Great Escapes 2002
A Guide to the State's Horse-Friendly Getaway Spots
by Lisa Broadwater

NOTE: This story was printed in June of 2002. Pricing and time related information may have changed.

When it comes to dude ranches, Arkansas isn't exactly the first place that comes to mind. But maybe a trip to Colorado or Montana or Wyoming just isn't in your future. That doesn't mean you're out of luck if you're looking for a place to rest, relax — and ride horses. Far from it.
Arkansas is chock-full of horse-friendly getaway spots, with something to suit just about everyone. Whether you've never sat astride a horse in your life (and aren't sure you want to), you're a novice rider looking for a opportunity to improve your skills or a lifelong equestrian in search of unexplored terrain, there's a place within shouting distance that caters to you. The state even boasts three real-live, certified dude ranches (i.e., members of the Dude Ranchers' Association) — one of which has been around for almost 50 years.
So if you're looking for a place to saddle up and head out on an outdoor adventure, look no further. Have we got some places for you.

If You Want the Whole “Dude” Nine Yards

Scott Valley Resort and Guest Ranch
Location: 7 miles south of Mountain Home, off Hwy. 5 (in between the White River and Lake Norfork)
Owner: Kathleen Cooper
How long in business: The ranch has been in existence 49 years; Cooper has owned it for 17
Size of property: 214 acres (but access to ride on close to 1,000 acres)
Accommodations: Cooper aptly describes the main facility as "a 1955 Holiday Inn without TV or telephone" (there is maid service). There's also a new cabin, "The House in the Woods," which is within walking distance of the pool; and the five-bedroom Hilltop Hideaway, which offers a secluded getaway with a 360-degree view of the Ozarks.
Rates for main facility: Weekly — summer: $870 adults, $750 children 5-12, $450 children 2-4, free children under 2 (includes meals and unlimited riding); spring/fall: $690 adults, $570 children 5-12, $330 children 2-4. Nightly — summer: $145 adults, $125 children 5-12, $75 children 2-4; spring/fall: adults $115, children 5-12 $95, children 2-4 $55.
Bring your own horse? You can if you rent the Hilltop Hideway, but Cooper has plenty available — 66, mostly Missouri Foxtrotters.
Season: March-November (but she'll open in winter with reservations)
Meals included: Yes
Other activities available: Swimming pool, game room, badminton, tennis; volleyball; nature trails; canoeing; horseshoes; shuffleboard; full playground; petting zoo; skiing, sailing and scuba diving (extra charge).
For more info: (888) 855-7747 or (870) 425-5136; Web site: www.scottvalley.com and www.guestranches.com/scottvalley/

In the past decade, Scott Valley has had its share of good press; it's been written up in everything from Western Horseman and Best Places to Stay in the South to Family Circle and Good Housekeeping. With good reason. This is about as friendly — not to mention, as family-friendly — a destination as you're going to find. Owner Kathleen Cooper is a fine host — low-key, easygoing, generous and eager to accommodate.
Here's how she describes Scott Valley:
"We’re a ranch for people who think they'd like to try a ranch but aren't sure. Because at a lot of real ranches, if you don’t like horseback riding, you’re in big trouble. But there are plenty of things to do here, if some of the family likes to ride but the rest don’t. We have golfing and fishing and boating, things they can do on the lake. And the people who like to ride can ride. And let me tell you, these horses have made horseback riders out of people who have had bad experiences.
"Our horses are really good horses because they’re allowed to be as free as possible. The guests have to sign up for a ride; we’re not saddling up a horse under a tree to wait for you. And guests have unlimited riding, with a minimum of two rides a day. In the spring and fall, they’ll just ride until their little legs fall off."

