Frequently Asked Questions
Q- Are the trails marked?
A- The main trails are well marked. The map included with your campsite fee will help you navigate the area without fear of getting lost. There are countless smaller unmarked trails that interconnect with the main trails for those people that like exploring. More trails are added every year or two so even if you've been here before, you might always find some new ones to check out.
Q- Are there places to water the horses while on the trail?
A- Yes, and those places are marked on the map.
Q- Will my cell phone work there?
A- Cell service is sporadic. Some cell phones work well, some only in certain areas of the camp and others not at all. If you have to make an urgent call, you are welcome to use our land line. Take your phone while riding, many guests have gotten service up in the hills.
Q- Do you accept Credit Cards?
A- We accept E-transfers, cash and cheques, but not credit cards.
Q- Is there a place I can charge my phone?
A- Yes, we have an outside plug at the house. Remember to bring you own charger.
Q- Do you have any hook-ups?
A- No.
Q- Do the campsites have fire pits?
A- No but you are welcome to bring your own propane campfire.
Q- Can I bring my dog?
A- We are currently dog friendly. Please help us keep it that way by following a few rules. Dogs must be friendly and well behaved. They must be kept under control and not allowed to roam freely while on the property. Make sure your dog stays at your own campsite and does not mooch at other campsites. We have a cat, so if your dog is not cat friendly, it must be leashed at all times while on the property. If you bring your dog with you while riding, please make sure it does not chase wildlife or the range cattle.
Q- What sort of wildlife can I expect to see?
A- Deer and elk are the most common. Moose, black bears and cougars are known to be around, but they are seldom seen. Coyotes are often heard, but seldom seen either. Great Horned and Great Grey owls have been spotted and we heard, but never seen the Barn owls. If you are a bird watcher, you will enjoy watching the hummingbirds that come to the feeder we set out at the camp and keep your eyes open for the rare white headed woodpecker.
Q- Is it true that wild horses roam the area?
A- The wildies, as we call them, originally migrated up here from the Osoyoos Indian Band lands. They are stunningly beautiful. Many have been rounded up and taken off the mountain in recent years but there are still a few scattered herds in the area and quite the treat to encounter.
Q- Should I worry about the wild horses if we see them while out riding?
A- They are generally very cautious of people on horseback. They will usually hear you coming and all you will see is glimpses of them melting into the forest. What usually happens when you encounter a wild herd is the mares and foals disappear into the forest, while the stallion stays behind to make sure they all get away and then he follows them. None of our guests have had any problems with them at all. Sometimes a wildie herd is scattered on both sides of a trial. It is advisable to not ride between them but to make some crazy noises and they will soon wander off.
Q- Do you have many mosquitoes and flies and do I have to bring bug repellant?
A- There is not usually a big insect problem here, but you never know what Mother Nature will do from year to year. Usually a few mosquitoes will show up in the early evening, especially earlier in the season. Although we usually use fly masks on our horses, flies are not a big problem either. However, if you or your horse are particularly sensitive to bug bites, we suggest you bring some repellant or a fly sheet just in case.
Q- Do we have to bring our own hay or can we buy it from you?
A- Bring your own hay. We generally feed round bales and do not have many small squares available. However, if you run out of hay, you could buy a whole small bale from us.
Q- Do you offer guided rides?
A- My Shire X suffered an injury last year and I was not able to ride him. I'm hoping he will be sound this year and thus able to accompany some guests on shorter rides. One thing to note...he's a older horse and is a slow walker so not well suited to ride with people that like speed.
Q- Do you have horses available for guests to rent?
A- No, you must bring your own horse.
Q- How many miles of trails do you have?
A- There are currently about 30 miles of looping main trails that are all well marked. There are many, many, smaller unmarked trails that interconnect the main trails and the fact that they interconnect means there are many ways to navigate our trail system.
Q-Are the trails steep and are there many sharp drop-offs?
A- Our trails are quite easy with very few steep areas and no goat trails with sharp drop-offs.
Q-What are the trails like for barefoot horses?
A- The footing of our trails is fantastic and great for barefoot horses. We have no shale or sharp rock areas. The very few and short parts that have some rocks have mostly round-ish gravel and it's easy to just let the horse pick its own way through.
