Yosemite Valley Stable

Amazing chelsie
Very helpful and excellent customer service
Definitely will visit again

The great reviews for this stable make me wonder if the experience I got was just a one-​off bad experience.
My girlfriend and I took a 2-​hour horse ride on July 4, 2015 and I thought it was terrible. I’d say it was a complete waste of money, but my girlfriend loves horses so she managed to enjoy it.
Pros:
— If you like horses, you get to spend a couple of hours on a horse (or mule, we got horses)
Cons:
— The guides did not have a good attitude. They were visibly frustrated with the crowds, size of our group, and each other. It seemed like they just wanted to get the ride over with, rather then ensuring that we all had a great time. For a tourist attraction this is unacceptable.
— They had 15 riders and 3 guides. The guides had a hard time keeping the horses in order and we kept having to stop very frequently.
— Barely any views. In a place like Yosemite, you’d think it would be easy to pick trail with good views, but we were basically just riding through a forest trail (very little elevation gain).
Perhaps the 4 hour ride would be more interesting, but I didn’t see the value in paying $ 66 for a ride through a forested area.

Wonderful staff and well loved mules and horses make the two hour trail ride a very enjoyable trip. I also went on the 4 hour ride to Vernal Falls I recommend this most beautiful ride for the more experience rider the switch backs are amazing!

This was so much fun to do! I definitely recommend trying this at least once when you go to Yosemite. Riding a mule is a bit different from riding a horse & it’s really interesting hiking the trail one mule-​back instead of hiking it yourself. After a long day of hiking the day before, it’s definitely a nice second-​day activity at Yosemite!
The staff there is extremely nice & they take you on a scenic trail. I forgot how long my ride was, but it was a bit too long. Your butt starts to hurt after a while.
Also, beware that the mules poop a lot. So your mule will occasionally stop and poop, & you will also witness the pooping of the mules around you & of course, all over the trail. Try to wear long pants for the ride. You’ll have fun. You’ll also probably develop a special bond with your mule, who had to carry you for the entirety of 2 hours or so.

The high point of Yosemite for me.
2 hours for 65 dollars is the only bargain in what is, unless you intend to sleep on the ground, an expensive proposition.
I loved the guides and I got a horse, not a mule. A beautiful white and gray boy named Nontauk (I’m shooting for a Native American spelling and it rhymes with Montauk, hence Nontauk).
I fell in love with the horse and while the saddle felt like cement and my sit bones were screaming all night, this was absolutely glorious.
Yosemite Valley Stable was the best-​run outfit in the whole Yosemite Lodge Falls fiasco.
So much fun. I am now calling to book my very old Groupon (I called the stable in Goleta when I hurt my trapezius and ankle was acting up, so I think she will honor the deal.)
A MUST DO. You cannot drive from So Cal to Yosemite and spend all the money you do on hotels and not go riding.
It was my first time on a horse in 22 years. I was never a competitive rider or true equestrian but my sister is and was. I used to canter, trot passably. My sister taught English and then Western and it’s all pretty much gone but I felt secure in the saddle and long to ride again soon!

This review is for the dog boarding: Excellent customer service from the staff here, even over the phone. Thank you so much.

This is definitely well worth the adventure. It started off kind of scary. The safety video will not motivate you to ride. The video shows all the negative parts. To the point that it’s quite funny. The video is out dated and needs to be redone. The staff is very friendly and extremely helpful! They help you get on the mule one at a time. And I almost fell off! A hilarious moment! The staff came to my rescue to assist me. The mules pretty much follow the trail but will derail from time to time to eat. They tell you to pull the mule. But as the saying goes they are «Stubborn as a Mule» The trail has beautiful scenery! It’s well worth the 2 hour ride for the price of $ 64. It’s a must do activity before it’s gone from Yosemite!

Made the 2:30 ride, last two riders for the day. Well maintained animal. Watched a short safety video. Guides gave good instructions to what and not to dos. No issue with Hops and Red. Since this was my first time on a horse/​mule, my legs were sore after the ride. There were about 19 people in our group. It was a nice ride to Mirror Lake. I think the lake was dry this time of year.
Good experience overall. not much of riding guy.

An awesome way to see Yosemite National Park! Travel through the trails mule-​back and catch breath-​taking views.
Stay near the guide if possible, and you’ll get fascinating accounts and information about the area. Somewhat challenging terrain in areas, bring padding! My rear-​end was really sore for the next few days. Took the two hour ride on a friday afternoon, was a little crowded for my taste, about 30 people in the group. I’m excited to go back and take a custom, multi-​day saddle /​pack trip with just a friend or two.
*I’d also suggest bringing a face scarf for dust and don’t forget your camera!

This review is for folks who’ve never ridden at a tourist destination, so don’t understand what to expect OR for parents with kids who are afraid of horses.
I didn’t get a glimpse of any cowboy hottie, but I did experience the nicest staff/​trail hands. My 8 year old son is almost phobic of large animals, and yet he bravely signed up to ride with his cousins. My husband and I don’t really love trail rides, so we handed him over to our sister-​in-​law and the staff. The first thing that happened (of course – when you are nervous!) is that the horse started wandering off with my son bawling and shaking… The staff immediately took care of the situation, calmed him down, and privately asked us if we wanted our money back or if we’d like them to walk him through the experience. We chose the latter – to help our son face his fear and deal with it. True to their word, a member of the team took care of him the entire ride and made sure he was having fun. By the end of the ride, he was laughing and having a great time – didn’t even seem to remember the tears at the outset. The professional and caring attitude doesn’t always exist when employees are shuttling around large numbers of tourists, but these people care about getting it right – and they did with my son. Five stars for helpfulness of staff!
The one star missing is aimed at people who are looking for an exciting ride – don’t pick the two hour one up to Mirror Lake – it’s an easy up and back that really is s-​l-​o-​w. (I know because earlier in the morning I was taking my daily run and accidently went up that trail and encountered the horses…) Don’t expect galloping horses and wind blowing through your hair. This is simple, butt-​sore kind of dull, rhythmic trail ride. Try something else or up in Tolumumne if you want more adventure. Also, some folks will get really irritated at how long it takes to saddle everyone up, get everyone lined up, get everyone educated about what to do, etc. Just go with it if you decide to shell out the money for the ride…