fort valley ranch

My boyfriend treated me to an all-day trail ride for my birthday in November at Fort Valley ranch. We picked a day that ended up being particularly cold (even light flurries), but we made the best of it. The horses were great, and our guide (Dustin) was cheerful and knowledgeable, despite the cold! The pack lunch the ranch provided was perfect, even for my picky-eater boyfriend. I will definitely consider returning during the summer!

While visiting the DC area, we decided to take a drive to the countryside. This was by far one of my favorite things to visit and go do. We took a horseback trail ride which was very nice. I just wish we got to stay the whole weekend and take longer day rides. The shorter ride has a lot of inexperienced riders, good for day tripper tourists for sure. The weather was amazing and the staff very friendly. I got to ride Shadow, a true Mustang. We went in Oct. and the weather was amazing, but still had to wear a jacket because the ride is through the forest. This is a ranch with horses and camping so the restroom facilities are what you would expect so don't pull a Grumpy Cat when you get there. Loved Loved Loved the horseback part of my long weekend in DC.

For my dads 70th bday I planned a weekend get away, and when our hot air balloon trip got canceled, it sent me scrambling for a good alternate adventure. I was pleased that Ft Valley Ranch was able to accomodate a party of 6 that same afternoon. The weather was perfect, the leaves were near "peak color" and it couldn't have been a nicer fall day. The horses were mostly well trained.. but a couple were acting up. When one that a kid was riding was acting up, I was displeased with how the female leader reacted. She yelled at the kid because he couldn't make the horse move. Mostly, people doing these rides don't have a lot of experience riding, so I don't know why she got so angry. If it had been my kid, we would have had words, for sure. But since it wasn't... I just emotionally distanced myself from the conflict so it wouldn't impact my entire experience.The land is BEAUTIFUL, but I was a little surprised at the condition of the horse trails... it was fine for me, but there is steep terrain, which is fine, but there are also a lot of rocks... I mean a LOT of rocks, along the trail. It doesn't seem too safe for the horses. I am no expert, that's just my concern. And if it is not safe for the horses... and people are ON the horses, well... you get where I am going with that idea. It was an enjoyable time. The horses were great. The property is beautiful. Even though most of the people were fabulous, the one gal yelling at that boy really did impact how I felt about the experience overall. That and some concerns about the rocky trail resulted in this being a "3" rather than a "5".

Fort Valley Ranch was an awesome place. We did the half day ride and it was so much fun. Gale our guide was excellent. She had a lot of knowledge about the plants/trees along the trail, the flowers and the history of the trail. She taught us more about horses and she was very down to earth. It was an exceptional experience. We will be returning again soon. We also look forward to camping there in the near future.

A friend and I booked a 5 night camping trip to Ft. Valley Ranch. Took our own horses. A map, and gps, and explored the mountain trails. What an awesome area! The hospitality was the best! Wonderful paddock for our horses, and icecream for us! Ft. Valley Ranch is managed by some of the nicest people on earth! I will be returning.

We booked at the last moment for an afternoon trail ride at Fort Valley, and it proved to be a highlight of our holiday. Josh, our guide, was really encouraging to the three of us, including our 9 year old son who had never ridden before. The paperwork was all safety focused and riding helmets were available without additional charge. The lady who welcomed us was very pleasant, and gave us some easy to follow instructions which were pitched just right for novices.The trail is beautiful, meandering through the woods, and Josh gave us a whole range of interesting information on what we were seeing, without overloading us with too much information. He also kept a close eye on our son, who was quite nervous to start with, and took time to chat with him and reassure him as we continued the trail. This was a great introduction to trail riding for our son, and we both loved it as well. Our horses (Cricket, Jessie and Blaze) were steady and well behaved, and the whole experience was just lovely.Our little boy talked about how great it was for our whole car journey back to Washington!

Our group of 17 took the 1-hour trail ride. Very nice, cool forest trail. Guides were knowledgeable and attentive. Be sure to arrive 1/2 hour in advance to complete paperwork and find a helmet.

We looked around the Luray area and decide to try Fort Valley Stables because of the mountain trails through the George Washington Forest. We chose the hour and a half ride. They asked us to be about 30 minutes early, but we probably got there about 50 minutes early. The check-in process seemed smooth, we picked our helmets, and the other group of three that were riding with us were already there. Then we waited a while. The horses were already tacked up, so we weren't quite sure what we were waiting for, but right at noon, then they started putting us on horses. In our group, we had two experienced riders, but they said it didn't matter on horse selection. I waited to mount last so I could be in the back just in case. I have led and participated in many trail rides in my riding days, so it was a good position to be in to monitor the group in case they needed help. So at 12:30, everyone was loaded, and we actually started the ride. The horse I rode was a nice horse, he listened to me and did a good job on the trail. The newbies had some trouble in the line in front of us, and the guide gave some instruction as he saw things happening, but he didn't see the issues arising all the time. Either my daughter or I tried to offer advice, which helped the overall trail ride flow smoother. We headed back to the barn after an hour of riding, so we felt a little deceived on the hour and a half ride. There was no mention that a half hour was to watch people mount their horses and learn how to steer their horse. Since we all got there so early, there was plenty of time to get everyone mounted before the ride. The horses and location seemed nice, but we didn't get what we paid for as far as the length of ride and our guide was just okay. I didn't mind pitching in and helping out, but I didn't even get as much as a thank you. Oh well, next time we'll try a different place.