Horseshoe Canyon Ranch
Location: 7.5 miles west of Jasper off Hwy. 74
Owners: Jerry Johnson and his son, Barry Johnson
How long in business: 5 years
Size of property: 350 acres, with additional access
Accommodations: main lodge plus 6 cabins; none of the cabins have TV or telephones; TV room in the lodge.
Rates: Weekly — summer: $945 adults, $840 children 8-12, $485 children 3-7, free children 2 and under, $840 non-riders; spring/fall: $755 adults, $650 children 8-12, $380 children 3-7, free 2 and under, non riders $650. 3-night minimum in season; 2-night minimum off-season.
Bring your own horse? Only during the off season — with advance notice; $10 a day. The ranch has between 50 and 60 horses, of all breeds. "We don't have any gaited because they're too fast," Amy Johnson says; "mostly stock types."
Season: end of May-August
Meals included: Yes
Other activities available: Hiking, rock climbing, swimming pool, youth program (includes "Buckaroo Ranch," which introduces young kids to farm animals), canoeing on the Buffalo National River
For more info: (800) 480-9635; Web site: www.horseshoecanyon.com

When it comes to guest ranches, Barry and Amy Johnson know their stuff: They met while working on a guest ranch in Wyoming (Amy’s from Utah; Barry’s from North Little Rock). And they couldn't have picked a more picturesque locale for their own place. Nestled in a deep valley fronted on one side by imposing limestone bluffs and the other by dense woodlands, Horseshoe Canyon is a feast for the eyes. And in terms of area accommodations, it most closely matches the image of the classic dude ranch.
As for the riding, "I'd say a beginner would have more fun than an advanced person," Amy Johnson says. "In fact, we find that a lot of people who are advanced bring their family members who don't ride or that are afraid of horses. They still have fun, because we have so many other activities.
"We've got rock climbing — we climb on all the bluffs around us, and we've got a small rock wall in the barn. We go canoeing during the first part of the season. If you're here all week and you wish, you can go to Sliver Dollar City or Branson. And we've got this really neat girl who does the children's program for kids who aren't old enough to ride or don't want to ride. She takes them on nature hikes — she knows all the flora and fauna, all the bugs, all the birds."
Ranch guests go on two rides a day (morning and evening), which last about 45 minutes to an hour and a half. This year, an advanced ride has been added.
"The first part of the week they all kind of do the same thing and then we split them up," Amy says. "And we've got arena games, and on Saturday we have a little ranch rodeo-type thing, where the employees put on a little show."

Lost Spur Guest Ranch
Location: about 16 miles northeast of Harrison
Owners: Lynn and T. J. Hunter
How long in business: 10 years
Size of property: 150 acres
Accommodations: 4 cedar cabins and a homestead cottage; 1 cabin equipped with kitchen available during the off-season (Nov. 1-March 1).
Rates: Summer — Weekly (Sunday-Saturday): Adults $995, children 4-17 $590; Sunday-Wednesday: Adults $495, children 4-17 $295; Wednesday-Saturday: Adults $520, children 4-17 $310. Spring/fall — Wednesday-Saturday: Adults $395, children 4-17 $250.
Bring your own horse? Yes, no additional charge. Negative Coggins required. Ranch has 9 horses: Appaloosas, a Thoroughbred, Quarter horses.
Season: Summer (May-August), Spring (March, April), Fall (September-October)
Meals included: Yes
Other activities available: fishing, canoeing, swimming, horseback riding, hay rides, games, karaoke, volleyball
For more info: (800) 774-2414 or (870) 425-5136; Web site: www.lostspur.com or www.guestranches.com/lostspur/

Here's what I love most about Lost Spur: It really is its own little world. Located far off the beaten path in the hills north of Harrison, its sprawling expanse includes not just good riding trails but a beautiful stretch of Crooked Creek — within a stone's throw of the ranch’s dining hall and cabins. Want to indulge in an afternoon of bass fishing? No problem. Decide you want to go for a little swim or maybe a canoe float? Just say the word. Ready to scale that daunting 250-foot bluff? Sure thing — the trails are marked.
Oh, yeah. Riding lessons are available too, courtesy of a young wrangler, Gwen Evans, who not only rides Western but has studied English and jumping. (She also organizes various children's programs during the afternoons.) Guests can go on two trail rides a day (they'll need to sign up the night before).
Hosts Lynn and T.J. Hunter originally hailed from Texas. They established Lost Spur, Lynn says, because "We've always had horses and livestock. We would take our kids to dude ranches on vacation down in Texas. We always liked it and wanted to do it."
Every Tuesday night, the ranch hosts either a group of bluegrass players or a dance band; every Friday night, there's a chuckwagon dinner, both are open to the public.

