zephyr cove stables

We chose a mid morning 2 hour ride. My husband doesn't really like riding, but went along. It was just the 2 of us with the guide, John. He was informative and friendly. The horses were well taken care of and knew their job. We saw a doe come crashing thru the forest about 10 minutes into the ride. She trotted along with us a few minutes then went off on her own. The trail was rugged and you really needed to pay attention. John stopped us near the top and took our pictures (with our camera) of a beautiful shot of Lake Tahoe behind us. Towards the end we came across a mama black bear and cubs in a small meadow. The guide said we needed to just keep walking, no stopping for pics, as "mama" was really watching us closely. No problems with the horses, we just kept moving. We then had 2 large bucks cross our paths, 6 pts each. Again no spooking with the horses. Got back to the corral, dismounted and tipped our guide. Was a great ride with beautiful scenery.

This was a great way to just sit and relax while taking in the beauty of the surrounding forests of Lake Tahoe. The horses were really calm and caused us no troubles (thank God). Our guide Nancy was a gem- she entertained us with stories and facts of Lake Tahoe. Would go here again!!

This beach is really nice although sometimes a little crowded. You pay $8 for parking or you can park on the highway and walk in at no cost. The day we were there, there was great live music at the restaurant/bar which you can hear from the beach and they make very good tropical drinks. The lake is crystal clear and the beach to the right is great for a long walk. You should bring some water shoes if you go to the end because the beach becomes pretty rocky and sharp. But the main beach is sandy and soft. Also has bathroom facilities.

My family just visited South Lake Tahoe and had a fantastic 1-hour horseback and dinner ride with amazing views of the lake at Zephyr Cove Stables. This is run by wonderful people--Dwight and Louise, with Kate as our team guide and numerous helpers and cooks. It is located off Hwy 50, just 4 miles from the South Lake Tahoe casinos. The dinner was the best meal we had in South Lake Tahoe during our entire stay--consisting of Tri Tip Steak, BBQ Chicken, salad, potato, corn-on-the-cob, beans, garlic bread and drinks. You can bring your own wine (we did). The food was awesome! All the staff were courteous, efficient, and just plain great folks. It was a great family day for us.

Everyone was very friendly and helpful. Even if you've never been on a horse, they will make you feel comfortable. My 8 year old son did not feel comfortable on the horse as they were leaving and they had no problem letting him down and refunding us. I highly recommend.

We took our foreign exchange student on this ride for his 1st trip to Tahoe. Did the lunch/ride. Not cheap.We had a great guide (April) and the ride was lovely. The food was just okay, but it was part of the experience.

Riding horses is unfamiliar territory for our family. We were up in Tahoe for a baseball tournament and decided to experience something new as a family. The Zephyr Cove staff was awesome from Louise at reservations to Tucker, our guide. We arrived and were greeted by friendly staff. We were introduce to our horses as we mounted them. The staff were very good at explaining directions, expectations, and easing any concerns.We did the one hour breakfast tour. The views and trail were awesome. Tucker was very friendly and provided us with a lot information. We stopped at the summit of the ride for a group picture, happily taken by Tucker, who dismounted her horse and arranged us in a pose.The horses are very well trained and know the routine. The horses look very healthy, and happy. The horse personalities luckily matched our individual personalities very well. At the end of the ride, the hay ride to the breakfast picnic area was quick and pleasant. Again, the staff at the breakfast picnic area were awesome, and breakfast was a good hearty all you can eat meal. We played a little horseshoes after breakfast.We will definitely try and do this again next time we are up here in Tahoe during the summer.

Its not their specialty, but they took our three girls under 6 on a short trail and they loved it! My three year old is still talking about it a year later. The guides were great, and everyone was wonderful. Cant wait to go back!

We hosted our bi-annual family reunion at Lake Tahoe. Several chose horseback riding and were very pleased with the experience at Zephyr Cove. Beautiful tarrain and views, very peaceful!

Did a 2-hour ride (ended up being more like 2.5 hours) and it was fantastic! Views are amazing, and the forest is so peaceful and beautiful. The challenging terrain was well handled by the lovely horses, who are mostly retired rodeo kids' horses, according to our guide Lexi. Lexi was very friendly, knew the area extremely well (she's been working at ZCS for 5 years), offered to take photos with the lake in the background...you couldn't ask for a better guide! I rode "Bob," and he was a doll. Very careful about picking his way up and down tricky bits on the trail. I had horses as a kid, competing in hunter/jumper classes + doing endurance and NATRC rides. So I've got a pretty good background in equines. I was happy to see the horses were well-fed, clean and, as they returned from a ride they were given water while their cinches were loosened. Then, a rest before they went out again. Very well cared for...impressive and nice to see. Good job Zephry Cove Stables!!

The office is staffed which means when you call for information or reservations, you get someone. Not always a given at a riding stable. I would make a reservation in July/August for sure.This stable is located in the pines so it is a little shaded. It has a restroom, a little rustic, but it's the old west. There are lots of horses of many colors and sizes that are rotated so none work too hard. They are all in good shape as is the equipment. There are little kid saddles, youth and adult saddles. The staff won't try and put you into a youth saddle if you're an adult the way some stables do. There is lots of staff too which get people on their horses and on the trail quickly. The groups are small, I actually had just me with a guide but passed several small family or friends groups. None of the huge groups that some stables try to put together while you stand there waiting. You will have a guide who will keep a close eye on things. The horses are well behaved and gentle. You'll experience a ride through the quiet of the tall timber forest, riding part time beside a stream. The gentle trail winds up a hill that overlooks Lake Tahoe - don't forget your camera. As long as you can pass the age (7yrs) and weight (225#) any child or adult who ever wanted to ride a horse should try. This stable has two mounting blocks that make it very easy to get on and off the horse - you shouldn't worry about this part. This stable will try to accommodate any need. I had horses until I was in my 30's. I continued certain types of riding until arthritis set in. I used this gentle riding as rehab for double hip replacements to get ready for a horseback fishing trip and the Grand Canyon. No problems at all. The cost is very reasonable compared to many areas. Remember to tip your guide.

My family (wife and two daughters ages 10 and 8) and I took and hour long ride at Zephyr Cove. We chose it due its relative proximity to our hotel and the Lake. We had gone horseback rising twice before.Phone reservations were good. The woman answering the phone was very nice. We were able to adjust our reservation to account for travel time. The horses were well behaved and very able to navigate a trail that became narrow at times. The trail does go uphill and back down, and there are lots of rocks. If you have someone in your party who is afraid of falling or has a bad back, I'd recommend they sit out.Aside from basic instructions around steering the horse and adjusting your stance when they go to the bathroom, the guide didn't say anything at all. At the summit of the ride she said we could take pictures but did not offer to take it for us. I found the limited interactions very odd.If you want a basic ride that's affordable and easily accessible from the Lake, this is a decent option. One hour is enough.

We have been here few years ago and then again now, my daughter grew up since then but still loves the horses. This is a great experience for any child, also for us - adults!

They get you out onto the trail quickly and the scenery is beautiful through some rough terrain. The view from the bluff area is one of the best in Tahoe. Horses are gentle and good for beginners.

We were able to ride the same day we called. Everyone was very friendly and the tour guide (Waco) answered any questions we had about the area. The horses were very easy to ride. The view at the top is beautiful! If you have a camera, the tour guide will take a picture of your group. We didn't do a lunch/dinner tour, but passed the site where they eat and it looked really nice. We had a great ride and thought it was reasonably priced at $40. (It is $2 more per person if you pay with credit).