Ride the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming

Mountain Horse, Inc. is located not too far from the Bighorn Mountains.  We do a lot of riding and exploring in the Bighorns in the Buffalo, Wyoming area spring, summer and fall.

What we have found is to ignore the little horse and rider signs on the Forest Service signs!  Circle Park and Hunter's Corrals are ROCKY and rough trails!  Instead, some of our favorite trails include:

French Creek Canyon (known by the locals as "cow camp")--Just off Hwy 16, turn right after the Smokey the Bear fire danger sign.  Very scenic, good riding area on a windy day!  Only drawback is a lot of gates to open and close!  Only a few slightly rocky areas, but our horses do it barefoot comfortably.

Sour Dough Road  Off Hwy 16, well marked. Somehow, this ride has turned into our winter/early spring ride.  During that time it is closed to motor vehicles...and a leisurely hour ride is the loop around on the main road then taking the old logging road back down along the creek.  No shoes needed.  May see moose!  Lots of campers in summer/fall!  

Pole Creek Road  Off Hwy 16, well marked.  Loops around to the Hwy (about 11 miles) so you can have someone drop you off at one end and pick you up at the other.  But we strongly recommend just taking off on one of the many, many trails!  Is a popular place for snowmobiles and cross country skiers in the wintertime, so orange or blue signs on the trees mark several trails and keep you from getting lost!!  Great summer and fall riding...again, may see quite a few campers and four wheelers!  Supposedly you can ride from there up to the Sheep Mountain Lookout...haven't quite figured out which trail that is yet!!  No shoes needed (at least on the trails we've been on). 

Elgin Park  Off Hwy 16, well marked...also makes a loop.  A little boring, but great place if you are taking other amateur riders.  Beautiful panoramic views.  May see moose when it's cold out!  No shoes needed.

North Sayles Creek Canyon/Firebox Park  Gorgeous and our favorite ride.  Access through Bud Love Elk Refuge, so is only open mid-May through November.  Actually you could do a lot of riding in Bud Love, but we like best to drive up to the trailhead, climb up North Sayles (about a 30 minute climb--good workout!), then ride up into Firebox Park and on!  Can ride through to Hunter's Corrals.  Absolutely stunning scenery no matter when you go.  When the aspen turn yellow in the fall...wow!  We've done this ride several times with our horse's barefoot, although there are some rocky areas.    

Crazy Woman Canyon  We've been dropped off at one end and ridden the road to the other end for pick up.  This is a favorite drive of ours also...and if you can't ride through, definitely drive through!!  Best seen by horseback, but prepare to meet a lot of traffic.  Summer/fall ride...too treacherous during the snowy times of the year to ride or drive!  Road riding, so again...not necessary to have shoes. 

Every ride above is guaranteed to be scenic!

For more information on riding the Bighorn Mountains, visit Big Horn Mountains Trail Riding and Pack Trips

For information about events in the Bighorn Mountain area and other, visit BighornMountains.com

Buy your tickets for the Bighorn Mountain Festival  which is held in July, the weekend following Independence Day.  Acoustic Americana, Folk, Old-Timey, Bluegrass and Traditional Music.  It's always a blast! 

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