride on a horse alone! So now my sister & I have young kids , our dad, stills brings us up to do the guided horse trail rides & I promise it's one of my favorite things to do! There is many different horses & each one has their own personality which makes it that much more fun to go and get to know the horse you will be paired with! All of the staff that I have met over the years are friendly , helpful, knowledgeable & they are great at reassuring the kids when they get scared !! All the horses are well taken care of & cared for greatly. I would 100% recommend the guided horseback riding to anyone at any age because it's peaceful, fun & an experience that you will definitely remember! read more

Western Trails - Horses - Horseback Riding Near Me - Oakland, Maryland

They double-booked our time, did not offer a helmet for a 7 or 9-year-old, didn't match the horse to the ability level of the rider, only the size. No saddle was available with stirrups that could be shortened enough to fit children. There was one guide for a group of 8, meaning the very inexperienced riders behind me got no support. Guide was on her phone for much of the ride. I had to help the party that was with us dismount and bring their horse in as no one made themselves available to assist. read more

If I could have marked Western Trails as zero stars, I would have. A month prior to my son's vacation, I contacted Western Trails to make a reservation for horse back riding and ATV riding, as advertised on their website, for my son. I was arranging things as he was working 12 hour shifts and didn't have time. I was told to call back about a week before my son wanted to utilize their services and only then, could we make a reservation, as they did not book far out in advance. So- I called a week out from when my son was to arrive to his cabin rental WITH THE SOLE INTENT OF GOING TO WESTERN TRAILS TO RIDE HORSES AND ATVS.... I was then told they did not do reservations... just show up and pay upon arrival. My son showed up a week later to horse back ride and do the ATV's only to be told he required a reservation and THEY HAD NO IDEA who told us we did not require a reservation. My son called me, crushed, with nothing planned for his day. I called to complained and all I got was "Sorry." DO NOT TRUST WHAT YOU ARE TOLD WHEN YOU CALL WESTERN TRAILS. ASK FOR A MANAGER OR ASK FOR SOMETHING WRITTEN/EMAILED ON POLICY. I spoke TWICE with them and was misguided. I made the mistake of trusting whomever was answering the phone at this business. So disappointed. So livid. Look elsewhere. read more

Went on June 26th with a couple family members. It was a beautiful day, the trail is relaxing and mostly level with the exception of a couple steep hills. It winds through the fields and into a wooded area, which is great way to get some shade from the sun. The horses were agreeable, seemed well fed and healthy. Now for the negatives, and they are big ones. There was another family riding along with us, they had a few young children from about age 6 to 11. These children were small. The youngest rode on a horse with an adult. But, NONE of the children were given helmets though there were some available. This should be mandatory if the child is under a certain age, and here's why...we were nearing the end of our ride with the barn in view and one child's horse comes out of it's bridle ( a sure sign it was not put on properly by staff)! The horse gets caught in the bridle and spooks and since the child is riding near the back, far away from the lone (about 14 year old ) "guide", he is literally hopeless. The horse took off full speed with one leg wrapped in it's bridle and the boy dangling off the side inches from the ground and the horses hooves. With his mother and all watching in horror for him to jump off. He finally gets his foot lose and jumps off just as the horse literally trips and flips over, gets up and continues to run frantically through the field. Back up staff comes to the chaos on her horse....another minor aged guide! No adult staff to be seen. The boy is scuffed but by the grace of God okay! The second staff member offers him her horse to ride to the barn but his mom refuses and doesn't want him on another horse so he must walk the 50 ft back. Now, things happen I get it but much of this could have been avoided if: Adult staff should follow the riders in the back rather then only being led by one, minor aged guide in the front. ALL children under 12 should be REQUIRED to wear helmets. Bridles and riding equipment should be double checked (optimally by adult staff) by staff before each ride. If a rider is bucked off they should not be offered to ride themselves back or walk, an adult staff member should arrive at the scene with one of their ATV'S and after accessing injuries, ride the person back to the barn if 911 is not needed. If these changes were made, I could recommend this stable but in the manner it is being run now, it is a potentially deadly disaster waiting to happen and the signs up declaring that you ride at your own risk is not enough to release the owners from negligence. read more

