Northwestern Lake Riding Stables

This place is amazing. Family run business, animals are healthy… yes.
We took the 2 hour Timberline Ride and it was awesome! We arrived 15 minutes prior to our start time to complete the waivers/​safety acknowledgements and Cindy provided an in-​depth horse riding how-​to. Our group included a family of 4 with two teen-​ish children so this might have been more in-​depth than «usual» but all very helpful information. After the class, we were paired up with our horses and mounted up for the ride. Mike lead the us, a group of 6, and Taegan (probably not spelling that right) was keeping us going from the back. We rode into the trees, along streams, into the pasture, up to the tree ridge, then back down into woods and trails. All beautiful scenery.
This is a full two-​hour ride! I thought the ride was going to be a little shorter because the class was about 30 minutes but we were out for the full two hours. Also, I’m glad I checked out their website and read the FAQ. Pants/​boots without laces and bring a scarf. It came in handy when we were in the pasture, we picked up the pace and kicked up some dust… again, so fun. Also, we were in the woods… trees and branches abound! I went horseback riding before and didn’t get above a walk to it was really nice that we could trot and/​or cantor.
Mike would pause and check on the group throughout the ride to make sure everyone was doing well. The family of 4 selected the photo package so he took several photos of them throughout the ride. Looking back, I would’ve liked to do this. I had my phone and I tried to take a few here and there but he got some really good photos of them.
Taegan (again probably not spelling that right) at the end of the line was great. That was the first time I had someone following the group of riders which was really nice to have. He filled us in on a lot of cool stuff about the property, the horses, and their lifestyle running the stables. We always like to learn about the day-​to-​day when we travel so we appreciated his patience with all of our questions. :)
We returned to the stables and were helped off our horses. A great experience!
NOTE: Someone that was leaving stopped us in the parking lot when we arrived and asked about tipping. YES. Tip them. This is a personal service and a lot of care and hospitality is involved in making your experience a positive one. At least 20% of your charges.

My wife and I had a fantastic riding experience today. The scenery was spectacular. The trail guide was nice and quiet and he allowed us to do more with the horses than just walk. Highly recommend this stable for a positive riding experience.

Just had one of the most enjoyable days out at NW Lake Riding Stables! Mike and Cindy were great company and gave us two really kind horses to ride on the trails. Their dog «Oreo» did a great job guiding our horses along the trail too ;)
Also, the views are quite breathtaking from atop of the trail ride. The price for a two hour ride are quite appropriate too. We will definitely be going back for more rides and adventures!

Took four young girls there today for a horseback ride. Cindy our guide took great care in explaining everything carefully to the girls while keeping them engaged and paying attention to the instructions. All seemed to enjoy themselves and the horses behaved well. They chose the right horses for the skill level of the group. They also enjoyed the beautiful scenery.

I took my two daughters (teen and pre-​teen) to Northwestern Lake Riding Stables this summer and we all had a great time. I am an experienced rider, but neither of my daughters had ridden before. They spent extra time with my pre-​teen, especially, in getting her used to her horse, how to get her feet in and out of the stirrups, and made sure she was up front so Mike (our guide) could keep an eye on her. They gave us very clear instructions on how to handle the horses, and the ride (and view) was incredible! We are all looking forward to going back again next summer.

My two teenage daughters and I just got home after an amazing ride. Mike, our guide, was fabulous. He gave us many opportunities to go as fast as we wanted, but was constantly checking on us and making sure we were comfortable with the speed and terrain. The trails were beautiful and varied. Narrow, forested trails, open pasture, water crossings and clear cut/​new growth areas where we had an amazing view of the White Salmon Valley and Mt. Hood. We paid for a two hour experience and ended up riding for about 2.5 hours. We will definitely ride with them again.

My wife and I had a fantastic experience here. Neither of us are experienced riders, but the staff made sure we had a safe and fun ride. The horses were easy to handle and the varied and beautiful terrain (we crossed a couple of streams!) kept things exciting.

I rode a very sweet gelding here and liked the trail, so I enjoyed the 2-​hour Horse Camp ride here and would have been interested in a private ride or the Wrangler ride if I wasn’t put off by the prices (I’m used to leasing and paying $ 10 – 20 and hour). However, I was concerned for the safety of the 5 novice riders in front of me. They did a lot of downhill trotting, weren’t informed that it was unsafe to do so, and couldn’t regulate their horses’ speed even if they knew they should have. At the end of the ride, their horses bypassed the wrangler and cantered right in through the gate. When I commented to the wrangler that maybe the safety orientation should have included «don’t let your horse run for home», he replied that they usually let the horses canter up the road to the barn, but if the guests go running out in front of him, they aren’t his responsibility any more. I would not recommend riding here if you have little experience.
That said, the novices were blithely unaware of the risks they were taking and seemed to have a swell time.

My wife took me horseback riding as part of my birthday gift. I haven’t been riding in years, and she is timid around horses. The staff was great and the horses were easygoing. The trail was beautiful and we’re already looking forward to going again!

I just took my boyfriend horseback riding at NW stables and it was so much fun! The area is beautiful and from the top you get an amazing view of the Columbia Gorge. The staff is super friendly and though we were beginners we never felt overwhelmed or unsure what to do. I would highly recommend taking a trip out here! Plus, its only 15 min to Hood River, you can make a whole day out of it.