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Barefoot Ranch
Reviewed by Taylor and Molly McCracken

Lowell and Donna Hobbs own the 7,500 acre Barefoot Ranch in Haskell, OK. We have been on two of their rides so far...we plan to ride many more if they continue to host these rides. The Concharty Mountains in Haskell Oklahoma are just spectacular. One of the trails takes you through huge rock formations. The views are wonderful. Plenty of drinking holes on the trail. Picket lines to trees with eye bolts and shade to tie to. The people running the show, Lowell and Donna Hobbs are first class working ranchers. There is primitive camping at the base of the mountains. (Porta-potties) Camping is free the night before or after a ride. The stories around the campfire and the tales of the ranch are very entertaining. Lots of  history on those mountains. We love the people, the trails and the welcome feeling everyone visiting receives. They treat you like family from the first time they meet you. 

The rides are well organized and safe riding is promoted. Our 10 year old rides and has no problems with crazy horses running by or dogs, etc. because it is not allowed. You may gallop and trot and play, just no dangerous horseplay. This is an organized ride with a lunch break at noon and riding after lunch. It is about a 5-6 hour ride. The rugged isolation on that mountain is priceless because it is close in, near Bixby and the Tulsa areas.  On a scale of 1 to 5 we place the ride on a 5 because of the beauty of the mountains, the rock formations, and the views.

Cedar Lake Equestrian Camp
Reviewed by Terri Folks

If you haven't been to the Winding Stair Mountains in the Ouachita Forest, you have missed out! Cedar Lake is one of the premier horse camping spots in this region of the United States. Visitors from all over the U.S. manage to visit Cedar Lake in their travels. The camp is managed by the USDA Forest Service and offers terrain unique to what most people think about Oklahoma. Mountain views with crystal clear streams, forests thick with the smell of tall pine trees, it is all here at Cedar Lake. With 44 units, most with electric and water, spread along the hillside, the Equestrian Camp has two shower/restroom houses. There is also a large area for primitive camping. Some of the electric sites also have two portable corral pens for your equine friends (double sites have four pens). Most have picket poles plus poles for your lantern and a grill for cooking. The camp also features wash racks and pavilions for your group events. Trails are rocky and your horses should be shod or used to rocks. With more than 80 miles of trails, you can ride all day and never ride the same trails. Part of the camp spots are reservable and others are first come, first served. You can make reservations through www.reserveusa.com (11/2006)

Duncan Lake Riding Trails
Reviewed by cfoster@texhoma.net

Great place to ride with about 1,000 acres, wooded, rocky outcroppings, open area's and plenty of water for horses to drink while on the trail. You can follow marked trails or just take off across the pastures. Our camp ground is very nice primitive and electric. Showers and bath house, a big pavilion for a big group with lots of picnic tables and barbecue pits at a few of the sites. Lots of wild life to look at and bald eagles in the wintertime. Your horse does not need to be shod. There is a concession stand open year round, but has winter and summer hours. Cost is $10 per year or $2 per day. There is a fish house to fish in during the winter. So if one in your group doesn't want to ride, no problem. Ten miles from the nearest Wal-Mart, 7 miles from the nearest convenience and gas store. If you are worried about riding for the first time on our trails, there is always someone that will met you there and ride.  Just across the street from the entrance there will be stalls to rent with a barn and runs for people traveling or staying the night. Directions: from 81 high way go 9 miles east on Plato Rd. 1/2 mile south on Duncan Lake Road. Turn west at concession sign for Duncan Lake park any where.

Draper Lake riding trails
Reviewed by S. Chestnut

My wife and I recently went riding on the west and north side of Draper Lake Park and have noticed a definite increase in the number of horse enthusiasts that have begun enjoying the area.  There are many trails over hills.  And there are many gorgeous trails through small depressions that will be covered when the water level rises in the lake.  The variety of the landscape is tremendous.  If you enjoy riding in the wide open spaces they are there.  If you want to ride through tree covered wooded trails, there are many miles of those to.  The wooded trails are in close proximity to the designated unloading areas and provide wonderful sheltered riding for times when the wind is strong and the weather is a might chilly.  If you want to ride through shaded canyons whose floors haven't seen the sun in years, you got it.  And all of these types of trails are intermingled around each other within minutes of one of the many areas where you can unload your horses.