If You've Never Ridden

Panther Valley Ranch
Location: 5 miles east of Hot Springs
Owners: Roger and Jerrie Stanage
How long in business: 11 years
Size of property: 120 acres
Accommodations: Ranch House (sleeps 12), Bunk House (sleeps 20), Loft (sleeps 8), Oak Suite (sleeps 6), Pine Suite (sleeps 4). Also, RV campgrounds.
Rates: Ranch House — $120 per night, Bunk House — $200 per night, Loft —$100 per night, Oak Suite — $100, Pine Suite — $80. Horseback riding: $15 per hour. Steak dinner ride: $40.
Bring your own horse? Yes, $10 per night. Negative Coggins required. Barn has about 25 stalls. Guests with horses can ride unguided on the ranch's trails. Ranch has 13 horses, mostly Quarter horses. No riding on Sundays.
Season: Open year-round
Meals included: No. All cabins have full kitchens.
Other activities available: Fishing, hiking, creek wading, volleyball, horseshoes, campouts.
For more info: (501) 623-5556; Web site: www.panthervalleyranch.com

Panther Valley is only five minutes from downtown Hot Springs and just a hop, skip and jump from Magic Springs and Crystal Falls. So it comes as no surprise to hear owner Roger Stanage say, "We get a lot of tourists on vacation. They’ll kind of make this their headquarters, and they’ll check in, maybe go for a horseback ride then go into Hot Springs. I tell them to go for a horseback ride, then go into town and get a hot bath and massage."
Sounds good to me. Especially if you have a passel of folks of all ages with wide-ranging interests to please. The ranch is located deep enough in a valley that it feels remote, which is ideal for those interested in going on one of Panther Valley's numerous trail rides (they depart at 9 and 10:30 a.m., noon, and 1:30, 3 and 4:30 p.m.; you can also book a 6 p.m. steak dinner ride). But don't forget: This is trail-riding at its most basic.
"Really, it’s just a scenic ride," Stanage says. "Sometimes experienced people come out and they’ll just go for the scenic ride, but it’s nothing difficult.
"We’ll usually take about 10 out at a time. It’s just a scenic walking tour. You come into the paddock; we do a short orientation with the horses. Then you go out on a beautiful trail all back through the woods, you cross a creek, you go through the valley and then you come back in.”
For those who'd like to vicariously experience the outdoors, there's a horseback overnight camping adventure ($75 per person for four or more), in which the guides saddle your horse, pitch your tent, build the campfire, cook a steak dinner and a ranch-style breakfast while you enjoy the ride.
Also on the property: "The Witness," a musical passion play about the life of Jesus. The passion play is held each Friday and Saturday night from June to mid-October in a 1,000-seat amphitheater that Stanage built (and leases to the nonprofit group that stages "The Witness').

If You Want to Do More than Just Ride

Dinner Bell Ranch and Resort
Location: About 6 miles south of Eureka Springs in the Winona Valley
Owners: Bob and Geralyn Hartman
How long in business: 8 years
Size of property: 140 acres
Accommodations: 4 luxury cabins: king-size beds, large Jacuzzi tubs, full kitchen, living room with fireplace, covered porch
Rates: Cabins — $139-$149 per night for 2 ($10 per extra person). Trail rides: $15 for 1 hour; $30 for 2 hours; $75 for half-day. Breakfast, lunch or dinner ride: $25.
Bring your own horse? No. The ranch has about 30 horses of various breeds, including Paints, Quarter horses, half-Belgian/half Quarter, half-Thoroughbred/half-Quarter, Appaloosas. All rides are guided.
Season: Open year-round
Meals included: The cabins, which have full kitchens, come with a continental cowboy breakfast.
Other activities available: canoeing, weddings, hay rides; breakfast, lunch or dinner rides
For more info: (800) 684-3324 or (479) 253-2900; Web site: dinnerbellranchandresort.com

