Rides - WOW Ride

The WOW Ride is our premier back-country horseback excursion -- and an adventure you'll never forget. A recent guest described this ride as "like being in a dream."

The Wow Ride starts at our Red Rock Canyon camp in the morning (the exact time depends on the time of year). We will pack a lunch of sandwiches and drinks into our saddlebags, then we'll introduce you to your horse and mount up. The first few minutes of our ride will give both horses and riders a chance to warm up and get to know one another. Soon, the adventure begins.

As we ride into a near-by canyon, the trail becomes steeper and the canyon closes in, leaving a passage that climbs between vertical sandstone walls toward the top of the ridge high above. The terrain becomes more challenging and more visually stunning. Huge boulders jumble at the bottom of towering cliffs or perch on the sides of the narrow canyon. Barrel cactus and cholla, creosote bushes and yucca fill the canyon with a surprising variety of desert vegetation. Wild burros, peering from behind Joshua trees, watch our progress. You'll want to keep an eye out for wildlife. It occurs to you that you are, indeed, Way out West.

We will stop several times to give our horses a breather, to snap photos, and to marvel at how high we have climbed. After about an hour and a half, we'll reach the top of the ridge and stop for lunch. This is where the WOW Ride really earns its name. The view is incredible - far below lies Las Vegas, Lake Mead, and, on a clear day, the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. After lunch, we'll follow the trail along the cliff edge, soaking in the view. The desert appears untouched until we come across the remains of an old mining road, no more than a track through the sand and rocks. Across the valley, the pine-covered Spring Mountains tower behind the red and yellow sandstone of the Red Rock escarpment to form a backdrop for this amazing landscape.

This is how the Southwest must have appeared to its original inhabitants, to early explorers, and to 19th Century settlers. Seeing this countryside from horseback adds to the feeling that you have slipped back in time. It's no wonder the desert Southwest seems an enchanted place.

By mid-afternoon you will be back in camp. If you are like many of our guests, you'll find it hard to say good-bye to this beautiful country, to your wranglers, and, perhaps most of all, to the horse with whom you shared a unique experience.

This ride may not be for everyone. But if you have a spirit of adventure and the desire and stamina to challenge yourself with an extended back-country horseback ride, the WOW Ride is waiting for you.

Ride Length: 5 hours
Ride Start Times: 9am two days a week
Unavailable from Memorial Day to Labor Day
Transportation Available: Yes, call office for times
Price: $329 per person + 18% gratuity

Call (702) 387-2457 or email (sales@cowboytrailrides.com) for restrictions, availability and booking

Specials

Gift certificates available for all rides. Call office for details.