In conclusion, the Draper Lake Park is an area that is excellently maintained by the Oklahoma City Water Trust which is under the direction of Ms. Marla Adams.  It lies within the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and is accessible within minutes to anyone in the central Oklahoma area.  Ms. Adams is an amiable executive that seems anxious for the public to enjoy the park in a responsible and caring manor.  I believe this beautiful area will be available to us for many years to come if we abide by the old adage, "Take nothing but memories, and leave nothing but footprints."  See ya on the trails.

Foss Lake Trails and Camp
Reviewed by Janice JRWobinson@aol.com

We had the camp to ourselves. It had water, electricity, picket line poles, bathroom with heated water in the shower with an electrical plug-in for hair driers or a heater--6 or 7 treed sites with a pavilion. Trails were FUN- either around the blue water lake in the trees and out or up on the higher ground through the prairie grass.  You could get your horse up and gait until both of you were tired. 18 miles of trails. Trails were well marked and maintained. We really really loved it-especially for our gaited horses. This is not an exclusive equestrian camp site just like Bell Cow is not "just for horse people". There is a boat ramp on the other side of the hill and you might have an occasional fisherman camp in this spot. The camp site is called Mouse Creek and stop at the ranger station before you enter and get your map --although there are maps on the trail and there is a map at the camp site.  Happy trails!

Horse Heaven
Reviewed by Rick hucklebe@huckleberrystables.com 

We just returned from Horse Heaven Ranch at Talihina and had a good time. We were there a week and the trails have all been worked on, the camp sites and cabins were all clean and well kept. The new owners Dudley and Elfie were very accommodating. The showerhouse has to be one of the nicest I've ever been in. For more information, they are at www.horseheavenranchresort.com I think they are 5 star. (1/06)

My husband and I just returned from Horse Heaven in Talihina, Oklahoma this weekend and I want to share our experience there... Horse Heaven Ranch is a gorgeous facility somewhere near Cedar Lake and Winding Stair Mountain, We live in SW Missouri and enjoy the trails here until the hunting season opens and it seems to be open season on horses and trailriders, so we don't go then. We have been to Cedar Lake in the past and thought it was nice, but we never wanted to leave Horse Heaven! The trails were very nice and ranged from logging roads to steep climbs in the hills with beautiful overlooks and pretty places to stop and rest...be sure that your horses are shod well and "legged-up" for the ride. The hosts at HHR are very nice and welcoming and they work their tails off to keep it up and clean. Be sure to bring heavy duty lawn bags to put your horse poop in for pick up and leave the (pipe &line) pens clean when you go. Happy Trails! (MD & Jane Lake) (11/06)

Lake Carl Blackwell
Stillwater, OK  - Updated by Kate Kearby

$5 per day or $50 per year per vehicle load.  $15 elec or $10 primitive overnight includes your day use fee. 

New equestrian camping area includes 9 electric sites, picket poles for up to 38 primitive pull threw parking sites.  They are building small 4 stall loafing shed runs in a couple of areas.  There are a couple of porta-potties in the area and a full bathhouse nearby.  Plenty of water hydrants and a gravel/drained 3 hydrant wash rack. The Lake Store open year round will deliver Pizza and Hot wings to your campsite. 

Our trails are easily do-able for those that prefer barefoot horse travel.  Besides the 13 miles of harness trail there is now over 50 miles of saddle trail in 4 loops back to camp of various lengths, the longest over 16 miles with short cut trails for those that like a little less.  These trails have everything for from the beginner rider to the expert. The harness trail is not limited to driving and is excellent for beginners and those that like to ride gentle trails side by side.

Those who have non-horse family members will find they have lots of opportunities while at LCB, with fishing, swimming, boating and some great golf courses nearby.  LCB is eight  miles from the bustling college town of Stillwater, Oklahoma just 8 miles off I35 west on Hwy 51 at exit 174, makes it an excellent layover site.  Contact by e mail lcbrider@sbcglobal.net or check out the web site at  http://www.lcb.okstate.edu/EquestrianTrails.htm

Meeker, OK
Submitted by mauldin@mcloud.k12.ok.us

There is a real nice place in Meeker where you can ride around the lake.  It is about a  3 hour ride.  However, it has grown up and is not maintained by anyone.  It also has one spot that is boggy.  Of course, we are in a drought, so I am sure that it is not boggy now. There is also primitive camping, but nice tables with lots of shade.  If you think anyone or any group would be interested in taking this on as a project, I would be glad to guide and show where it is. The neat part of this ride is you do not back track, you can ride completely around the lake. Maybe we could even talk to the Meeker round up club and have a work day.  There is only one spot that really needs to be cleared.  It is by a fence and has grown up.

