Page 6 of 12

Gillespie Ranch, Mayhill NM

November 5, 2012 / Kelly Hurd / 0 Comments

Love this shot provided by Carol Grosvenor, showing her horses's mane flowing into the picturesque landscape at Gillespie Ranch. The ranch is located in the southern Sacramento Mountains just east of Cloudcroft.

Photo provided by Lin Sutherland

Website:www.gillespieranchulazy2.com

Address: Gillespie Ranch, P.O. Box 14, Mayhill, NM, 88339 (location: 562 Walker Canyon Road Mayhill, NM, 88339)

Contact: Kent & Susan Gillespie (575)687-3732
gillespie_ranch@yahoo.com

Directions:Head towards Mayhill, New Mexico from wherever you are – picking up Hwy 82. 1-1/2 miles east of Mayhill, off Hwy 82, look for road #607, aka Carr Gap Road. Turn north on Carr Gap Road (the only way you can go) for 3.5 miles to Walker Canyon Road. Go west on Walker Canyon Road for about 1.5 miles until you see the Gillespie Ranch sign and entrance. It is on the left, just before the second cattle guard. The ranch entrance has recently been widened and provides an easy access for big rigs. Follow the lane down to the right turn up to the campground. Give them a call when you turn onto Carr Gap Road – your cell phone may not work much further than that.

Camping: Equestrian camping is allowed!

Carol Grosvenor at Gillespie Ranch.

Facilities: 12 RV water and electric hookups (30, 50, and 110 amp.), individual sewer hookups, picnic tables, 12 covered 15 by 15 pipe stalls to include a 25 gallon water bucket for each stall, and a large hay barn. There is also a cozy cabin which easily sleeps four available to rent. A round pen and roping arena is also available.

Cost: Check with Kent and Susan for their current rates.

Mileage: Miles of trails, the exact amount is unknown at this time.

Map: Be sure to ask Kent or Susan for a map of the trails.

Dogs: Dogs are allowed at the ranch but need to be kept on a leash. No pets are allowed inside the cabin.

Hunting: Allowed

Terrain: The terrain is diverse; mostly dirt to few rocks in the low canyons and rocky to steep trails in the mountains.

Trail users: Trails are used by equestrians, hikers, bikers, and ATVs.

Cell Phone: The cell phone coverage at the ranch is poor.

Continue reading

Caddo Wildlife Refuge, Karnack TX

September 15, 2012 / Kelly Hurd / 0 Comments

Contributor: NETASA – Northeast Texas & Surrounding Areas, American Indian Horse riding club

Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge – WK Stephenson M.D. Equestrian Trail

Website: Be sure to review the site for park rules and additional informaiton.
Trails info Link: http://www.caddofriends.org/wildlifetrails.asp
Home site: http://www.caddofriends.org/

Location:
Karnack, Harrison County, TX
GPS Coordinates: 32.66795, -94.16782

Contact: Phone Number:
903-679-9144

E-mail:
Mark_Williams@fws.gov

Directions:
From Dallas (2 hours): take I-20 east to Marshall, TX, and get on Hwy. 59 North. Go through town to HWY. 43 North; take 43 North. In ten minutes or so, you will come up on 449 spur. Take a right on 449 (also a post office sign on Hwy. 43). Follow this for about 2 or 3 miles, and you will come to the intersection of 43 and Hwy. 134. There will be a post office on the opposite right corner and the Karnack Community Center on the opposite left corner. Go straight through the intersection and over the train tracks, and you will enter the refuge.

From Shreveport (1/2 to 3/4 hour) – Take I-20 West to Waskom, TX. At David Beard’s Catfish Restaurant, take Hwy. 134 North out of Waskom. Follow Hwy. 134 into Karnack. In Karnack, you will come to the intersection of Hwy. 134 and 43 (T.J. Taylor Avenue). Take a right past the post office and cross the train tracks, and you will enter the refuge.

Camping:There is no overnight camping.

Hours: Open from sun up to sun down.

Alamo River RV Resort, Von Ormy TX

August 26, 2012 / Kelly Hurd / 0 Comments

Alamo River RV Resort in Von Ormy, TX just south of San Antonio

(See trail description below provided by Deb Demers, thanks Deb for your most recent update detailing that as of Oct. 2016 most of the adjoining property is no longer accessible via horseback currently – hopefully that will change)

Lower Campground at Alamo River RV Resort

Riding along the Medina, image provided by Deb Demers.

