Sevierville, Tennessee is a charming town nestled on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains. Here, you will find a whole host of exciting outdoor activities to partake in — activities that offer fun ways to explore and enjoy the stunning mountain and valley landscapes of this region. One such way to enjoy the area and enjoy a novel way of sightseeing is by horseback riding.
Horseback riding offers some outstanding advantages for the mountain traveler. Here, you get to enjoy a higher vantage point from the saddle that offers more unobstructed views of the scenery. In fact, it can even feel like you become more of a part of the natural landscape as you travel far above ground level, relax in the saddle, and let the steed do the footwork focusing.
In fact, we’d argue that the decision to go horseback riding in and about Sevierville shouldn’t be a question of should you or shouldn’t you, but rather a question of where should you! And that’s a question we’re well prepared to answer.
Continue reading to learn more about some of the highest-rated places to go horseback riding in the greater Sevierville, TN area:
1. Five Oaks Riding Stables
1630 Parkway, Sevierville, TN 37862
(877) 538-0569
Five Oaks Riding Stables is a well-established and popular choice for horseback riding in Sevierville. You will find them located on the southern end of town, conveniently not too far off of the main thruway of US Highway 441.
Sevierville’s Five Oaks Riding Stables has a gorgeous stable at its entrance where their over 60 well-bred horses are housed. Once you arrive for your guided tour’s time slot, a friendly staff member will match you and your tour group with horses best suited for your personality and experience level. Your guide will walk everyone through a quick safety meeting, and then it’s off onto the trails to enjoy a backwoods adventure through Sevierville’s countryside.
The countryside here spans about 70 acres of woodland that includes vistas of the Smoky Mountains. There are about six miles of trails that wind through this acreage, and many guests enjoy wildlife sightings, such as of white-tailed deer and wild turkeys, during their horseback riding adventure. But it’s not all leaves and birds at Five Oaks Riding Stables. This outfitter’s land also includes unique cultural sights like an authentic moonshine still. Plus, this stable also has its own ziplining adventures that take guests flying over the property. You can even book what’s called their Zipline Tour and Horseback Trail Ride to enjoy both styles of adventure at one easy price.
2. Jayell Ranch
1131 Jayell Rd, Sevierville, TN 37862
(865) 776-1593
Jayell Ranch, also known as Jayell Ranch Adventure Park, is one of the most popular outdoor attraction locations in Sevierville. That’s because this place spans an incredible 250 acres and offers a multitude of family-friendly activities that include live entertainment, exotic animal encounters, off-road ATV tours, snow tubing rides, their own on-site dining establishments, authentic cabin rentals, and, of course, horseback riding.
While Jayell Ranch does take reservations for its horseback riding tours, they also are really open to walk-up guests, offering flexible tours based on your availability. All riders ages 5 and up are matched with a trained and well-cared-for horse while those under age 5 will need to ride with an accompanying adult. All horseback riding companies in the United States have to adhere to certain weight limits for the health of the horses, this is usually a limit of 225 pounds. However, Jayell Ranch has trained its own large breed draft horses for trail riding, enabling them to safely accommodate guests who weigh up to 280 pounds. This makes them an excellent choice for those traveling with larger group members.
Once you’re paired with your horse and complete a quick safety meeting, it is time to hit the trails at Jayell Ranch. With this Sevierville tour outfitter, guests enjoy an hour-long guided horseback ride through mountain trails that open up and offer expansive views of Shields Mountain Fort, Mt. LeConte, and even the hills of North Carolina.
3. Smoky Mountain Deer Farm & Riding Stables
470 Happy Hollow Ln, Sevierville, TN 37876
(865) 429-2276
Located east of the downtown area, the Smoky Mountain Deer Farm & Riding Stables is an excellent family-friendly attraction that prides itself as the oldest and largest zoological park in the area. Here, guests can view and even feed more than 150 species of deer and other friendly animals, including zebras, reminder, and camels. There’s also a special petting zoo area where younger kids frequently go wild as they pet and even hold some of this attraction’s cuddliest and friendliest creatures. Then, of course, there’s also the riding stables.
Smoky Mountain Deer Farm & Riding Stables prides itself on catering to first-time and so-called “rusty riders”. This is the go-to spot if you’re traveling with younger children and other guests who may have never gotten on a horse before. The horses here are incredibly docile and well-trained and the trails you’ll ride are between 8 and 12 feet wide with more than 60% of shade, offering a truly comfortable trail-riding experience for both rider and horse. You can choose rides between 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and 60 minutes. While this is maybe not the most scenic of horseback riding adventures in Sevierville, it is the one that caters best to families with children.
Plus, there are the baby animals! If you go between May and July, you will arrive just in time to see the newborn fawns and calves exploring the world–a truly special treat.
Learn More About Sevierville, TN
Of course, whether you choose Five Oaks Riding Stables, Deer Farm Riding Stables, or another horseback riding outfitter altogether, we’re sure you and your travel party will enjoy this unique activity. And when you’re done with this type of adventuring, there’s plenty more to see, do, and experience in Sevierville. Learn more about this popular Tennessee town by visiting our other pages and getting the inside scoop on the best restaurants, boutique shops, and attractions.
