Horse Riding

There is a wide variety of riding in the Gila including Day/Front Country Rides and Backcountry Rides. There are also trailhead horse friendly camping options around the Gila National Forest. Please tread lightly.

Riding in the Gila

The Gila is a remote and often rugged and pristine place to ride. To enjoy your ride, here are a few things to know.

  • While equine are allowed on all trails in the Gila Wilderness, not all trails are suitable for equine. Recent fires and floods, in addition to deferred maintenance, have made equine travel challenging in some places in the Gila Wilderness. Gila Back Country Horsemen has reestablished many trails that were previously impassable for equine, but there is much work that still needs to be done.
  • Gila Wilderness trails are mountainous and rocky. Equine must be accustomed to this type of terrain.
  • The Gila Wilderness is a large system of trails with minimal road access, making it hard to fix recent blowdowns. Trail conditions can change at any moment despite recent maintenance.

Specific Trails 

Learn details about individual trails as they relate to equine use.  We maintain Trailforks for the Gila Wilderness and parts of the Gila National Forest.

Equine Camping in the Gila