Once upon a magical desert weekend, my sister and I surprised our Mom with a trip to Joshua Tree. All while growing up, it was really important to our Mom that both my sister and I learned how to ride horses. We have a long history of ranching and riding on both sides of our family and she always worked hard so that we could ride at least once a week.
So for Mother’s Day, we decided to gift our Mom the same joy of riding that she gifted us while growing up and surprised her with a day of riding horses in the backcountry of Joshua Tree National Park! She was STOKED, and unbelievably, this was the first time all three of us were able to ride together.
We arrived at Knob Hill Ranch and were quickly greeted by happy horses and the wonderful owners, Natalia and Don! Don helped us tack up the horses and soon we were off on the trails! Reyna was our trail guide for the day and she was an incredible wealth of knowledge when it came to plants and animals along the trails.
As we settled into our ride, we realized we couldn’t have picked a better day to be in the desert. There was a soft warm breeze that danced along our skin and the air was peaceful as dark blue thunder clouds brewed in the distance. We weren’t too worried about the approaching storm, but rather excited, as the desert always finds a way to wake up and take on new life before a big storm.
As we climbed higher into the hills, we had an exciting surprise as a coyote crossed the path in front of us and moved into a wash below (picture below!). The desert was quiet and peaceful as we continued on; the wind moved through the sage brush and the early storm winds brushed back our hair. I remember feeling completely at peace as we’d catch each other’s smiles with every new ridge line.
As we neared the end of our ride and the ranch, that also meant approaching long straight-aways of desert back roads. Reyna had done a great job at gauging our skill level through the ride and asked if we were all comfortable to canter, possibly gallop, portions on the way back - and IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!! Whether you’re an experienced rider or a beginner, I’m confident that Reyna or any of the staff at Knob Hill will show you marvelous time!!
After our ride, we popped into Pappy & Harriet’s per our usual desert adventure traditions. If you’ve never been, what are you even doing?! Pappy and Harriet’s might be the most divey of dive bars, but that’s what makes it so great. The ambiance can’t be explained, only experienced, so I highly recommend you stop in on your next trip! If one thing’s for certain – you’re always bound to have a great time and their prickly pear mule will always be my obsession.
LET’S CUT TO THE CHASE:
Knob Hill Ranch: guided horseback tours through Joshua Tree National Park’s backcountry. While we went for only the day, Knob Hill also offers vacation rentals on their ranch!
Trail Ride Price: We opted for the Scenic California Trail for 2.5 hrs at $175/person. There are different prices/trail rides depending on your preference, their full options/pricing can be found here.
Pappy & Harriet’s: THE best dive bar you’ll ever go to, order the prickly pear mule.
Pioneer Town: This is an old movie set that’s sometimes still used today! Check it out, right behind Pappy & Harriet’s.
Joshua Tree National Park: Plan a day hike, drive on through, or even plan to camp under the stars for a night!
As always, thank you for reading and happy trails!!
Leah