OK, here's something you won't find at just any vacation destination: a proprietor who can — and will — marry you on horseback. That's right, owner Geralyn Hartman is happy to oblige those who'd like to saddle up — flowing white gown and all — to say their I Do's. She'll provide the horses — plus a cake, champagne for two, flowers for the bride and a videotape of the wedding, if you're so inclined (prices start at $100). Or if you'd rather ride in an antique horse carriage to the quaint Winona Country Church and get married there (built circa 1860, the church holds up to 50 people), she'll do that too. And she has — time and again. (She estimates she married between 600 and 700 folks last year.) And since the Dinner Bell opened its new luxury cabins last October, she has married about 30 couples in their cabins (it's free).
As tempting as that sounds, I'm more drawn to another of the Dinner Bell's offerings: The Saddle and Paddle ($55), which features an hour horseback ride and 7 1/2 mile float trip down the King's River.
Weddings aside, the Dinner Bell draws its share of families, too.
"We do a lot of hay rides and family reunions," Geralyn says. " I think the biggest compliment we get is that everybody's real friendly and real helpful. We really try to accommodate kids. I don't want a kid on a horse who's scared, and I don't mind taking the time to help them out."

Hidden Valley Guest Ranch
Location: Western edge of Eureka Springs
Owners: Tandy and Jordan Maxfield
How long in business: Owned the cabins for 8 years; added trailriding 3 years ago
Size of property: 650 acres
Accommodations: 5 luxury log cabins (with Jacuzzi, fireplace, sunken living room, stained-glass windows and panoramic views) — two are suited for children; three are adults only. There's also a 3-bedroom cottage and primitive camping (an open meadow where you can tie horses and park trailers).
Rates: Cabins — $149-$189 per night for 2 ($20 more during October and holidays). Cottage: $189 per night. Trail rides: $19 for basic ride; $29 for wilderness rides. Picnic rides also available.
Bring your own horse? Yes; $10 per day for stall or grassy meadow. Negative Coggins required. Owners have about 12 horses, mostly Paints and a few registered Quarter horses.
Season: Open year-round
Meals included: No, except fridge is stocked with breakfast supplies (i.e., a dozen eggs, a pound of bacon, juice, milk, pancake mix).
Other activities available: hiking, bird watching, gallery hopping, shopping
For more info: (888) 443-3368 or (501) 253-9777; Web site: www.hiddenvalleyguestranch.com

Like the Dinner Bell, Hidden Valley is in Eureka Springs, which means you've got a world of activities at your feet. In fact, the ranch is just across the street from Lake Leatherwood and just around the corner from Thorncrown Chapel — not to mention, five minutes away from great shopping, antiqueing and dining. Not that you'd realize it when you're at the ranch, which is located deep in a steep valley that's completely hidden from view unless you're in it.
"It's very relaxing here," says owner Tandy Maxfield. "People come in absolutely wired. And I'll say, "OK, go to the cabin, take a Jacuzzi, have a nap and come back and talk to me tomorrow.' And then they're just brand-new by Sunday.
"The smart ones just get in the cabins and then wander around Hidden Valley. Now, some people throw their bags down and go to town and race around to the shows and do all that. Some people do a nice balance, where they find some galleries, rest, ride horses. And a lot of people just come and sit down and let us worry about stuff."
Because of its location — in one of the state's biggest tourist towns — the ranch caters primarily to novice riders.
"What we mainly try to do is give the beginner a very positive and confident experience so they'll try again," Maxfield says. "We're trying to build horse interest."
"We don't like to take out a big group, ideally four to six," says trail boss Roy Belt. "Family size. That way they can ride side-by-side and can visit. We have about three different trail rides we take, depending on the people. We have a challenging ride that goes up over the hill."
"It's quite enjoyable here," Maxfied adds, "if you like the idea of a luxury cabin on a rustic place. They're large and they're not crammed up against each other. There are seven windows in each cabin, and no matter which window you're looking out, you're just seeing nature. You're not seeing anything or anybody. And people seem to really need that."