I did not "stay" at this property so I cannot comment on accommodation. However I did ride here. I booked a half day ride for me and two other girls. I have decades of horse experience and my two friends have ridden before but have no training at all. I followed the directions from the website and found the place easily. The got us set up with our horses and we departed. I thought the horses were well conditioned to their terrain and that their tack was clean and maintained. We rode up to a gorgeous ridge and fed the horses their carrots. They also provided us with water, some crackers, and a cheese stick. Cool and appreciated. It was very cold and icy that day so the snack helped energize us for the ride back. Our guide was funny, had good stories, and was very enjoyable. A real cowboy type, we liked him. The horses were shod nicely and it was amazing how they scrambled over the rocks and snow. Very very cool. My friends had a lovely time as well. The horses were angels for them too. I absolutely will bring myself and my friends back again. I can see how some folks would maybe view this ride as slightly intimidating if you are not used to riding horses in truly natural terrain however I had faith in the horses and they got us through. See ya'll next year!

The reason this review does not get 5 stars is because we got lost getting there. I know many do, because once we did, the exasperated girl at the desk was giving someone else directions. Hint: if people get lost a lot, you need to put a bigger sign out. We got lost because the road forks, and we just had to decide which way to follow on our own. Problem is, the teeny tiny barely noticeable sign for the ranch says to go right. We even did a double take once we turned around after going 5 miles out of our way, and wondered why the sign was so ill-placed and small. Otherwise, the ride was enjoyable. Well, as enjoyable as walking through a mountain slowly on a horse can be. It was a lot of steep mountain hills and inclines, which made it interesting, but I wonder how safe it truly is for those unsure if they can handle 1-2 hours on a horse to begin with. I love horses and it was a gorgeous day, so it was a nice enjoyable experience. Wish we could have picked up the pace a little, but understandably they cant do that because not everyone can gallop or trot on a horse if they are a beginner. Also, if you do not like being immersed heavily in the woods, have an aversion to bugs or smelly animals, this is not for you. We literally were dodging ducking under/around trees. The path is not cleared out, you are literally walking through the woods on horses.

We went to Fort Valley Ranch for a 1 1/2 hour walking horseback ride with our three kids ages 8, 10, and 13. In our search for a stable, we found many that won't take kids under 10 and we wouldn't do it without everyone. Fort Valley Ranch took us last minute (called at 8 am for a 10 am ride) because they had openings. We had found out the place we had been trying to contact was closed on Mondays, our free day to ride and last day in the area. Fort Valley is closed on Wednesdays, FYI. Laura and Bill were very friendly and Bill was great as our guide, teaching us how to handle the horses. All minors must wear helmets, adults are given a choice. Our youngest child was placed just behind Bill in line and the line proceeded in ascending age order. We all had a great time, except for my husband, who didn't speak up about uncomfortable stirrups and suffered through it and wound up with a huge blister. Speak up, Bill and Laura will gladly make needed adjustments. A little pricey for a large family, but it's a long ride, too. It costs a lot to feed, house, and care for horses, so that's to be expected, in my opinion. Their prices were the same as the other area stable we were considering, and the same as one in another Virginia town we stayed in previously ($40 a person for the ride we chose - 1 1/2 hour walking). The trails on the mountain were peaceful and pretty. The horses were gentle (I had a little more experience riding and ended up with a horse that wanted to eat often and fight me to do it, but everyone elses was great). They are located about 20 minutes outside if intown Luray around windy mountain roads. Directions on mapquest seemed confusing because some of the roads change names often, but GPS got us there easily. A great place to go for a first time long ride, or choose a longer, more advanced ride for those with more experience, which I'm sure I would have loved. Bathrooms are glorified outhouses, no running water, just a seat, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer. No problem for me, but I know that could be hard for some not expecting it. Drinks available or purchase in the office.

Horse Trailer Living Quarters for us, Big Cabin for the daughter and her family, which included four (4) Grandchildren and a big corral for the horses. All around great week, with Bill and Laura and their Wrangler, Shane, treating us all like long lost friends. Weather was great and so were the horses in the hack line. Real MountainTrail Riding, hiking, photography, Luray Caverns close by, and a bona fide wild animal rescue zoo made the week a success. Super Walmart and Tractor Supply within easy driving distance, what more could you ask for....

We met some family for a few days away. The cabin we stayed in was clean enough with room for our whole family. We had a great trail ride and enjoyed some free time playing around the grounds. Bill and Laura were very accomdating and friendly.

Our yearly November long weekend trip to Fort Valley Stables could not have been better!Our horses were in covered corrals, and we stayed with friends in a cabin. Our cabin was comfortable, and we made full use of the kitchen facilities to prepare our meals.The weather cooperated, and we had hot dogs over the campfire outside our cabin on the first night. A nearby picnic table held our other food stuffs. Shane, one of the wranglers, stopped by and talked to us and answered all our questions. Friday we rode the Turkey Pen trail, and sure enough, spotted 5 huge turkeys. This was classified as an easy ride, which was correct. Saturday it was off to Kennedy's Peak, for a beautiful view of the valley. This ride is listed as intermediate, which it was, with a few rough spots.Sunday we did Lower Tasker's Gap, which is also intermediate. It provides distance views of Kennedy's Peak, and some other mountains. Bill was most helpful in helping us find our way. This is MOUNTAIN riding, for the most part. Make sure your horses are shod. Very peaceful stay, which is what we wanted!

We love staying at Fort Valley Ranch! Bill and Laura make us feel like we are at home. The whole family always has a great time... fishing, horseback riding, and just relaxing. Lots of fun for those who love the great outdoors!