For those who love hiking but want to try something a little different without experiencing the usual sore muscles, an alternative awaits at Luxor Corrals.
You’ll team up with a majestic animal, follow some of the most experienced horsemen in the Columbia Valley, witness breathtaking sights, and maybe even bump into some wildlife along the way.
Whether you’re looking for a quick one-hour ride, or if you’re a hunter needing horses to pack in camp for days — Luxor Corrals caters to every rider, from first-timers to seasoned cowboys.
First-timers need not fear — the well-trained horses and mules all enjoy meeting new riders, and they know to lead their partners through the trails at a comfortable pace.
“We generally ride the trails between Kindersley and Luxor creek, and occasionally we cross over Kindersley,” co-owner Cheryl Condy told The Valley Echo. “And if we have riders who are scared of heights we stick to the flatter trails.”
Luxor Corrals offers an overnight ride, where riders share meals, stake a campout, and experience hours of trail riding with an experienced guide.
“The overnight ride loops around Mule Deer Mountain,” Cheryl said. “That trail was used hundreds of years ago by the native people to go over the Luxor pass and head into Alberta — so the horses have been riding up this creek for many, many years.”
Cheryl, who’s been riding since the age of two, discovered the Luxor Corrals property with her husband Doug Goodwin.
“All I could think was, ‘This would be really nice trail riding,’ ” she said. “So we applied to the Crown — they said okay and here we are.”
The roster of horses at Luxor can be seen online at www.luxortrailhorse.com, or in person at the ranch. Cheryl and Doug have a range of breeds, as they try to collect one of each.
“They’re all different breeds, we’d like a menagerie of different breeds; about half horses, half mules,” Cheryl said.
The riding facility hosted its first-ever horseback archery competition earlier in July, which will hopefully become an annual tradition, and Doug will be teaching the skill at a spring camp in 2014.
Long pants are recommended for all riders, and the minimum age to mount is eight. Luxor Corrals can be found by driving ten minutes north of Radium on Highway 95. Call 250-688-0280 to book your adventure.