Rimrock Cove Ranch
Location: 9 miles north of Ponca
Owners: Toni and Dennis Albers
How long in business: 15 years
Size of property: 180 acres
Accommodations: New cedar log cabin that sleeps seven
Rates: $100 per night for 2; $10 each additional person age 6 and above. 2-night minimum. Horseback rides: $15 per hour (minimum charge per group: $50; hay ride: $75.
Bring your own horse? No. The owners raise Suffolk draft horses, and cross them with various breeds. They use six Suffolk-crosses on their trail rides.
Season: Open year-round
Meals included: No. Cabin has full kitchen. Will do a lunch ride or chuckwagon dinner for larger groups.
Other activities available: canoeing on the Buffalo (owners will make reservations with outfitters), hiking, caving
For more info: (870) 553-2556; Web site: www.rimrockcoveranch.com

There aren't a lot of bells and whistles at Rimrock Cove. Just a fabulous new log cabin in an equally fabulous setting — where you might spend days and not cross paths with another person — and the opportunity to ride a breed of horse you've probably never ridden.
The Albers raise and train Suffolk draft horses; for their trail horses, they've bred the Suffolks with various other breeds. The result, says owner Toni Albers, is a smooth, easygoing ride on a sturdy, surefooted mount.
The cabin (which the Albers built themselves) is situated on the side of a hill on the edge of a pond overlooking an expansive valley near the upper Buffalo River. The wrap-around porch, which extends all the way around the cabin, provides some first-rate viewing; the Arts and Crafts-style furnishings are rugged yet inviting.
"Most people who come here are looking for a place to get away where it’s quiet," says Albers. "A lot of them come to go canoeing. There’s also a lot of hiking; there are many trails — we have some, there are a lot in the National Park, some go up the tributaries to the Buffalo River. They go up into caves. And there’s a lot of antiqueing in the area, a lot of flea markets."

If You Want to Do Your Own Thing

Bar Fifty Ranch Bed & Breakfast Lodge
Location: About 6 miles east of Bismarck
Owners: Bette Clay and Julian McKinney
How long in business: 6 years
Size of property: 160 acres
Accommodations: Lodge with 2-room suites, plus 2 cedar log cabins (2 more being built). Horsecamp/RV camp, and tent camping.
Rates: Lodge: $80 per night for 2 with breakfast included; $15 per additional person age 4 and up. Cabins: $120 per night for 2 (breakfast not included); $10 for each additional person age 4 and up. 2-night minimum in cabins. 2-night minimum in lodge during holidays. RV hookup (includes water, electricity and a pen for the horses): $20 per night. Tent camping: $7.50 per night. Horseback rides: $18 for about an hour and 15 minutes (group rates for 7 or more).
Bring your own horse? Yes. Negative Coggins required. Barn: $15 per stall per night; 2 or more nights $12.50. Pen with cabin: $5 per night. The owners have 15 gaited horses available for trail riding.
Season: Open year-round
Meals included: Breakfast in the lodge; rooms have microwave, refrigerator and coffee maker; cabins have full kitchens.
Other activities available: Catch and release fishing, paddleboating, hiking, swimming pool/hot tub/sauna, horseshoes, volleyball
For more info: (888) 829-9570 or (501) 865-4757; Web site: bbonline.com/ar/barfifty

The Bar Fifty is the least secluded of the places I visited (it's right on Highway 84), which makes escaping a little tougher for those of us easily distracted by the whir of passing cars. But that's easily enough remedied: opt for the cabins (which are located about a mile into the woods, just past the RV/horse camp) instead of the lodge. Granted, then you'll miss the casual camaraderie that's inherent in a working farm, especially when you've got a front-row seat to all the activity (the lodge is fronted by an expansive porch lined with rockers).
Here's another draw, for those who favor gaited horses: The owners raise Tennessee Walkers and Peruvian Pasos, which they've crossed to get Tennuvians. (Where else can you ride a Tennuvian?)
And don't be expecting a cookie-cutter guided ride.
"We customize our rides; you ride by appointment only," says owner Bette Clay. "If you want a nice, slow, gentle ride, that’s what we do. If you want a nice, fast running ride, that’s what we do."
And just how much riding is there out here?
According to Clay, "20,000 acres — there are so many trails out there. A couple of women riders had heard about us and came to scope it out for the rest of their group. They said, ‘We were told there isn’t enough riding for a week here.’ They came back and said, ‘We’re gonna go back and tell them they were wrong. You can ride for weeks back there and never ride the same trails twice!'
"We have two trails going off the mountain — one on each side. Then you get down in the valley and you can just ride and ride. There’s a nice-size waterfall back there; it’s probably 20 feet.
"We do a trail ride package, that’s two nights in the lodge and about a 3 1/2 hour-round-trip ride to the waterfall, where we have a picnic lunch (it’s $298 for two people). Everybody that comes here wants to go to the waterfalls. Once they find it, they get adventurous and go everywhere else."

