USA - Arizona, Tombstone Monument Ranch

Please Note: The opinions expressed in these reviews are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unicorn Trails Ltd. These reviews are "directly from the horses mouth" and unedited. Unicorn Trails may make additional comments for clarification clearly identified in red.

Review received from MR of Athol on 28/03/2022

The itinerary will be planned around the riding experience and any other activities planned. Guests can sign up to any ride appropriate to their riding experience.

The dramatic landscape surrounding the ranch was, and in many ways still is, the real Wild West. Ride by ancient Indian Petroglyphs, abandoned Railroad grades and trestles, forgotten mines and old prospector’s monuments. The weekly riding program is varied and designed to fit all levels of riders. It consists of: scenic walking rides, fast lope/trot rides, half day rides, all day rides, beer and cheetos ride, tequila sunset ride, ride to tombstone town, team cattle penning and lessons (extra charge).

Please Note: The minimum age requirement for slow rides is 5 years old and 8 years old for fast rides and team penning.

Please note: All itineraries are given for your guidance only and it may be altered on the ground and in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.

The 21 horses at the ranch are mostly Quarter horse and Quarter horse cross as well as some Appaloosa, Paints and Clydesdale. There is a wide variety of rides to choose from - from slow and fast rides, trail rides and team penning with cattle.

The saddles and riding style is Western and riders are given tips if not familiar with this riding style or have never ridden before. Lessons in the arena are available on request for an extra charge payable locally.

There is a range of hard hats available as well as a smaller selection of boots. A safety briefing is given at the start of your first ride and a mounting block is available.

Riders of all levels are catered for, depending upon their ability.
The minimum age for Slow Rides is 5 years and 8 years for fast rides and Team Penning, otherwise there are no age limits and there are plenty of facilities available for children.
There is no weight limit for riding within reason. The horses are all cared for and saddled/unsaddled by the wranglers.

The weight limit for this ride is 279 lb/127 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

There are 18 Rooms, all uniquely decorated in turn-of-the-century style. Guests might just wake up in the “Jail” or the “Post Office”. Experience the Old West without losing any of the comforts of today. Guest rooms are designed to represent the storefronts of Tombstone town of the 1800's. All rooms are in easy walking distance of the lodge, pool, hot tub, parking, and coral.

There are 4 room categories:

Standard

These rooms have views over Main Street. Each room has two queen size beds and a private bath. Plus bath amenities, satellite TV, ac/heat, coffee maker and free wifi.

Deluxe

These have views of the Dragoon Mountains and a private terrace overlooking the arena. Each room has its own unique old west décor with one king size or two queen size beds, private bathroom with amenities. Satellite TV, ac/heat, coffee maker, and free wifi.

Junior Suite

Complete with a queen bed and a separate room with a king bed, private bath plus amenities, Satellite TV in both rooms , ac/heat, coffee maker and free wifi.

Premium Suite

Designed with turn of the century décor the premium suites create the feel of stepping back in time without losing any of today’s luxury. Complete with a queen bed and separate bedroom with a king bed, private bath with tub/shower combo and bath amenities. The Premium suites also have a small kitchenette with fridge, coffee maker and sink, living space, satellite TVs in both rooms, ac/heat, and free wifi. The premium suites also have a private patio with a spectacular view of the Dragoon Mountain range where Chief Cochise of the Chiricahua Apaches had his stronghold.

Schieffelin’s Restaurant serves three delicious meals daily, all with a home-cooked, hearty western style. Selections are from favorite family recipes, based on what’s in season, to ensure each meal is made with the freshest ingredients. Be sure to share any special dietary needs or restrictions you may have and they will be accommodated. Instead of à la carte dining there is the Chef’s Choice each evening. Breakfast and lunch offer a variety of options to suit all tastes. The Special Chuck Wagon breakfast is likely be the best breakfast tasted by a campfire.

Check in is 2.00pm and check out is 11.00am

Vegetarian or other dietary requirements within reason can be accommodated with advance notice. Please contact Unicorn Trails with requests before booking.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct documentation in place for your trip. NB: Be sure to check the COVID status of the country you plan to visit including entry procedures You will need to get a visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) visa waiver to enter or transit the USA as a visitor. You should consult the US State Department website to determine which you will need. You should be aware that if you have travelled to or have been in Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen on or after 1 March 2011, you are normally not eligible for an ESTA visa waiver and will need to apply for a US visa. Passport and Visa requirements can change from year to year depending on diplomatic relations. Please request information from the appropriate Consulate in your home country. Unicorn Trails will assist with any questions you have or supply any necessary supporting documents as required by the consulate should you need a visa. In the UK the British Foreign Office gives advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa In Canada: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/united-states

Another useful resource is Sherpa - this summarises any travel and vaccination requirements based on when you are travelling simply by entering your home country followed by your destination country: https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions

The Tucson area of Arizona has a dry desert climate with a wealth of cactus type vegetation. There are very few days with any rain, the climate is warm and sunny in the day time, cold at night in winter, hot in the summer with warm nights. Tombstone is usually about 5C cooler than Tucson as it lies at an altitude of 4,500ft while Tucson is at 2,200ft.

