About a year ago I began planning a horse camping/riding weekend at Catalina State Park so that I could fulfill another riding goal on my Bucket List. And that goal was to ride among the tall, stately saguaros, especially during the winter, when it would be cold and snowy at home and warm and sunny in Arizona.
When I first began planning, at least 10 friends showed interest and asked to be included, but as is often the case, as the date drew near, those people just started dropping like flies with all sorts of excuses why they couldn't go.
But nothing was going to change my plans to head to Arizona and ride, especially after planning this trip for a year. And thankfully, one friend and her husband were still planning on going, so I decided to include my husband, too, as we don't get to do many road trips or camping together, like we used to. And I thought it would be fun to camp with another couple, too.
Our campsite at Catalina State Park. We were the only tent campers in the Equestrian Campground. Everyone else had Living Quarter trailers. But the weather was warm in January, so we never felt cold, and I brought lots of bedding, so we slept comfortably.
This was our first long road trip with our little, old horse trailer, but it carried Apache safely from our home in Central New Mexico all the way to Southern Arizona, and back. This was also the first time I've ever hauled Apache more than 4 hours in a day, but she did great traveling the over 7-8 hours we traveled each way. Of course, we stopped every 2 hours to let her rest and I offered her water. She worried me on the way to AZ, because she refused to drink anything, but I had given her a bucket of soupy grass pellets and beet pulp before we left, so I knew she at least had some moisture for the journey. So on the way back home to NM, I decided to put her grass pellets into her water before I offered her the bucket, and she eagerly sipped the water and gobbled up the mushy pellets.
There were only 3 other rigs there when we arrived on Friday, so we had plenty of room for setting up camp. We were also surprised to find 5 empty stalls as we had been told that the stalls are usually always full and the horse camping area is crowded. So we lucked out! I had still brought Apache's portable corral, but we didn't have to use it.
The Equestrian Stables and Camping area.
Very nice horse stalls with several water spigots that had hoses. And a manure bin with a rake and wheelbarrow to use, too.
You can see Apache in her stall, in the middle, with our friends' 2 horses, the grey percheron and the palomino beside her in their stalls. And 2 empty stalls on the other side of Apache's stall. The restroom, a pit toilet, is just to the right of the stables.
The beautiful Catalina Mountains at sunset.
One of the things I liked about the stables location, is they are right in the center of the camping area, so horses are exposed to all sorts of activity. They get to see, hear, and smell all the camping noises, like campfires, singing, laughter, cooking, the clanking and banging of folks setting up and taking down camp, the growl of generators, people and horses, mules and donkeys coming and going, and lots and LOTS of bicyclists and hikers, as the main trail head for hikers, bicyclists and horseback riders is located at the far end of the equestrian camping area, past the stables.
Apache in her spacious stall.
Also on our second morning, we had the pleasure of watching a man with a handsome carriage, driving his two beautiful black horses out onto the Bridle Trail, right past the stalls and camping area.
Thanks to our friends, Cheryl and Dave, we enjoyed a cozy campfire every night.
The cute couple, Dave and Cheryl.
Me and my hubby, John.
Not only were there cozy campfires each night, but every night involved good food, copious amounts of beer and wine, and loads of good conversations, laughter and just plain silliness!
More to come on the great riding at Catalina State Park!
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