Posted 2008-03-12 2:31 PM (#79380) Subject: Need info on Wyoming and Montana
Regular
Posts: 85 Location: Foothills of the Smokeys
I realize that most camps in Wyoming and Montana are primative, and you have to drive down 40 miles of gravel road to get there, but we are not quite up for that. We don't have generators, and we don't want to tear up our LQ horse trailers. Does anyone know of any horse camps, ranches or resorts that have hook-ups, and corrals or stall that you can ride our of in Montana or especially Wyoming?
Posted 2008-03-12 5:56 PM (#79389 - in reply to #79380) Subject: RE: Need info on Wyoming and Montana
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
The hook ups are the problem. Lots of Dude ranches. But most cater to you staying in their cabins. Some allow you to bring your own horses.
There are lots of trail head just off the pavement. You don't have to travel 40 miles of bad road. Some have corrals built by the Back Country Horsemen or the Forest Service. But they will be 1st come 1st serve.
There are some forest service camp grounds with corral trailheads nearby. But most don't have any hookups. Just picnic tables and vault toilets.
I could suggest someplaces where you may have to drive 1/2 mile to 5 miles of good gravel roads. But even when you get there, it's primative camping.
This place rents out the whole ranch to you. 10 bed cabin, barn corrals, But I see nothing about hook ups. And I've heard they are booked for all of 2008 & 2009 already. http://www.alpinelakesandtrails.com/
People in the west just don't horse camp like you folks from the South. With so much access to public, it's just too easy to pull off the road some where and ride. But if you can borrow/rent/buy a generator, I could suggest some beautiful rides that start not far off the pavement in Northern Utah/Wyoming so you don't have to tear up your trailer. You would need to be self contained, Probably could get water at the trail head to fill your tank, But would have to trailer someplace to dump.
Posted 2008-03-13 6:14 AM (#79408 - in reply to #79380) Subject: thanks
Regular
Posts: 85 Location: Foothills of the Smokeys
thanks, Pooper. This place looks interesting. I may get back to you on some of those trails if I can convince my friends to camp primative a night or two. They might do it if we had corrals to put the horses in.
Posted 2008-03-13 3:51 PM (#79502 - in reply to #79408) Subject: RE: thanks
Veteran
Posts: 216 Location: Chillicothe, Ohio
Keep in mind also that camping out west even in the summer if you are riding at any elevation at all for example, Bighorn mountains, and most areas of western wyoming, you wont need to run air conditioning. So then, what do you need to camp? If primitive camping, if you dont need a microwave and have a propane fridge and stove or better yet pack a two burner coleman stove and cook outside under your awning. Use a coleman gas lantern when outside in the evenings. Stay out of the trailer as much as possible except when getting ready for bed or to take a quick shower every 2 or 3 days. Ladies wear your hair pulled back...your not in town and everyone else is in the same boat...or get just one small generator and run long enough to use your hair dryers and curling irons. If you have a large deep cycle marine battery you should be good for 2-3 days at least, more if you can keep the lights off. Again, your body wont be sweaty every day like back east. Theres usually no humidity and the temps are much cooler....like the other posts mention if you wont primitive camp you are going to miss most of the really great riding.
Posted 2008-03-13 10:10 PM (#79528 - in reply to #79380) Subject: RE: Need info on Wyoming and Montana
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376 Location: Missouri
Might I suggest you go with someone(s) that have done it before and know the ropes. If you have an LP frig. You only need a generator for a short time each day. Or do as we do and run the generator while your out riding. That charges the batteries reduced LP consumption and is available for electric if needed. We run a Yamaha 3500 quiet generator all day on less than 3 gallons of gas. We hook all of the trailers up to it during the day. It can handle battery charging and refrigs for 4 or 5 trailers
Primitive camping is not much different than full hook-ups if you learn the ropes. We have a group going to Double Cabin(28 miles north of Dubois, Wy) leaving June 27 and be gone for 2 plus weeks. Your welcome to join us. None of us go places that will damage our trailers. Be a good idea to invest in a generator and some electric fence for pens. Get your horses accustomed to staying in an electric fence before hand. We'll have plenty of fresh water for the horses. We don't carry it. We camp close enough to horse water that we can pump the water to the horses.
We go to ride and enjoy the trails, not work on camping all of the time. Except for putting gas in the generator, and putting up the electric fences(they don't take long), it's as easy as full hook ups anywhere.
Need info on Wyoming and Montana