I used to go here every summer as a kid when we went to Deep Creek Lake, MD. We recently went up (7/24/09) and it was just as I remembered it! PROS: The hour long ride was every minute of a full hour; The horses were great (and well taken care of!); The trail was nice too, very scenic and some up and down grades (vs. just a flat ride); Reasonable rate for a 1 hour ride ($30/per person); The staff (and the little girl that helped us out) was great! Very helpful! CONS: No Credit/Debit Cards (Cash Only); No running the horses :( but... we understand, Western Trails... its a "Liability Issue" ;) read more

Western Trails - Horseback Riding Near Me - Oakland, Maryland

The farm is only a few minutes from the lake. They were very accommodating to our day of reservation. The staff was very friendly. The horseback ride takes you around the farm and up into the hillside. It was very scenic and peaceful. The horses were all very well behaved. Don't waste your money on the ATV ride. If we hit 10 MPH that would be generous. The ride is about one hour and $95 for two people. The ride takes you along essentially the same path as the horseback ride, but you are led by a guide the whole time. The ride was very boring, as we expected an opportunity for more speed in addition to the slow off roading. read more

I came here with my church for an hour long horseback riding session. Although I was nervous, the people here were so nice! I could tell they really enjoy their jobs and are passionate about the horses. My horse (Sweet n' Low) did a really good job staying on track. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience. The trail we went on was nice and scenic as well. The only thing I would recommend is that they clean up a little bit. There was horse poop and pee everywhere. To wrap things up, I would definitely recommend this place to anyone coming though who wants to go horseback riding! read more

See all

Rachel was our tour guide. She was awesome! Beautiful trail and amazing views. Will definitely be coming back again.

Amazing views and a very pleasant guide and the horses are amazing. Highly recommended

We visited on a day that the establishment had a sick employee and one who stayed home. That being said, the staff managed the steady rush of visitors with ease and were within 15 min of targeted trail ride times. The facility was busy with ATV and horseback riding customers arriving and leaving constantly. The staff were courteous and friendly and offered instruction and answered our question. Like many horseback riding venues for tourist; horseback riding included horses traveling slowly single-file along a well marked path. If any horse got confused, a guide was quick to help or offer suggestions on each horses personality. The single file plodding was exactly what we wanted for our small children. The trail wound through open and wooded areas and there was plenty of wildlife to be seen. The facility has 60 horses, so plenty of choices for everyone. read more

Western Trails - All the horses are super friendly. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Oakland, Maryland

See all

My husband and I went to Western Trails last week for an ATV tour. The young man that checked us in was really nice. Our guide was Stephanie and she was super friendly. The land is beautiful! I was concerned though because Stephanie did not wear a mask and was standing within 2-3 feet of us while giving instructions for driving the ATV. I wish I had spoken up about the need for a mask, but I didn't. It just felt too awkward. If I had to do it over again I would. Otherwise, the tour was great and the price was reasonable. read more

Amazing time, beautiful views, great tour guides and the best part is the horses are well cared for! 10/10 recommend!

My first time horseback riding and it was amaaaazing! I will defiantly go back there. read more

Western Trails - First time horseback riding. Great adventure! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Oakland, Maryland

Had a wonderful time with 8 friends riding some docile horses on a beautiful autumn day as you can only find in Garrett County, Maryland. Our guide led us single file on a trail through open meadows, up the hillsides and along the edge of a forest. It was my first time on a horse so it was not a fast ride....more of a stroll for the horses. If you've never ridden a horse, an hour will be plenty of time. The whole experience was very nice, very pleasant staff, reasonable rates and easy payment. Go read more

We had a great 1 hour trail ride with me, my husband, and 8 year old son. We all rode on our own horse and my son had no issues. The horses are so well trained and tame. It's very peaceful and a really nice stroll through nature. There is $5 off with the Yelp check in. I highly recommend this. We alos did this 3 years ago when my son was 5. He rode with my husband that time and that was great too! The staff are super friendly and pleasant. read more

Great time. Good service and plenty of horses available. Horses were very calm and felt secure. Will come back!!

