About Sugarlands Riding Stables
Sugarlands Riding Stables offers guided horseback trail rides through the Sugarlands Valley of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, just minutes from downtown Gatlinburg. Operating inside the national park boundary, it is one of the few stables with a federal concession permit, giving riders direct access to park trails that are closed to motorized vehicles. The stables have been a Gatlinburg staple for decades.
Rides range from one-hour introductory outings to longer two-hour excursions that follow creekside trails deeper into the forest. No riding experience is required — the horses are trail-trained and guides match riders to mounts based on skill level. Group sizes are kept manageable so each outing feels personal rather than assembly-line, and the pace is relaxed enough for families with children.
What makes Sugarlands special is the location: you are riding through actual Great Smoky Mountains National Park forest, crossing streams and passing old-growth trees, not a fenced ranch paddock. It is one of the most authentic ways to experience the Smokies at a slower pace, and the proximity to Gatlinburg makes it easy to combine with other activities in town.