COVID: Be sure to check the latest COVID regulations for travelling in any country you visit.

You should always bring any regular prescription drugs you may need with you.

BE AWARE: There are restrictions and prohibitions on the import of certain prescription drugs into the US. The USA Food and Drug Administration website contains further information and advice on bringing medicines into the USA.

Medical treatment is expensive and there are no special arrangements for British visitors. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.

You should take suitable steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and ticks. There are occasional outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases.

Health authorities have classified the USA as having a risk of Zika virus transmission in Florida and a few parts of Texas

You can contact the emergency services by calling 911.

Please refer to your country’s latest health guideline for travel in the USA and contact your own GP for up to date advice on vaccinations and prophylaxis prior to travel.

There are no specific health requirements, but do bring plenty of sun block!

In the USA the supply voltage is 120V. If the appliance or its power supply are not dual voltage rated, the single voltage appliance will have to be used alongside a voltage transformer or converter to allow the appliance to work safely and properly (unless the appliance operates at 120V).

There is electricity on the ranch to recharge your equipment and film and batteries are widely available for purchase including a small selection at the gift shop on site. If you want to bring a GoPro please be advised that you will have to have permission from all other guests and guides that they are willing to be filmed.

Pack as you usually would for a holiday, for e.g. sunglasses, toiletries and then these are your Horse Riding holiday essentials. If you are unsure, please speak with your Travel Consultant:

Ranch attire is completely casual, if you wish to dress up for evenings in Tombstone, Western wear is appropriate

-Riding helmet – complying with current EU & British standards – (some locations can provide them but if possible bring your own for comfort and correct fit)
-Riding boots designed for riding and walking
-Chaps
-At least 2 pairs of riding trousers – jodhpur’s/breeches are best for anything, except western riding (Jeans)
-Long sleeved shirts
-Lightweight waterproof
-Water bottle
- Plug in converter – If you are traveling from outside the USA
-Lightweight long sleeved shirts – light colours are best
-Insect repellent/sun screen
-RANCHING
-Jeans for western saddles
-Shoes with heels

Check in is 2.00pm and check out is 11.00am

This ride can be booked by the day and is open all year round, we recommend a minimum of 3 - 7 nights to see the area and enjoy the riding.

Year round with any day arrival. Saturday arrivals have a 2 night minimum stay.
2024 Low Season: 9 Jun - 28 Sept
2024 Mid Season: 1 Jan -10 Feb 21 Apr - 8 Jun, 29 Sept - 14 Dec
2024 High Season: 11 Feb - 31 Mar 15 Dec - 1 Jan 25

2025 Low Season: 8 Jun - 27 Sept
2025 Mid Season: 2 Jan - 8 Mar, 13 Apr - 7 Jun, 28 Sept - 17 Dec
2025 High Season: 09 Mar - 12 Apr and 18 Dec - 1 Jan 26

2026 Low Season TBC
2026 Mid Season: 2 Jan - 7 Mar,
2026 High Season: 8 Mar - 31 Mar

Please see single rates in "detailed prices"

• £
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E. Annie Proulx’s three books of Wyoming short stories (“Close Range”, “Bad Dirt”, “Fine just the way it is”)

Mary O’Hara’s “Flicka” triology.

The Virginian” by Owen Wister (a classic one) and

Zane Grey’s Western novels.

C.J. Box (i.e. “Open Season”) and

Craig Johnson (i.e. “The Cold Dish”).

Cowboy poet Baxter Black 

“Where Rivers change Direction”, a memoir by Mark Spragg about life on an early dude ranch.

“Where the Rivers Run North” by Sam Morton, a historical novel.

“The Meadow” by James Galwin.

Lone Star: A History Of Texas And The Texans by by T. Fehrenbach 

Discovering Natural Horsemanship: A Beginner's Odyssey by Tom Moates.

.Monty Roberts books, particularly ‘The Horse Whisperer’

Notes From A Big Country by Bill Bryson and

Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck.

For the equestrian traveller who would like to see what is possible on horseback visit www.thelongridersguild.com 

Also a fantastic place to acquire your equestrian travel books is www.horsetravelbooks.com

There are 116 species of bird that thrive in the desert surroundings of the ranch. There are other various animals, flora and fauna, including many cacti!

The USA has 4 main times zones - Eastern Standard Time (EST), Central Standard Time (CST), Mountain Standard Time (MST) and Pacific Standard Time (PST). Vermont is on EST, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah are all on MST, California is on PST. Weights and measures are imperial although weight is always expressed in pounds, not stone. The US gallon is 3.8 litres in contrast to an imperial gallon which is 4.2 litres. Mobile telephone: 4G and 5G is widely available throughout the US in cities, towns, villages and along main highways with AT&T having the best overall coverage and T-mobile offering better speeds in cities. There is NO cell reception at the ranch, but there is WiFi in our saloon and office. There are still a few rural areas which have the older CDMA telephone networks. To be able to call from these areas we recommend buying a cheap Verizon phone from eg Walmart (from $13) and topping up with credit. Almost all hotels and airports offer free wifi connection.