Rocking T Trail Ride benefiting the Washington County SPCA Animal Shelter
Reviewed by theclevelands@okortho-flex.com

I wanted to share information on this ride.  It was a morning that most people would have stayed in bed.  It was raining when we got up, and we took care of all the animals, and then we made the decision to go ahead and give it a try and go for a ride, hoping the rain would stop.  We got to the ride location, and the rain had slowed to a light drizzle, and we were still hoping it would stop, and it did.  The ride was great!  There were open spots, there were hills and valleys. It was a brisk day, and when we got on top of some of the hills, it was a little chilly, but very bearable. We crossed lots of water that day.  It was a terrific ride.  We will go again.  John Cleveland – Claremore, OK

Sportsman Lake, Seminole
Reviewed by blondi4107@mcloudteleco.com

Sportsman Lake is definitely a must go campground. There are several sites available for water and electric and poles to tie or high line your horses. The trails are very challenging and well marked. The OETRA has done a wonderful job marking the trails and there are few places in Oklahoma (except for eastern Okla, Cedar Lake, etc) that even come close to the scenery and diversity of the trails at Sportsmans. For those of us who live in Central Oklahoma and west this place is really close and a special place to ride. Your horses need to be shod and there is a very inexpensive fee for riding, 2.00 a horse or 30.00 a year for access to the trails. There are 2 picnic areas in the park, the lake is absolutely beautiful, the cleanest lake I've ever seen in Oklahoma and the rock formations and creeks are really a must see. This place is perfect for those of us who want to get a horse ready for the mountains or starting a young horse and introducing him to the trail. This is for people that are fairly good riders and not scared to go through some diverse terrain. If anyone has questions feel free to e-mail me and I'll answer any questions you may have. Oh by the way there is a shower house with hot water also. This is a fairly new campground but the trails have been here for years.  There are enough trails to satisfy anyone who wants to ride for a couple of hours or all day.  Enjoy, I highly recommend a weekend here. 

Stroud Lake
Reviewed by aacebail@brightok.net

Stroud Lake is a nice place to ride.  It is located about 5 miles North of Stroud Oklahoma.  You can ride all the way around the lake.   It is probably around a 6 or 7 hour ride.  There is a nice campground and swimming area on the west side of the lake.  The equestrian people usually park on the east side of the lake.  You drive across the lake dam and it is the second driveway on the right side. Lots of trees to ride in for summer riding. Stroud Lake  has a nice campground for equestrians, and another campground for boaters, and people who just want to come to the lake for the day. It has a wonderful swimming area.  Also below the dam is a place to practice target shooting. Take a lunch if you want to ride all the way around the lake. It's a long ride.

Reviewed by earnestandkat@yahoo.com 05/16/2007

The Stroud Camp ground has no shower facilities in the camp area. In order to shower you have to drive around to the other side of the lake. The ride is about 4hrs around the lake with a lot of boggs. Sometimes there is a port-a-potty in the camp site- sometimes not. The trails are not very well marked, and are not maintained.  The bugs are the hungriest things around, and the Ticks like everyone.  This camp ground has a lot of possibilities, but no one seems to care. Rates are way to high for what is there.  I would rate this at 1 Star.

Reviewed 11/2006 by sandman@rural-isp.net

My wife and I have ridden the trails around Stroud Lake a couple of times this year.  The last time was just this week end.  It looks like the campground is closed for the season but you can still park just east of the dam and ride into the area. The trails are not used much so they are grown over and hard to see at some points.  The next time we go out there I am going to take some tape and mark the rout that we have come to know.  We go out of the campground and head almost due north until we hit a small road.  It looks like something someone made to haul out fire wood and is not usable unless you have 4 wheel drive.  We follow that until we come to the edge of the property and a nice barbed wire fence.  I might mention at this point that we do a lot of cross country riding.  I always take my GPS along and a good compass.  If you do like we do, be on the look out for old barbed wire fences. There are plenty of them across this area.  Then follow the fence north.  There is a right turn and then you will run into some private property signs at the first clearing.  Hang to the south side of the clearing and this will lead you right to the trail that skirts the edge of the lake. This will lead you back to the campground along the edge of the lake. This is a comfortable two hour ride and can be done without shoes if you are choosy about where you let your horse step. Use extreme care as you always should if you let your horse get in the lake for a drink. I took an unexpected swim when ol blaze sunk up to his belly in the mud. We came out with just a few scrapes and a wet ride back to the truck. I like this place because you don't see a lot of folks out on the trail and you feel like you have the whole place to yourself. Anyway, we had a great time and this is a beautiful area on the fall.