Red Rock Retreat
Location: 12 miles south of Jasper
Owner: Sandy Swayne
How long in business: 9 years
Size of property: 130 acres
Accommodations: 2 log cabins
Rates: Cedar Creek Cabin (2 bedrooms): $85 per night for 2; Hickory Hill Cabin (3 bedrooms): $100 per night for 2. 2-night minimum.
Bring your own horse? Yes, $10 per day. Negative Coggins required. (Swayne used to raise Lippizaners and still has a couple, if you're the curious sort.)
Season: Open year-round
Meals included: No
Other activities available: hiking, birdwatching, 4-wheeling
For more info: (870) 434-5316; Web site: www.ozarkcabins.com/redrockretreat

This is, without a doubt, the most remote location I visited — don't even think about making the journey without bringing along the map that owner Sandy Swayne provides on her Web site. Which is exactly why we love it. If you're looking for a place to get away from it all — and want to take your horses along for the ride — this is ideal.
Swayne and her husband built the cabins themselves; they're extremely cozy and extremely private, and they provide incredible views of the woodlands just beyond your front door.
So why do most folks come here?
"To sit on the porch and look at the mountains," Swayne says. "A lot of people don't go anywhere. You'd think they'd come for canoeing or whatever — and a few people canoe, some people go to Branson, some hike on the trails on the Buffalo — but a lot of people just come and sit.
"We're on the edge of the national forest, so there are miles and miles of trails back behind us," she adds. "They're not really marked, but four-wheelers and horses use them. And I provide maps. Occasionally, I'll go riding with people." Consider yourself lucky if Sandy agrees to go with you.

Creek's End Riverside Retreat
Location: 6 miles southwest of Parthenon, where the Little Buffalo River meets Thomas Creek
Owners: Annie Holmes Jenkins and Susy Mercer
How long in business: 1 year
Size of property: 23 acres, but riding access to the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest
Accommodations: 1 house that sleeps up to 12 people
Rates: $95 per night for 2, $10 per additional person. 2-night minimum.
Bring your own horse? Yes; $10 per night. Negative Coggins required. Horses can also be rented in the area.
Season: Open year-round
Meals included: No, but Annie stocks the cookie jar with homemade cookies and the fridge with her own farm-fresh eggs. The house has a fully stocked kitchen.
Other activities available: Hiking, canoeing, cave tours, swimming, rock climbing
For more info: (870) 861-5877; Web site: www.creeks-end.com

I've written about Creek's End before, and I'll probably write about it again. What's not to love about a home-away-from-home perched at the edge of the Little Buffalo? That's what this place feels like, anyway — a home. That's partly because it was a home before it became Creek's End.
What's also great about this place is that it's just as appealing as a romantic getaway as it is a family-reunion home base. The secluded locale all but guarantees complete privacy, while the massive deck fairly screams "party" (the ever-present twinkle lights further the ambiance).
And if it's first-rate riding you're looking for, you've come to the right place.
"We’ve got hiking trails all over Daniels Mountain, and we’ve got wet hiking trails, where you cross the creek, and there’s access to all the National Forest trails, and I’ve been developing those for 25 years," Holmes Jenkins says.
There are maps to the trails at the inn. But if Annie's willling to ride with you, by all means take her up on the offer.

Spirit Mountain Lodge and Cabins
Location: 18 miles north of Ozark on Highway 23
Owners: Rex and Gwen Benham
How long in business: 4 years
Size of property: 250 acres
Accommodations: Wide range, including a 5,000-square-foot lodge (which is rented only in its entirety and includes 8 bedrooms, only 3 of which have private baths), 2 authentic log cabins, a turn-of-the-century Sears-Roebuck catalog farmhouse and a barn loft
Rates: Cabins — $82-$135. Barn loft: $90. Both based on double occupancy. Lodge: 1-6 guests, $335; 7 or more guests: $50 per guest.
Bring your own horse? Yes, $10 per night. Negative Coggins required (no stallions). No horses available for rental.
Season: Open year-round
Meals included: Breakfast is included if you stay in the lodge; other meals can be catered upon request
Other activities available: Canoeing on the Mulberry River at Turner Bend; guided backpacking trips and day hikes (through Hete's Hikes), wine tasting and winery tours at 4 nearby wineries, two golf courses within 30-minute drive, cave exploring, panning for gold
For more info: (479) 667-1919; Web site: www.spiritmountainlodge.com

