Serene rides through endless aspen and evergreen forests await at this equestrian paradise near Rocky Mountain National Park.
Article and Photos by Kent & Charlene Krone
Deep in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, outside the historic town of Grand Lake, sits Winding River Resort — a horse-owner’s paradise bordering both Rocky Mountain National Park and Arapaho National Forest. Owned by Wes and Marcia House, the resort offers 150 RV sites, 24 guest-horse corrals, lodge rooms, tent sites, and cabins, all immaculately maintained.
Rocky Mountain National Park alone has roughly 349 miles of trail, with horses permitted on about 80 percent of them. (Note: the 2020 East Troublesome Fire left some areas unstable, so check current conditions and ask resort wranglers before you head out.)
Three rides worth taking
A short exploratory loop into Arapaho National Forest, right off the resort, winds uphill past long-distance viewing points — watch for wild raspberries in season.
The Big Meadows loop climbs gently into Rocky Mountain National Park to a meadow about two miles long and a mile wide, framed by 12,216-foot Nakai Peak. The return trail follows the Colorado River back to the resort — keep an eye out for moose and other wildlife along the water.
The most ambitious option is the seven-mile ride to Cascade Falls, following the North Inlet Trail past a pasture of dappled-gray Percherons and up a narrowing, cliff-lined trail. Take care near the falls, where the trail narrows with sheer drop-offs.
Good to know before you go
Wes will rent a six-horse, bumper-pull trailer for reaching farther trailheads, and a free trail map is available at the resort’s gift shop. If your horse spooks at pack stock, note that the area is popular with llama-packing backpackers, and several campgrounds are set aside specifically for them.
Adapted from the Summer 2026 issue of USRider’s Equestrian Traveler’s Companion.
