The Big Rock Dude Ranch

The staff was really nice but kinda felt like a giant sales pitch (like most of Gatlinburg) which you kind of expect but you still don’t want to feel that way on vacation! The trail isn’t an hour long by any stretch more like 34 – 45 mins tops. You basically go up the mountain and back with no views (in the summer at least) Gary was awesome who took us riding. They print out your pics so you feel obligated to get 2 for 20 — wow! what a deal?! $ 10 for a photo I don’t even want. My husband bought them but I would of said keep them cause they are over priced. It was a good experience believe it or not over all but Prob won’t go back.

First gave these guys a phone call asking what time their last ATV ride went out, and a lady told us to be there by 4. We showed up at 4 on the dot and no one was to be found in the General Store. Waited about 10 mins for someone to show up. The lady who is meant to be at the front desk finally shows up and tells us that we can ride, then changes her mind, says that «we’re too late and it’s getting dark now» and asks us to come back in the morning. We told her no, that we were leaving town the next day and she said sorry. We walked out. Conveniently for her, we were still wandering around the ranch looking at the animals when she approaches us again asking us if we still want to ride… Obviously we did. So we finally get started, fill out waivers and meet our guide who was great. Forgot his name, but he was very helpful and funny. Only downside was that we went ATVing in circles on the same trail over and over and over and over again for about 45 mins (meant to be a 1 hour trail).
The website states, «Our 4×4 ATV’s go through some of the most beautiful mountain areas around. We start in the bottoms near the ranch, and go through some of the creeks. Once you’ve got the hang of it, we start up the mountain and go to the top. What a beautiful view! Located in the heart of the Smoky Mountains, the ride is 1 hour long, and voted the Best Time Anyone Has Had in the Mountains.»
Was disappointed that we didn’t go on a trail going up the mountain. Pretty sure they just didn’t want to lose our business and took us on some short nearby trail rather than the legit trail. Not worth the money at all. Might be worth it if you actually get to ride to the top of the mountain and see this beautiful view they claim to have.

Overall great experience riding at the Big Rock Ranch. We had three people in our group that were experienced riders and two first time riders. All of the horses were great and well trained and beginners had no problems riding the hour long trail. The trail is windy and takes you up the hill overlooking the ranch and it is very beautiful. The staff was all very nice and our trail guide Eddie was great.
The petting zoo was okay, and we didn’t fish but the ATV rides seemed to be legit. I would recommend this place for a good trail ride in PF.

I am 6’5″ tall and weigh 300 lbs. the website said to call ahead for «big boy horses». Well, I did call ahead and they told me they are too busy. They have the time to take my family but they are not going to give me a horse. My family will be finding somewhere else to spend our money on vacation. They get one star and I didn’t even step foot on the property.

Wasted $ 47 «fishing» here. Owner wouldn’t sell us anymore bait after 30 minutes of fishing because «a storm is coming». The storm never came. Complete waste and poor service.

If you have never ridden horses this might b for you. Very professional, but short on adventure. The guide walks holding the first first horse in line, on a trail that twist up the mt. Nothing to see but trees and other horses butts

Husband, children and myself went one morning. The employers were friendly, horses seemed to be well taken care of. We will definitely be back!

We called before we got there, and the lady said come on over, we’re here till four. We got there 20min later and they said they were closed and the horses were too tired. Which I mean, isn’t really their fault and I don’t blame the horses, but the lady could have told us before we made the drive over there. And they said they have a «petting zoo» but it can hardly be called that. There’s a few chickens, couple of emus and a donkey. And their fishing catch and release experience is a small little pond in the front. I gave it two stars just because I’m sure it’s an awesome view up on the mountains.