Owners Rex and Gwen Benham aren't horse people, but they have plenty to offer those who are. The property boasts three barns (one of which includes a small indoor arena and all of which have electricity, treated water and natural gas) plus plenty of pasture. But the real draw here is the land itself. This is some beautiful country.
"We're surrounded by the national forest," Rex Benham explains. "So, for horse people, there's literally hundreds of miles of trails. They run as far as you can see. There's old logging trail and national forest trails, multipurpose trails and we've cut out some trails. We tried to do it like a ski resort, where you have bunny trails for amateurs. There's about five miles of really level bunny trails. So if you don't want anything real arduous, you can just putt-putt around here all day long.
"Then there are trails down to our waterfalls, which take an experienced rider. And that's really beautiful. The closest recreationally known trail is the Mill Creek Trail. You can access it from here, but you have to go aways to get to it, or you can trailer to it. But you don't need to go to it, because there's so much around here."
The Benhams will provide guides for guests, if they're requested, "but most people just take off and go by themselves," Rex says.

Log Cabin Retreat at Rockin' Z Ranch
Location: about 6 miles south of Alpena
Owners: Steve and Karen Hamm
How long in business: 6 1/2 years (the ranch)
Size of property: 900-plus acres
Accommodations: 5 two-story cabins (each sleeps 6), plus Staff House (3 bedrooms; can sleep 12)
Rates: Cabins and Staff House: $125 per night (if bedding provided), $100 per night (with your own bedding). Riding: $15 for an hour; 2 hours for $20.
Bring your own horse? "We haven't worked out all the details, but if someone wanted to, I'm sure we could accommodate them," Karen Hamm says. The Hamms own about 14 horses; most are stock horses. All riding is guided — "unless they're real good riders," Karen says.
Season: Open year-round
Meals included: No; cabins have full kitchens.
Other activities available: fishing, hiking, caving
For more info: (870) 553-2308; Web site: www.rockinzranch.com

This is the first year for the Log Cabin Retreat, so consider it a work in progress. The Hamms built the cabins for a ministry to delinquent young men, but the group later bought their own property nearby, so the owners have remodeled the cabins and opened them as vacation destinations. They're good-looking cabins, and each offers a great deal of privacy. As for riding routes, you won't be disappointed. There are plenty of fine trails to explore.
"My husband Steve, and son, Josh, have been all over the mountain, so they know plenty of places to go," Karen Hamm says.
As for other available activities, "We have a bunch of ponds — at least nine that I know of," Karen says. "We stocked them a couple of years ago, and several of them have really good fishing. We also have a cave, which I hear is incredible."

Wit's End Ranch
Location: Highway 65 at St. Joe (across from Coursey’s Smoked Meats)
Manager: Gerrie Arthur
How long in business: 8 years
Size of property: 60 acres
Accommodations: Ranch House (sleeps at least 18) and Bunk House (sleeps 12).
Rates: Ranchhouse — $155 for 4; $15 for each additional person. Bunkhouse — $90 for 6, $15 each additional person. Another facility (with horse pen) is available about a mile away.
Bring your own horse? Yes. $5 per night for 10X10 pen. Negative Coggins required.
Season: Open year-round
Meals included: No; both houses have full kitchens.
Other activities available: hiking, birdwatching
For more info: (870) 439-2388; Web site: http://home.att.net/~witsendarranch/wsb

If you've got a good-sized group that's in the market for a quiet escape, this is it. You'll have to generate your own fun, though — you're totally on your own here. But the Ranch House is a comfortable setting, with an impressive deck overlooking an even more impressive vista.
As manager Gerrie Arthur puts it, "It’s very peaceful here, very relaxing. It’s like getting back to nature."
You definitely won't lack for riding opportunities, either.
"This adjoins the National Park; you come out in these fields and pick up park trails," Arthur explains. "We also have some trails on the property. A lot of people trailer down to Woolum or the 65 Bridge. They can even trailer over to Sylamore National Forest."