The Wild Horse Trail ride
Reviewed by cnordan@hotmail.com

It is at Honobia and is wonderful.  It is a 6 day ride, you can ride 1 day or as many as you like. The camping is under large pines, there is electric and water. You can put up tie lines to the trees. They provide all your food and drinks so you do not have to bring anything. They have HOT showers and very nice bathrooms,  all building are rustic made of logs so it gives the outdoors look. They have a dining hall and very good food, you would not go away hungry. They have 3 bunkhouses, you bring your bedding. The people are very nice. You can ride on a half day ride or all day. The half day goes out at 9am and comes in somewhere about 12, leaves out about 1 and stays out till 4-5. The whole day goes out 9am and comes in 4-5. They bring your lunch to you on the all day ride.  The ride is hard, you have to be an intermediate rider to good rider.  Hills are steep in some places and other places you will ride on logging roads.  Some of the trails are overgrown and they have done the best to clean them. We did a little trail blazing and it was very fun. There is a lot of rock so have fresh shoes on, in case you don't there is a shoer, a vet and a people doctor at camp daily.  There was a lot of people on mules but also as many horses. It would be a good place to take a young horse that was not silly. I took my husbands heel horse and he wanted to jump the down trees at first but learned quickly that was not a good idea. You can see for miles from the top and very beautiful.  It was mixed pines and oaks, the leaves were turning and so beautiful.

Platter Flats
Reviewed by Terri Folks 05/16/2007

I recently visited Platter Flats in southern Oklahoma on Lake Texoma (near Madill and Kingston). It is a little difficult to find but once you are there you will really like it. I only rated this three stars because we didn't get to ride all of the trails. The trails we rode on were fabulous with soft sandy trails, no horseshoes are required. You ride around Lake Texoma. This place is a real hidden treasure. Many Texans go to Platter Flats because it is so close for them to travel there. The weekend we went, the campground was very empty. The equestrian campground is not restricted to horse campers though. It has nice wooded campsites, complete with water (you share) and electric for each site. The restroom/bathhouse is conveniently located in the equestrian camp and was spotlessly clean. The campsites also have grills and picnic tables. I hear that future plans include adding horse pens. The only downside is that the trails were marked at one point in time but currently an updated trail map does not exist. There are plans to mark the trails and hopefully, someone will put a good map together.

Reviewed by Johnny Weatherford Stillwater, OK. 06/16/2008

I’d like to tell you about the 24 mile trail from platter flats north to another corp. of eng campground.  First the camp ground has no horse facilities at all, no space, stalls or waste pickup and the camping spots are very close together.  The silent time and closed times are not observed or enforced at all. In fact the first night not  300’ from me a person had brought his base electric guitar and microphone and used both till 12:30am. The camp was like a speed way all night long with vehicles in and out constantly.  The second night the camp next to us had around 8 cars parked around and placed a 4 bulb fluorescent light in the trees and played some sort of game till midnight but never turned off the light. The trail was sandy with small hills, small water to cross, nice views and marked well for first few miles up to the railroad track. (lots of trash etc. in certain areas where accessible from the outside).  When you cross to the railroad tracks the trail is not marked very well and has not been maintained.  A mile or 2 farther and the trail is unrecognizable from the numerous atv trails that enter twine.  Trees have fallen and covered the trail with fence on both sides forcing a detour atv trail to be followed, which led to trailer houses. On the whole the corp. or clubs are not maintaining more than the first few miles of the trail. There are numerous hills which are enjoyable, and the wildlife is abundant. 

Wilderness Lakefront Resort, Broken Bow
Reviewed by Shelly Williams 11/19/07
Ada, OK

We stayed last week-end at the Wilderness Lakefront Resort.  Steve and Janna were very accommodating.  They set up panels to keep our horses in just outside our cabin, and drew us a map of the trails we rode on. The cabins were very neat and clean, and only a few hundred yards from the US Forestry Service Land that we rode on.  The trails were great - not too hard, but not too easy either.  The scenery in SE Oklahoma this time of year was beautiful - lots of pine trees (which smelled wonderful) and changing foliage.  It also backs up to Broken Bow lake, so we rode along the lake as well.  The whole day, we never encountered another person or vehicle; it was very peaceful and relaxing. I would encourage anyone to give them a try. The trails required shoes, and with all the logging roads, the miles of trails were pretty significant. We rode for two days (6 hours each day) on different trails, so I estimate about 30 miles or more.  The owners are working on improving the trails to accommodate more riders.

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