In 2023, I was camping in a remote part of the state at a little-known horse camp and found myself saying, “I wish there was a website that had really detailed, equestrian-specific info for where to go in Nevada.” The more I thought about it, I decided to just make one myself.
If you know me, then you know that what I do best is ride and write about Nevada. I’ve spent more than a decade exploring Nevada on horseback, including three long rides with my Nevada Discovery Ride project. With all the saddle miles, I’ve seen some of the best Nevada has to offer for equestrian explorers.
Several years ago I managed Sagebrush Rider, a media business focused on the equestrian world in Nevada. The monthly magazine turned into a daily online news platform as I traveled all over the state to write about everything from equestrian events to interesting people to destinations and more. It was so much fun telling the untold stories of Nevada equestrians and we even picked up some national awards for the coverage. But, it was a ton of work for a passion project and after about two years, I closed up shop.
But my desire to promote the equestrian community in Nevada didn’t end. So from the ashes of Sagebrush Rider, here we are with Nevada Horse Trails!
When people think of great states for trail riding, Nevada is not usually top of the list. Admittedly, we don’t have a lot of fancy guest ranches or horse camps compared to other states. But from Jarbidge to Las Vegas, Reno to Ely, and everywhere in between, there is unlimited riding. About 86% of Nevada is public land. I always say that I could ride for a lifetime here and never see all the trails Nevada has to offer!
I want to empower other people to get out and explore some of this great state too. But I think Nevada’s vastness can feel a little daunting. There are other trail sites out there, but they usually aren’t written for equestrians. If you’re not sure where to go and you don’t know if you can even get a horse trailer in there, those are big deterrents for equestrian explorers.
That’s why I made Nevada Horse Trails. I want this website to be a resource to help you get started on finding your next adventure – whether that is a new trail, a new campground, or a new guest ranch.
My guiding principle is NO GATEKEEPING. It does no good to keep Nevada a secret, for one big reason:
Use It or Lose It
How many times have we heard about trails getting overtaken by dirt bikes? Or equestrian campgrounds taken up by non-equestrian campers? It happens all the time. We simply aren’t out there using the resources enough. If we want to have more horse trails, we need to use the ones we have. If we want to have more horse camps, we need to use the ones we have. If we want trail builders, land management agencies, and private businesses to consider equestrians then we need to show demand. We can’t do any of that if people don’t know about these places.
Another thing I think about is the massive spending power that recreational riders take to other states. Boondocking, snowbirding, and horse travel is HUGE business – but not in Nevada. If we want to attract out-of-state recreational equestrians (and their tourist dollars) then we need to have something to offer them and they need a place to learn about it. Maybe Nevada Horse Trails can help with that too.
But bear with us. This website is far from complete. We have many more destinations to add, but it takes time to ride, write, and photograph each spot. For the most part, this is a one-person job so subscribe and you can keep up with what we add. I’m really glad you are here and I am very excited to share Nevada Horse Trails with you.
Happy Trails and #RideNevada!