Lum's Mountain Guest Ranch
Location: Highway 65 between St. Joe and Pindall
Owners: Lum and Donna Ellis
How long in business: 5 years
Size of property: 150 acres
Accommodations: 7 cabins (all but 1 can sleep 4; 5th sleeps 5). RV park, tent camping, 2 bunkhouses
Rates: Package for cabins including 2 nights' lodging and 5 meals for 2 (bring your own linens) — Weekends: $75; weekdays: $65. (Other options available.) Bunkhouse: $10 per night. RV/horse camp: $16 per night for 2; $2 per additional adult, $1 per child. Tent camping: $4 per person per night. Group rates available.
Bring your own horse? Yes, $5 per night for corral. Negative Coggins required. Owners lease horses for trail riding; various breeds. Riding is guided; however, "If the riders are experienced enough, they can go off on their own," Lum says.
Season: May-mid-November
Meals included: Yes, upon request. On-site cafe also.
Other activities available: hiking, fishing pond, rock hounding, shopping, canoeing nearby, live musical entertainment Friday and Saturday nights at on-site theater.
For more info: (870) 439-2678; Web site: www.lumsmountain.com

If you've ever driven north on Highway 65 toward Harrison, you've seen Lum's — the barrage of signs announcing its arrival is impossible to miss. And with that row of re-created frontier town storefronts, the emphasis on the L'il Abner brand of tourism is also impossible to miss. But behind all the aw-shucks hillbilly charm is a real slice of history (after researching the history of the buildings here, which once housed a furniture factory used to make ammunition boxes during World War II, the Ellises got the place listed on the Arkansas Register of Historic Places).
And just around the corner (actually, over the ridge) is some beautiful country. So if it's unexplored territory you're looking for, you'll find it in abundance here.
"To ride the Buffalo River trails and back, it’s about an eight-hour, all-day thing," Lum Ellis says. "Some people trailer there. If they don’t want to ride to Woolum, we’ll take them.
“We just blazed a trail from here to Woolum,” he adds. “It’s about an hour and a half ride to the trailhead there, and it’s out of this world. You ride down to Mill Creek and then cross the old railroad bed. But it’s probably best for people who have ridden trails a lot.”

Other Options
We would have loved to visit every area vacation destination that caters to horse lovers, but we ran out of time. Here’s a quick look at several other horse-friendly locales.

Mountain Meadows Horse Ranch (15 miles north of Ozark) — Located on top of a mountain in the Ozark National Forest, the ranch offers a secluded escape with spectacular vistas. Guest house is 1/4 mile from the main house and only a few feet from the national forest (stay can include meals, at extra charge). The ranch offers riding lessons for beginners plus trail rides (on gaited horses); can bring your own horses. (479) 497-2127; www.ozarktrailrides.com

Buffalo River Outfitters (St. Joe) — Offers both short and long rides (even overnight guided trips) tailored to suit your skill level, plus fishing, floating, hiking and mountain biking. Property includes Bear Creek, open pasture land and forests. Luxury log cabins, group cabins and family cabins available. (800) 582-2244 or (870) 439-2244; www.buffalorivercabins.com

Buffalo Outdoor Center (Ponca) — Offers two scenic trail rides: a two-hour ride and a day ride including lunch) plus canoe and raft rentals, and hot-air balloon rides. A variety of cabins available. (800) 221-5514; www.buffaloriver.com

Tall Pine Horse Resort (Norfork) — Offers 250,000-plus acres of public land and endless trail riding (it’s located near the Buffalo River National Park, Ozark National Forest, Sylamore Experimental Forest and Leatherwood Wilderness Area). First trip includes free guide service with a cabin rental. (870) 499-7574; www.trailriding.net

Tickled Pink Guest Ranch and Cottages (Octavia, Okla.) — Located in the Kiamichi Mountains (about 45 minutes from Mena), on Department of Wildlife land, with some 725,000 acres to explore and 250 miles of marked trails. Lodge, camping and log cabins on the creek (with corrals) available. (580) 244-3729; www.agonline.com/tickledpink/