There are two main ways to get to Rocky Mountain National Park. Either US-36 from Denver or US-34 from Loveland. If you take US-34, you will pass Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch on your way through the foothills and into the mountain range. When you think of Rocky Mountain National Park [RMNP], you do not think of Loveland since there is still 30-45 minutes of drive time between Loveland and Estes Park. Due to this, Sylvan Dale comes out on top in terms of pricing and if you take the 3-hour trail that I’m reviewing in this article, the view is just as amazing as some you’ll see around RMNP.

I’ll be honest – I fell into the trap of “I only do Rocky Mountain National Park. If it’s not in Estes Park or Grand Lake, why bother?” That changed with my mom visiting Colorado. In an effort to always try new horseback riding trails, I finally decided to see if Sylvan Dale is worth the time and – spoiler – it is worth the money! The trail climbs just near the summit of Poison Peak. I really enjoyed the contrast in scenery from lush dense forest in the mountains to desert plains in the foothills. Enjoy my review of Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch’s 3-hour horseback trail ride through the foothills of Loveland, Colorado!

Background on Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch

As mentioned, Sylvan Dale sits right on US-34 just as the foothills turn into mountains. You’ll see the horses from the side of the road and the huge sign for where to turn, but when you’ve reached the Dam Store, you’ve gone just past the ranch. The ranch owners/general managers are Susan Jessup and Dave Armstrong and has been family-owned and operated since 1946. The Sylvan Dale property covers a whopping 3,200 acres across the foothills of Loveland. Which means plenty of scenery and places to explore by trail! This place has all the events covered – weddings, dude ranch experiences, business retreats, lodging, horseback riding, and more! Of course, my interest lies in the horseback riding services.

The horseback riding at Sylvan Dale is largely run by Karen Burbank. Sylvan Dale offers the following trail ride options: 1-hour ($55), 1 ½-hour ($70), 2-hour ($85), 3-hour ($115), and horse lead rides for kids ($12/ 3 times around the arena). Instead of gratuity, Sylvan Dale does charge a 15% service charge with your booking. If trail riding doesn’t satisfy your horseback riding itch, the ranch also offers “Chow Down” Rides. There is a Breakfast Ride ($91), Steak Ride ($99), and an Overnight Pack Trip ($312 from June -Sept).

Lastly, for the locals looking to get Western Riding Lessons, Sylvan Dale offers lessons in the Spring and Fall. I’ll be taking riding lessons this fall so follow the blog and social media accounts for more horseback riding reviews! The lessons are given in six sessions and start at $330 with group lessons only (no private lessons). Riding lessons include basic western horsemanship and riding instruction, groundwork and riding skills for arena and trail riding, plus a graduation trail ride for the last session. Sylvan Dale knows it is not located near Rocky Mountain National Park, so they do not charge those prices. Instead, they charge very affordable and competitive prices for those who would like that option.

Heart-J Center: The Sylvan Dale Legacy

Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch also has an education foundation called Heart-J Legacy. Heart-J Center is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. In 1946, Maurice and Mayme “Tillie” Jessup bought Sylvan Dale. As described on the website, these owners had a passion for the ranch and education. Tillie was not able to go to college but still wanted to help others succeed in their education. Today, Heart-J Center is a place for anyone to experience a “living laboratory.” Just recently, the Heart-J Center got a grant from the Rotary Club of Loveland for inground wildlife guzzlers. This will keep wildlife in the wild and far away from the main area of the property and roads.

The Horses

My mom and I had North and South Dakota. North Dakota was a male and South Dakota was a female, but they were both draft horses with a very pretty dark paint color. All the horses are neck-reined and can be pretty easy to steer. North Dakota was rocking 80s hairspray bangs and gave me a chuckle every there and again when I got a glimpse of him. I had South Dakota and she was very stubborn. Being a draft horse, I could tell right away that she was used to typical draft horse hookups used in wagon or farm applications. South Dakota though was just so used to being right behind a horse that when we got to the top and got to explore, she just jumped behind any horse we passed by. She wanted to be right up in North’s rear end. That made it hard to manage her spacing and take pictures/videos of the trail ride at times.