Great experience!! Taylor, our trail lead, was friendly and very sweet. The horses were well taken care of. Easy to make reservations and well worth the visit. read more

My family had a wonderful time here. The employees were courteous and very professional. I recommend this place if you are looking for a great horseback riding experience. read more

We visited Western Trails on Sept 3, 2016 and had an amazing time. Easy to book, they got us right in for the time we wanted, and we were grouped with only two other people. I brought my two young daughters to ride, one of whom, was a little nervous and cried when she got on the horse. The staff could not have been more helpful, kind, or patient with her. They worked with my daughter to ease her nerves and make her feel comfortable. By the end, she was begging to go again. The guides are fun, interactive, and work with riders of all ages and experience levels. The location is gorgeous, the horses are clean, and the trail rides were exceptional with lovely views. We will definitely be back the next time we are in the Oakland/Deep Creek area. I highly, highly recommend Western Trails! read more

I had the worst experience of my life riding the horses at Western Trials. The horses seemed to not be trained as they did not follow the guide and went their own way. The guide did not help the group reform when the horses would go their own way. As we were going up a hill, my horse decided to pick up speed and start running, having me nearly fly off. The horse would not let me stop it or steer it to either side. The guide did nothing to help the situation or help stop my horse. I now have severe back pain from the incidence, as do the rest of my friends which had similar experiences happen to them. One of the horses began to kick the others and another simply didn't want to walk. I do not recommend going here. read more

We had the most amazing time. The staff was great , the horses were very well trained. We did a one hour trip and the property is beautiful. We will definitely go back again read more

They were able to book my wife and I for a 90 minute trail ride on 1 day's notice. Guides were nice and the ride was fun. My expectations were fully met and I'd suggest this company to anybody looking for horseback riding in Deep Creek Lake! read more

We went with group here but we had a bad experience.we went on ATV ride and the person who have to follow us left us behind and took and bad road.our vehicle was stuck and the person instead of helping us was so rude and said we have to pay for towing and charged us 300$ .later they took out the vehicle just normally and they didn't even refund the ride money .such a bad place with rude people .I'll never go back or suggest this place. read more

Great place horses are so nice and calm. Recommend it ! Gene was our Guide and he was great

There were five of us, three adults and two children. The first 30 minutes were fine, then everything went downhill. One of the kids lost the reigns, and when we told the guide, he didn't seem to know what to do. I would have expected him to get to the kid in a hurry, but for whatever reason he didn't at first. Finally he started moving towards her, but one of the adults in our group was bucked from her horse and landed on her head. At this point the guide was shell-shocked, and told one of the other adults to get off her horse and check on the the adult who was thrown off and not moving on the ground. In the meantime, the horse with the kid who had lost the reigns started taking off. I followed, and fortunately both horses headed back to the stables... What was really upsetting was when the guide came back with the other 3 in our party, he started blaming our 2 kids for "screaming", which he said spooked the horses. That did NOT happen. The fact is he didn't know how to handle the situation. And were we offered a refund? Or $10 back per rider since we were only out there for 30 minutes and not the full hour? No. The owner seemed more concerned about the horses than us. One of her teenage helpers was nice enough to apologize, but that was it... Will NEVER go back to that stable again. Awful experience. read more

great ride, friendly staff. horses are easy to ride even for a novice. saw wildlife & a pretty view of the lake. even though it was busy when we came, we were not rushed through our ride. our guide was very friendly & willing to talk about DCL. can't wait to go back! read more

We enjoyed our hour-long trail ride. They do take credit cards now (despite previous review from several years ago). Our guide was very friendly. The only down side was that about 20 mins of the ride was near a quarry of some sort, so the noise from the machinery (sounded like highway noise at first) took away from the idyllic surroundings and scenery. Also note that they will let young kids ride with the parent (some places will only allow 6 and under to do the hand-led pony ride). Rate now $35/hr, which is still very reasonable. read more

Our family visits their farm every time we are at Deep Creek. The family is very kind, knowledgeable, and VERY willing to work with you for whatever you want to do. Prices are incredible. I've never seen prices so low and the trails are worth every penny (you don't just go in circles). There is nothing more you could ask for; I recommend it to everyone I know! read more