Website:
http://www.alamoriver.com/
Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/alamoriver

Location: 12430 Trawalter Lane, Von Ormy, TX 78073

Latitude: 29 17′ 57″ N
Longitude:98 39′ 11″ W

Directions:
From the North or East: Take I-35 south (toward Laredo) to exit 140, Loop 1604. Turn Right onto Loop 1604 and drive 2/10 mile then turn Left onto Quintana access road. Drive 2/10 mile, cross RR tracks and make an immediate right turn onto Quintana Road. Drive 9/10 mile to first road on left, Trawalter Lane. Make left turn onto Trawalter Lane. Drive 7/10 mile and Alamo River RV Ranch is on your right at the end of Trawalter Lane.

From the West: Take I-35 East to Exit 140, At end of off ramp turn left onto Loop 1604 and drive 3/10 mile then turn Left onto Quintana access road. Drive 2/10 mile, cross RR tracks and make an immediate right turn onto Quintana Road. Drive 9/10 mile to first road on left, Trawalter Lane. Make left turn onto Trawalter Lane. Drive 7/10 mile and Alamo River RV Ranch is on your right at the end of Trawalter Lane.

From the North on Loop 1604: Proceed South on 1604 to 4-Way Stop sign at Old Pearsall Road. Go straight ahead 1 mile and turn right on Quintana Access Road and then an immediate left onto the Access Road. Drive 2/10 mile to next intersection and turn left onto Quintana Road. (Do NOT cross RR tracks). Drive 9/10 mile to first road on left, Trawalter Lane. Make left turn onto Trawalter Lane. Drive 7/10 mile and Alamo River RV Ranch is on your right at the end of Trawalter Lane.

View of the Medina River from the trail. Provided by Deb Demer.

Contact:
1-800-RV-Resort or 1-210-622-5022

Email:
info@alamoriver.com

Camping: Overnight camping with your horse is allowed! Horse camping is allowed on the lower campground which is located at the back of the park. Once you drive to the back of the park you take a right and head down hill on a cement driveway. This area of the park is beautiful, lined with large oaks and pecan trees, and it is just off of the Medina River. There is no lack of shade in this section of the park. The upper campground normally does not allow horse camping.

Cost: $10 for day riding. The rates on top with full hook up (30/50 amp, water and sewer) are $39 per
night and the rate for the full hookup sites down below (at the bottom of the concrete drive) are $45 per night. Water only hookups on the lower campground are $25. All of these include Free WiFi.Rates may change over time so always call before you haul.

Cabin: The park also has a Bedroom Cottage which is $50 per night during the week and $65 per night on the weekend.

Hours: Day use hours are 8am until sunset. If you are tent camping you are asked to be out of the park by sunset on the date of your departure.

Cell Phone Coverage: Cell phone service is very consistent in the park and on the trails. You can get 4G depending on the carrier but 3G and 2G is very reliable.

Dogs: Dogs are allowed but must be on leash at all times and not left unattended. The park asks that you please pick up after your dog. Dogs are not allowed on the trail with horses but you can walk them on leash.

Muleshoe Bend, Spicewood TX

August 10, 2012 / Kelly Hurd / 0 Comments

Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area – Lake Travis

Carol Grosvenor on Bug.

Contact: LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority)

Honor Box Payment System

(512) 473-3366 or
(800) 776-LCRA, Ext. 3366

Location: Spicewood, TX – close to Marble Falls and Northwest of Austin

Address:
2820 County Rd. 414
Spicewood, TX 78669

Coordinates: 30.486976,-98.098566 (+30° 29′ 13.11″, -98° 5′ 54.84″)

Google Map Link

Directions: From Texas 71 turn east (right if you are going north from Austin or Left if you are heading south coming from Marble Falls) on Co. Rd. 413/Greg Dr. which turns into Co. Rd. 404/Haynie Flat Rd. Turn left on Co. Rd. 414, this road will turn right and you will pass Hollingsworth Rd. and Exeter Rd. on the right. Stay on Co. Rd. 414 as it will go directly into Muleshoe Bend.

Camping: Camping with horses is allowed!

Cost: Day Riding: $5.00 and Primitive Camping: $10.00

Facilities: When entering Muleshoe Bend there is a nice female/male bathroom facility to the left which also has an outdoor shower, water fountains, rock benches under an awning, and a water faucet which you can hook a hose to and fill your water buckets. The rest of the park is primitive with no running water and a few chemical toilets. There is no designated equestrian trailhead. You can park at any of the camping areas or in the grass with your truck and trailer. Some of the campsites have picnic tables.

Dog: Dogs are allowed but are required to stay on leash.

Hunting: Not Allowed

Mileage: Unknown