The trail wasn’t very scenic and the person inside the General Store who you pay to ride the horses and do the other stuff wasn’t too customer servicy. After following the direction of his finger, we watched a video about how to ride a horse and then walked to the barn where we stood in line for about 30 minutes before anyone spoke to us to confirm that we were in the right place and let us know why we were all standing there. I didn’t like being bamboozled with a fake coupon for $ 4 off for each person either. If I pay the same price as someone who comes without the coupon, it’s NOT a discount. I’m only giving three stars because the tour guides and ranch hands were awesome at making sure the little ones felt comfortable on the horses. Our guide walked the whole 3 mile, hour long trip in order to pull the horses of two riders who couldn’t have been more than 6 years old so that they could ride by themselves. Other places would’ve just said no or had them ride with a parent, so kudos for that.

GREAT experience. The kids (10 and 7) asked to go horseback riding on our trip, and after looking through a few options, we decided on Big Rock Dude Rance. We picked right. We went for the 3.5 mile horseride tour through the mountain trails and had a blast. The guides were helpful and friendly. We are beginners, and as we left we felt like pros. This is a great escape from the typical Pigeon Forge parkway activities.
Highly recommended and would do it over and over.

Must go! Very low key atmosphere. Moderately priced. We went on atvs and went horse-​back riding. I’m a very inexperienced 4 wheeler and the guide was great! It was a huge rush being up I’m the mountains on an ATV. The have package deals as well as a little petting zoo for kids.

A great place to go and just relax. We only went riding and didnt do anything other than that. My girlfriend and I went for our annivarsary and she wanted to go riding. I have never been on a horse and never really wanted to be. But this was a really great experience for my first time. They gave me a very big horse named Miss Kentucky. She was very calm and we had a 3 mile trot around the mountain. The price was reasonable. But our guide was really nice. It was a very relaxing attraction. Very nice ride. You should go. Remember your guide works to make sure you enjoy yourself make sure you tip the man.

Had a blast here at Big Rock Dude Ranch @ Ponderosa Looking for something different to do with our kids other than the shows and walking the strip, we were recommended to this Ranch for horseback riding.
First impression was it was a cool place with quite a few things to do for the kids. Admission price allows the kids to choose something from the ice cream chest, which they thought was very cool. Next came the small petting zoo, where the animals are so accustom to being fed treats that one of those darn baby goats poked his head through the fencing and started eating out of my khaki short pockets before I knew what was going on… lol!!! Little booger chewed up my favorite pair of shorts (but I didn’t mind and the kids laughed hysterically with joy).
Then there are the llama and that Ostrich looking thing with the really bad hair!!! My goodness that thing needs a perm!!! There is also a gem mining attraction near the entrance, which produces a few small ruby and other gems. The kids enjoyed taking them home as a «valuable» prize (didn’t have the heart to tell ‘em they were worth less than their Silly Bans). But the prize of the day was experiencing the horseback ride. Each of their horses is named after a state or country. They vary in size, but whatever the breed was of the horse they gave me it was a Gi-​normous sucker. My horse was called Wheezy, short for Louisiana… she was massive, but gentle. My wife road with my youngest and my 8 year old had his own horse… Brazil, who kept farting the entire ride. Worst of it was I was behind them for all of my ride because Wheezy likes to stop and eat random stuff… LOL!!!
I was quite the entertainment during our ride because Wheezy kept walking dangerously close to the cliffs along the trail. It had been raining the day before, so the trail was very muddy, and slippery. She constantly would slip and catch herself, so I rode her with my feet barely in the stirrups just in case I had to do an emergency EJECT if she were to slip down the hillside. Everyone else seemed to think that was funny, but I was dead serious!!! I really liked Wheezy, but we would’ve had to part ways if she decided to take a tumble. LOL
My only disappointment was they don’t allow you to take your own camera, so I have no pics of my adventure. But I can tell you that Brazil’s farts could truly put down a horse. Come to think of it, maybe THAT’S why Wheezy seemed to be slipping, poor thing was trying not to pass out. We had a great time and highly recommend them for a good (yet very slow) riding experience!!!