By Anne Groebner

One summer, years ago, I met Robert Pablo, owner of AZ High Mountain Rides. He was a wrangler for Koli Equestrian Center in Chandler, owned by his family. At the time he had brought horses up to Hannagan Meadow Lodge, south of Alpine, where we explored the surrounding forest on horseback and I wrote about it. Then they invited me to experience riding through the desert down in Chandler and I witnessed the wild horses close to their property — and I wrote about it. In 2020, the year of the pandemic, they moved to Mormon Lake and I discovered that horseback riding was a great way to get out during the perils of Covid because for one; it’s outside, two; the horses are at a safe distance, and three; it’s a great way to absorb vitamin D. It was also the same year that Robert took ownership of AZ High Mountain Rides.

This summer, I went back to Mormon Lake knowing that because of the great monsoon season, it would be an incredibly green experience and I can’t think of a better way to see it than from on top of a horse. 

About halfway down the trail, we came up on a row of concrete watering troughs with a sign that read “Navajo Springs.” Named for the watering hole where Navajo shepherds brought their sheep. It is lined with a lush, grassy meadow and wildflowers. Robert pointed to some red raspberries and I spotted a few mushrooms — a wonderful benefit from a great monsoon. However, they were a far stretch to pick from the top of a horse. 

Eventually, we came to the halfway point of the ride — a large meadow surrounded by ponderosa and aspen. We turned around, took a left, and headed down a small section of the Arizona Trail. The Arizona Trail is an 850-mile National Scenic Trail that runs from Mexico to Utah and traverses the whole north-south length of Arizona. The trail begins at the Coronado National Memorial near the US–Mexico border and moves north through parts of the Huachuca, Santa Rita, and Rincon Mountains all the way to the Kaibab Plateau area on the Arizona-Utah border. Because of the enormous length of the trail, Mormon Lake Lodge, located about one mile from the trail, offers a “hiker’s box,” where supplies can be mailed to their location and stored until the hikers pass through, or they can drop off an unneeded or cumbersome item to lighten their load. It takes an avid hiker about 6-8 months to hike the entire trail.

The Mormon Lake area was settled by Mormon pioneers in the 1870s. At one time there was a sawmill and a dairy. Because of the sawmill, they built a railroad to haul lumber. There were about 45 lumbermen that logged the area and according to one of the information signs, they were a hungry bunch. We rode along sections of the old berms left behind after the tracks were pulled. Robert tells me they still find remnants of cable and spikes.

The horses at Robert’s facility are very well trained but I still have a healthy respect for them. If you don’t ride very often, standing next to a 1000-pound animal can be pretty intimidating, and climbing into a saddle on top of this giant can be downright scary. I asked Robert how they pick their horses to guarantee that they will be gentle to riders that don’t ride often. “The majority of our horses are bought,” he tells me. “And they are between the ages of 10 and 20.” An age he says is well past the point where they have to train away any bad habits.  

They joke about horses taking on the personality of their riders. If the horse is grumpy it’s probably the energy they pick up from the rider. “It’s not 100% true,” Robert he tells me. “But there have been studies done that prove horses react differently to riders that are confident versus riders that are inexperienced.” A horse will adjust to inexperienced riders, but it is always a good idea to listen to the instructions given by the wranglers to ensure the ride is safe, comfortable, and enjoyable.

Robert is a well-established wrangler. He has worked with horses for over 10 years and I would highly recommend taking a ride with him through the beautiful Coconino National Forest. They will accommodate children 6 years and up and inexperienced or experienced adults. They also give wagon rides through town. They are open from May through September 30, but most likely will extend it through that weekend if it’s busy. Last year, because of school breaks, they extended it through the second week in October, and it snowed. They offer a 90-minute Navajo Springs ride (which I enjoyed), a 60-minute Tombler Trail Ride, and a 45-minute wagon ride. The hours at Mormon Lake are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every day except Wednesday. They may do walk-ins, but it’s always a good idea to call ahead and make an appointment. (See their ad on page 2)

After they close for the summer season in the mountains, they move the horses down to Chandler where they join about 80 other horses at the Koli Equestrian Center. Robert’s family has owned the stables for over 20 years and they keep it open year-round. They offer horseback rides, lessons, wagon rides, corporate events, sunrise rides, and a sunset ride complete with Margaritas. Their hours are 7 days a week from 7:30 to sunset.

Elevation: 6,880-7,550 feet.

Getting there: From the intersection of State Routes 87 and 260 in Payson, go 37 miles north on SR 87 to Lake Mary Road, just past the village of Clints Well. Turn left and go 27 miles to Mormon Lake Road (Forest Road 90). Turn left and drive 2 miles to Mormon Lake Lodge.