Day 3, pt. 2 - Horseback Riding

When I was looking for things to do in Denali, one suggestion was horseback riding. We had never done it before as a family and I couldn't imagine a better backdrop than the Alaskan wilderness for our first ride, so we signed up.

Our wranglers were so talented and made our outing a lot of fun. They clearly love and know the horses and it was a hoot hearing their stories of living in Alaska fulltime. Ivana, the owner, lives year round in a dry cabin, which we learned means there is no plumbing. She moved here from Slovakia and her family rarely visits because they think she's crazy to live in such a primitive home. Our other guide spends her summers with the horses and in winter works as a dog musher. These Alaskan women were so interesting and inspiring.

Our ride took us through a small, brushy meadow filled with wildflowers. Ivana's dogs ran free alongside the horses as we clomped along the path, truly no animals have ever had a better life than those happy dogs.

The guides told us about how the locals use the fireweed flowers as indicators for how much time is left before summer ends and winter sets in. Once through the brushy meadow, we ascended to an open plain and the most beautiful view of the mountains that border Denali NP.

We only stayed there for a few minutes before heading back into the meadow where Sweetie Pie, Everett's horse, gave him a little taste of real horse riding by jumping over a downed tree, which E handled like a pro.

Just as we were all getting the hang of the ride we arrived back at the stable. While our ride was only about an hour, it was such memorable way to start our stay in Denali.Read more