Itinerary
You’ll explore stunning sections of wilderness on this two-hour trip, providing a chance to spot wildlife that you might not get to see while on foot. Plus, our friendly, experienced guides will teach you a few cowboy tricks along the way.
Pass by natural sulphur hot springs as you make your way to one of Banff’s national historic sites: the Cave and Basin. Trek along the tranquil Bow River and take in magnificent views of the Bow Valley before pressing through thick marshes as you climb Sulphur Mountain.
You’ll then continue up to Windy Knoll where you can take striking photos of the sweeping landscape.
Stop At:
• Bow River Trail, Banff, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
• Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
• Cave and Basin National Historic Site, 311 Cave Ave, Banff, Banff National Park, Alberta T1L 1K2 Canada
• Sulphur Mountain, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
See Availability.
Banff Trail Riders - Stables, 100 Sundance Rd, Banff, AB T1L 1B9, Canada
2 hours(approx.)
Returns to original departure point
Not wheelchair accessible
All riders must arrive 30 minutes prior to their ride time.
Guests participating in horseback riding will need to be 8 years or over and a maximum of 230lbs. Banff Trail Riders is committed to the health of our horses and the safety of our guests, which means that the minimum age and maximum weight requirements are strictly enforced. As part of the check-in process, guests may be required to confirm their current weight on a scale and provide proof of the child’s age. In the event that these requirements are not met, the booking will be forfeited without a refund.
Please note that children will not be paired with an adult – they must ride their own horse.
Near public transportation
For our foreign visitors we require an understanding of basic English for our horseback rides, so that you can understand simple instructions from our guides.
Children aged 17 years and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
For safety purposes helmets are mandatory to be worn by all riders.
Riders must wear long pants and sturdy closed toed shoes enclosed to the ankle - no open toe shoes or shoes with big heels.
Adults must sign a waiver for all activities, and a waiver must also be completed by the parent or legal guardian of any person under the age of 18 (documentation may be required to confirm the signatory’s authority).
Riders must be physically capable of controlling the horse during the ride without assistance and for the health and safety of all riders we regrettably cannot accommodate any disabilities or special needs riders. We recognize that disabled riding is a unique and respected skill set that we at the barns do not have the appropriate equipment or skills to safely execute.
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Most travelers can participate
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Posted By : S9359IMvictorial
I had spectacular time on the walking tour of Bow river and foothills of Sulfur mountain. Very friendly and well organised stables. Our guides were knowledgeable, good storytellers, love the area and ,surely, love their horses. The horses are all rescues, well trained for the trail rides and very well taken care of. Tack and saddles are Western and properly fit for the horses. The horses are well fed and love their job! Suitable for people with little or no experience in riding horses. Seen beautiful Banff from the horse’s back it’s a treat! Thank you, Banff Trail Riders!
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Posted On : 2024-05-17
Posted By : Melanie G
I have been on several trial rides over my many years and this was by far my favorite. The horses were well behaved and the guide was informative and looked out for all of us! Since we were a small group of 5 we finished the normal trial ride quickly and the guide pivoted and took us on another trial to make sure we got our full 2 hours.
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Posted On : 2024-05-15
Posted By : WendyR665
We had a great time on this trail with Mark & Alyia.
After basic instruction and an introduction to our horses (I had Taylor and my husband had Ottis) we set off for our two hour trek along the Bow River and up Windy Knoll.
The guides where knowledgeable, friendly and diligent, keeping a close on on horses and riders at all times to ensure safety.
The views were spectacular too!
Highly recommended.
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Posted On : 2023-10-09
Posted By : SMah8866
So happy we booked the 2hr guided trail rideBest experience,scenery within/out of trails,awesome horses and Lockie was best guide everMust do.Looking to book longer ride next time
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Posted On : 2023-09-13
Posted By : brianhT7695HW
We’ve done many trail rides but this one tops them all. The views were out of post card mountain setting.
The wranglers were the best! Was lucky enough to be right behind the leader, who did a fantastic job. So sorry I forgot his name but he was Australia who just arrived in Canada 6 days earlier.
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Posted On : 2023-07-10
Posted By : kimberly_L
The Banff Horseback Adventure was an amazing a experience for my entire family.
The guide was very professional and fun. She thoroughly explained how the ride was going to go.
Nice work staff!
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Posted On : 2023-06-19
Posted By : Sandy_H
The staff is particularly good with people that have never been on a horse before. Both of us ride and are used to horses, but it was still a good ride for us because we got to see a side of Banff that you can’t see by hiking, biking or by tour bus - and that’s why we did it. I ride at a barn where cleanliness and maintenance of the horses is the main concern. There are a lot of horses at this stable and the horses and tack were well maintained, as well as the grounds being clean. Great job guys!
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Posted On : 2022-10-03
Posted By : April_K
Being able to go up a mountain on a horse was excellent. The guides were knowledgeable and friendly.
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Posted On : 2022-09-27
Posted By : Michael T
My wife and I signed up for the 2 hour ride. This location is actually fairly close to the overall downtown area and within walking distance.
I admit I wasn't a big fan of having to wear a helmet (most places it's optional), but considering some of the terrain, I can understand.
They lead you out along a public walking / biking path. The views along the river are really amazing. I'm not going to lie and not say I wasn't initially disappointed by the first of the trip.
NOTE: If you're not an experienced rider or this is your first time, possibly consider the 1 hour ride as this path setting is the majority if the 1st half of the ride.
Once we got past the 1 hour "turn around" spot, we moved on to more challenging terrain. It was uphill quite a bit of the way. While going through the woods I heard what sounded like a bull elk calling. We also strolled past some elk laying around in the woods.
We finished with a downhill decent and then down along the river again as we headed back to the stable.
Our 2 guides (Andre' and I forget the other guy) were both very nice and informative.
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Posted On : 2022-09-22
Posted By : Tlinkletterr
I’ve gone on multiple trail rides and this has to be my all time favourite! If you love horses this is an awesome informative way to get to know Banff while on horseback! You may even see some wildlife! I know I got to see a snake!! (Don't worry if your scared, it’s apparently not a common thing!) it’s a picture perfect trip great for everyone! I highly recommend even if you just go for an hour!
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Posted On : 2022-09-05
