Balch Park Pack Station Horseback Day Rides: Options, Prices, and Minimum Guests

Updated

Balch Park Pack Station offers three guided horseback day rides: a 1-hour ride at $65 per person (minimum 2 guests), a 2-hour ride at $125 per person (minimum 4 guests), and a half-day ride at $165 per person (minimum 4 guests). Rides are requested through the station's online form and are available June through September only. The minimums matter most for small parties — a couple can book the 1-hour ride but would need to recruit two more riders (or pay for four) to take the longer options.

Day Ride Comparison

Ride Price per person Minimum guests Best suited for
1 Hour Ride $65 2 Couples, first-time riders, short stops
2 Hour Ride $125 4 Families or small groups wanting a fuller outing
Half Day Ride $165 4 Groups wanting the longest guided ride offered

All three are guided day rides; the station also runs multi-day "All Expense Paid Trips" and stock/packer spot trips, but those are separate services from the day rides above.

How to Request a Ride

  1. Confirm your group size against the minimums. Two riders can only book the 1-hour ride as listed; four or more unlock all three options.
  2. Pick a date between June and September. The request form states "Date Requested (June-Sept. Only)," so rides outside that window aren't offered through this process.
  3. Fill out the request form with first and last name, email, phone, the service selected, your requested date, and any details about your group.
  4. Submit and wait for confirmation. The form is a request, not an instant booking — the station follows up to confirm availability and arrangements.

What to Know Before You Book

  • Pricing is per person, not per group. A party of four on the 2-hour ride pays $500 total; the same four on the half-day ride pays $660.
  • The minimums are guest counts, not price floors. The site lists minimums alongside per-person rates but doesn't state whether a smaller group can pay for the minimum to ride anyway — ask when you submit the request.
  • The station is family owned and operated by Tim and Dianne Shew, and rides run in the Golden Trout Wilderness and Sequoia National Park area out of Springville, CA.
  • Trips are described as customizable, so if your group wants something beyond the listed day rides, the request form's "Request Details" field is the place to say so.

If you're a party of two set on a longer ride, the practical move is to find two more riders before submitting, since the 2-hour and half-day options both require four.