South Dakota was a trucker though. There was one spot on the trail where the uphill was all rock and she bulldozed right through it! I thought I had given enough space in front of us, but she just went hardcore and ran into the horse in front of us. I had to hold her up to give them more space. Just another reminder that you can never have enough space between yourself and the horses around you.

The Trail

As I stated earlier, this trail climbs, twists, and follows the river running through the foothills of Loveland, Colorado. My favorite mountain trails have been ones that give fun and diverse scenery while riding, but when you turn around to see how far you have come, you are amazed and shocked at the distance and views. That’s why I enjoyed the Deer Mountain trail (review) as I got to have a huge view and overlook of Estes Park. While you won’t get a great view of a whole city, the Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch trail takes you to see a portion of Loveland from the summit at Poison Peak. Additionally, because the trail is in the Sylvan Dale property, it is remote and there are no cars or hikers to have to worry about. You can truly enjoy nature in serenity.

The trail starts by cutting through the main ranch of the property with cattle and the various wedding venues and lodging cabins. You’ll come across and huge cattle farm area and right off the bat, there is a spectacular view of the foothills to enjoy. Once past the cattle farm, there is a huge meadow to cross and still more views of the foothills.

This is where the climb begins. From here on out, you will be gaining elevation. I can’t express enough the unique vibes that the foothills give off. If I were just plopped down in a random spot on this trail not knowing the location, I would think I was in Arizona. There was prickly pear cactus all around. Deep dark red rock along the ridges. It was beautiful.

The main event of the trail to the summit is a rocky hill where you will need two hands to hold on to the horse and the saddle. One tip in general for climbs like these is to grab a chunk of the horse’s mane. It can give you a quick way to stay forward to help the horse balance as it climbs upward. Do not hold the hair for long as the horse does feel some pain after prolonged pulling. This is a controversial thing in the horseback riding community between old-fashioned practices and new-aged science that suggests differently. However, the new-age science advice still needs more studies performed. Overall, I only ever use the mane for very tough terrain so that I don’t fall off and put both myself and the horse at risk on the dodgy terrain.

The final part of the trail is the summit of Poison Peak. Our wrangler had no idea why it was called Poison Peak but assumed it was due to one too many lovers poisoning each other at the peak. What I do know is that the view is amazing. A grandiose valley and the surrounding ridges are stunning and the peak at the city of Loveland. You realize just how amazing horses are to be able to climb this summit in less than an hour and a half. Unbelievable!

The trail then backtracks the way you came. I usually don’t like when trails backtrack as you miss out on new scenery. However, given the fact that the trail takes you to a summit, there are limited ways to return, so I can let it go this time. Adding to the fact that the foothills change drastically makes everything seem new and unique. This trail was a lot of fun to ride and provided great views for great pictures and memories!

The Wrangler Guide

Our wrangler guide was Kelsey. She was very nice and sweet. There were 6 riders and she was guiding by herself. I was in the back, so it did make it difficult to ask questions and hear information about the geography. Nonetheless, she was knowledgeable and answered questions when asked. I also did the biggest no-no ever and dropped my phone near the end of the trail ride. I know – such a trail-riding taboo. She was more than happy to get off her horse and pick it up for me. I felt so much guilt. I get a little pass as another rider lost their hat… twice! Also, I mentioned a 15% service charge that the ranch charges in lieu of gratuity. This isn’t to say you can’t tip your wrangler additionally, but know Sylvan Dale is charging you upfront.

Conclusion

Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch may not be located near the Rocky Mountain National Park, but the foothills of the Rockies are still stunning for half the price. Whether you are intrigued by the foothills or would like a better financial option for a horseback trail ride, Sylvan Dale is a great option! Personally, I can’t get over the remote area the trail is located in. While Deer Mountain was awesome, it was stressful at times when hikers would try to walk around the horses as the trail was a multi-use trail. The foothills offer diverse landscapes and beautiful red rock geography for breathtaking scenery. Have you ridden a Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch trail ride? What’s stopping you from checking out the foothills? Comment below and have a great day!

Written by

Scenic Byhorse

Learn more about Scenic Byhorse here.

I love horses and love taking trail rides to explore beyond what you see from the roads. Join me as I share trail rides I’ve taken across Colorado and all over the country! Plus, enjoy bonus stories of wonderful outdoor adventures!