Summer comes early in central Arizona. We were on track for triple-digit weather this weekend, so we decided to head north for some nicer weather.
My boyfriend and I usually take a few trips a year to Sedona. The day usually consists of a hike, a walk around the shops and then we head back home. During our last trip we decided we wanted to try something different so we wandered into one of the shops promoting the different activities available in Sedona (horseback riding, helicopter rides, ATV rides, etc.). I grabbed a few brochures to take home and look through.
We found there were a few different activities that we were interested in and were having a hard time deciding which one to commit to. Then we found Trail Horse Adventures who offered an entire day filled with activities combining nature and entertainment.
The “Trails, Rails, Rhythm and Ribs” package included a 1 hour morning trail ride through Trail Horse Adventures, a fun afternoon ride through the Verde Valley on the Verde Canyon Railroad, and to top it all off, a one-of-a-kind experience at the Blazin’ M Ranch.
We arrived at Trail Horse Adventures around 10am in time for our ride at 10:30 where we signed all of the necessary paperwork, did a quick safety meeting with our cowboy “Dan” and then we were off!
We were lucky enough to be the only 2 who had booked this ride so we had the entire ride with just us and Cowboy Dan. However, we were told this was not the norm as the next ride had 8 different riders.
We started our journey walking around the Dead Horse Ranch State Park lake where we saw a few fisherman enjoying a beautiful Saturday morning as well as some bird-watchers taking part in the yearly festival.
Once we got off the main trail our guide, shared some of the history of the state park with us, including its start as a cattle ranch. He also shared some fun ghost stories of the neighboring town Jerome, as well as some other fun facts about the wildlife and the park’s early settlers. Dan has been cattle ranching and riding since he was 3 years old and his personality and stories were a great way to start our western adventure!
Due to the company’s location being inside the state park, we were unable to stray from our assigned trail and were not allowed to take our horses out of a walking pace. This trail ride is perfect for beginners, families and those looking just for a relaxing trail ride.
After saying our goodbyes to the friendly staff and horses at Trail Horse Adventures, we drove over to the train depot where we had some time to spare before our boarding time of 12:30pm.
The train depot is something kids dreams are made of. There is a fun gift shop wth plenty of interactive books, toys and even some home decor for the adults. There were also some fun and informative signs around the depot with photos from the past and a history of the railway, an of course, the large train stretching nearly a quarter of a mile long!
There is also a small cafe inside the gift shop making it an easy half day adventure for the family without having to load up and unpack multiple times to get everyone fed and excited for your nearly 4 hour train ride.
We enjoyed our surprisingly fresh lunch from the cafe before we made our way down the train to our assigned car. Once on-board we celebrated with a glass of champagne (or sparkling cider) and enjoyed the small finger-food buffet, which included veggies, fruit, small sandwiches and chicken wings!*
*The package purchased through Trail Horse Rides included first-class tickets. Coach tickets do not include the toasting champagne or the buffet.
Once we began to roll out of the depot, the adventure began. Our guide was extremely enthusiastic about the different scenery we encountered along with the stories behind the different lock formations, canyons and other natural landmarks like the Indian ruins and caves still visible from the train.
The trip took around four hours between the boarding time and our arrival back at the depot. I recommend this trip for any nature or train fanatics or those looking for an easy-going trip to enjoy with friends and family without too much physical activity.
Somethings to note would be that there is a drink menu with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages which leans toward the pricier side. Also, if you are a party of 2, expect to be sitting against the window in a situation much like the aisle seat in an airplane.
After our train ride we headed to our last adventure of the day, Blazin’ M Ranch!
We arrived at the ranch, checked in, received our meal tickets and then began exploring the location! It was an adorable recreation of old west buildings including a saloon where the adults could enjoy a beverage and the children were filled with popcorn. There were also more interactive areas such as the shooting booth, the lasso station and even a historical photo op!
My boyfriend and I both tried to learn how to lasso and let me tell you, it is not easy! However, we had a blast trying to learn and provided entertainment to those watching.
Once the dinner bell rang we went into the barn to find our assigned seats. The tables fit 12 so be prepared to make some new friends! We were then all given tin trays and served traditional cowboy fare which included chicken, ribs, beans, biscuits and a prickly-pear coleslaw.
While the dinner may not have won any awards, let me tell you, the after-dinner show just might! You are treated to some old-school cowboy music which even included some yodeling. The quality of the music was probably the biggest surprise of our day, you can’t help but sway and rock to the music.
After such a full day we were exhausted and ready to head home. The whole ride back we talked about how happy we were to of experienced everything and how shocked we were by the show at Blazin’ M Ranch and how the memories we made would last a lifetime.
The package for all three of the above activities costs around $230 each. However, you can make the itinerary your own and do all three or only one, each of the activities have their own sites, packages, and pricing!
For any additional information you can either click through the following websites or feel free to ask me and I will answer as much as I can!
Trail Horse Adventures- https://trailhorseadventures.com
Verde Canyon Tours-https://verdecanyonrr.com
Blazin’ M Ranch-https://www.blazinm.com