Posted 2011-03-17 1:01 AM (#131747 - in reply to #130957) Subject: RE: Camping in Missouri
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376
Location: Missouri
Yes, the camp ground at Golden Hills is nice, BUT, that's where it ends. You ride thru miles of pasture to get to the trails, then the trails are very limited. And Yes, you can do a lot of rode riding.
Golden Hills is one of the poorest places to trail ride. We have lots of better trails at just about any other place.
SlabTown, Whispering Pines, Huckleberry, Big Creek, Shawnee Creek, Elk Vally, St Francis State Park, Paddy Creek Wilderness, and Riverside Campground all have better trails than Golden Hills.
Posted 2011-03-17 7:38 AM (#131756 - in reply to #130957) Subject: RE: Camping in Missouri
Elite Veteran
Posts: 690
Location: missouri
Agree. totally. Chuck Golden was a world champion power lifter, or Mr. Universe way back when... he and Kay opened that ranch and had a pretty good thing... trails, prison food, entertainment for family, etc... then, they got a bright idea to sell little lots so people could build around the facility... that took away alot of trails. Gwani Pony Boy did some clinics a few years ago, built a house, and blew out....now, only "newbies" would go there. There used to be some neat trails way back when... there are still plenty of trails around Missouri and Arkansas.
Posted 2011-03-17 7:52 AM (#131758 - in reply to #130957) Subject: RE: Camping in Missouri
Regular
Posts: 69
Location: missouri
I have to agree with the others. Golden Hills used to be really nice. The camp is still good, but who wants all the road riding. To many other nice places in Missouri to go ride.
Posted 2011-03-17 3:07 PM (#131779 - in reply to #130957) Subject: RE: Camping in Missouri
Expert
Posts: 1205
Location: Arkansas
Some of our best friends were so excited to go to Golden Hills.....loved the campsite, people, facility.......hated the "trails" as in road road road boring, and won't return there unless the trails can have some interest at some future time....what a shame, too.
Posted 2011-04-02 8:36 PM (#132555 - in reply to #130957) Subject: RE: Camping in Missouri
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 434
Location: Brooksville, Fl
Thank you for all of your comments! We watched the weather and debated about where to go. We actually pulled out and left for an overnight and still didn't know where we were going. There were 3 fronts working their way across the US and it was quite difficult to decide where to go. The weather changed every 12 hours, it seemed. We ended up staying one night at Cherokee Stables at Fort Mountain State Park. (well, actually two nights as the weather went South and we didn't want to drive in it). We had a great ride and the people there couldn't have been nicer or more helpful. We had no trouble getting our rig in or out and the stalls were nice, safe and comfortable for our beasties. The waterfall there is one of the prettiest I have seen and I have seen a few. That night we checked the weather and made up our mind to head to Southern IL to the Shawnee. However, we would have to drive through some major weather so we stayed one more night at Cherokee and got in the truck to see what the Cohutta WMA looked like. Specifically, the horse camp there which was very nice although the drive in there with a larger trailer will be somewhat hairy but do-able. We saw some amazing scenery just from the truck! I'm looking forward to riding it one of these days.
We stayed first at Bay Creek Ranch in Il and rode the trails there for a few days. While the camp was wonderful, the riding was ok. Some was very nice but a couple of the trails were muddy with holes that were almost impossible to avoid. We still had a nice time there and the horses managed not to loose their legs. We then moved over to Little Lusk Lodge. We rode the trails around there the first day and waited for the Wilderness to open on April 1. Wow, the Lusk Creek Wilderness is amazing and the trails are great! I wish we had time to see it all but we did 17 miles and saw lots of gret stuff. The Little Lusk Campgound is wonderful as well and I would recommend either campground to anyone.
We are now working our way home and looking forward to our next adventure...we're thinking Ark...We'll see. It's always an adventure! I keep telling my hubby that getting there is half the fun, right!?
Posted 2011-04-26 10:18 PM (#133592 - in reply to #130957) Subject: RE: Camping in Missouri
New User
Posts: 1
Some of our best friends are so excited ..... love the golden mountain camp, personnel, facilities ....... hate the "innovation", such as roads dry, it will not go back there unless there is some path to the relationship at a future time ....