Q- Are the trails marked?
A- The main trails are well marked. The map included with your campsite fee will help you navigate the area without fear of getting lost. There are countless smaller unmarked trails that interconnect with the main trails for those people that like exploring. More trails are added every year or two so even if you've been here before, you might always find some new ones to check out.
Q- Are there places to water the horses while on the trail?
A- Yes, and those places are marked on the map.
Q- Will my cell phone work there?
A- Cell service is sporadic. Some cell phones work well, some only in certain areas of the camp and others not at all. If you have to make an urgent call, you are welcome to use our land line. Take your phone while riding, many guests have gotten service up in the hills.
Q- Do you accept Credit Cards?
A- We accept E-transfers, cash and cheques, but not credit cards.
Q- Is there a place I can charge my phone?
A- Yes, we have an outside plug at the house. Remember to bring you own charger.
Q- Do you have any hook-ups?
A- No.
Q- Do the campsites have fire pits?
A- No but you are welcome to bring your own propane campfire.
Q- Can I bring my dog?
A- We are currently dog friendly. Please help us keep it that way by following a few rules. Dogs must be friendly and well behaved. They must be kept under control and not allowed to roam freely while on the property. Make sure your dog stays at your own campsite and does not mooch at other campsites. We have a cat, so if your dog is not cat friendly, it must be leashed at all times while on the property. If you bring your dog with you while riding, please make sure it does not chase wildlife or the range cattle.
Q- What sort of wildlife can I expect to see?
A- Deer and elk are the most common. Moose, black bears and cougars are known to be around, but they are seldom seen. Coyotes are often heard, but seldom seen either. Great Horned and Great Grey owls have been spotted and we heard, but never seen the Barn owls. If you are a bird watcher, you will enjoy watching the hummingbirds that come to the feeder we set out at the camp and keep your eyes open for the rare white headed woodpecker.
Q- Is it true that wild horses roam the area?
A- The wildies, as we call them, originally migrated up here from the Osoyoos Indian Band lands. They are stunningly beautiful. Many have been rounded up and taken off the mountain in recent years but there are still a few scattered herds in the area and quite the treat to encounter.
Q- Should I worry about the wild horses if we see them while out riding?
A- They are generally very cautious of people on horseback. They will usually hear you coming and all you will see is glimpses of them melting into the forest. What usually happens when you encounter a wild herd is the mares and foals disappear into the forest, while the stallion stays behind to make sure they all get away and then he follows them. None of our guests have had any problems with them at all. Sometimes a wildie herd is scattered on both sides of a trial. It is advisable to not ride between them but to make some crazy noises and they will soon wander off.
Q- Do you have many mosquitoes and flies and do I have to bring bug repellant?
A- There is not usually a big insect problem here, but you never know what Mother Nature will do from year to year. Usually a few mosquitoes will show up in the early evening, especially earlier in the season. Although we usually use fly masks on our horses, flies are not a big problem either. However, if you or your horse are particularly sensitive to bug bites, we suggest you bring some repellant or a fly sheet just in case.
Q- Do we have to bring our own hay or can we buy it from you?
A- Bring your own hay. We generally feed round bales and do not have many small squares available. However, if you run out of hay, you could buy a whole small bale from us.
Q- Do you offer guided rides?
A- My Shire X suffered an injury last year and I was not able to ride him. I'm hoping he will be sound this year and thus able to accompany some guests on shorter rides. One thing to note...he's a older horse and is a slow walker so not well suited to ride with people that like speed.
Q- Do you have horses available for guests to rent?
A- No, you must bring your own horse.
Q- How many miles of trails do you have?
A- There are currently about 30 miles of looping main trails that are all well marked. There are many, many, smaller unmarked trails that interconnect the main trails and the fact that they interconnect means there are many ways to navigate our trail system.
Q-Are the trails steep and are there many sharp drop-offs?
A- Our trails are quite easy with very few steep areas and no goat trails with sharp drop-offs.
Q-What are the trails like for barefoot horses?
A- The footing of our trails is fantastic and great for barefoot horses. We have no shale or sharp rock areas. The very few and short parts that have some rocks have mostly round-ish gravel and it's easy to just let the horse pick its own way through.