WILDERNESS PERMITS for our guests are issued from our commercial quota, NOT from the general public quota.

Benton Hot Springs & Mustang Trail Ride

Note: We meet Friday evening, riding begins on Satuirday.

Ride, Explore & Observe Wild Mustangs

We are offering a great opportunity for guests to spend two nights in a room at the Old House Bed & Breakfast at the Hot Springs. You can either camp in a tent at Benton or have a room at the Old House. The last two nights we’ll all camp in tents at our wilderness style camp in Pizona.

Old Benton Hot Springs is an old ghost town built around hot springs that flow into the meadows behind the old store. There are big redwood hot tubs next to our meadow campsite. We spend two nights at Benton and then ride to our camp in Pizona. This is a trip for those that enjoy riding, exploring ghost towns, looking for wild horses and experiencing the culture of the old west.

The first two nights are at the Old House at Benton. Rooms are available for singles, couples or family units. Previous guests enjoy staying in a room with running water, toilet and a tv. Those wanting to camp will have tents near the Old House.

The scenery is spectacular and if you haven’t experienced camping in this part of California, you will be pleasantly surprised. The vistas of the Sierra from Yosemite to Mt. Whitney to the west and of Boundary Peak and the White Mountains to the east are with us the entire trip.

Click Here for pictures of Old House at Benton Hot Springs and our Pizona campsite.

Itinerary

Friday: We start with dinner on Friday, at 6:30 PM. Camp will be being set-up that afternoon and there will be plenty of time to walk around, check out the horses and relax. If people can’t get there for dinner, they can arrive late or come out to camp the following morning.

Saturday: Breakfast at 7AM and we mount people to their horses and explain safety. We’ll take a sack lunch and ride out for the day to explore the hills around Old Benton. Afternoon is for soaking in the hot springs and getting ready for a fun filled evening with music and stories of the gold rush era.

Sunday: Breakfast at 6:30 AM and dunnage needs to be ready for the crew by 7:15. We will be on the trail by 8:30AM and head north over the Benton Range on the power line road until we cut off to our camp in Lower Pizona. Ride is about 15 to 17 miles. We take a pack mule for water a lunch buffet and camera equipment. Camp is set up with showers available.

Monday: Breakfast at 7:00 and the first group heads out to explore Upper Pizona, McNamara Lake, McBride Springs and the rolling mountainsides of Pizona to see Mustangs. Those seeking a more leisurely ride, leave later and head out for a shorter loop that includes visiting the petroglyphs. We try and break up groups to meet various guests’ desires for length of ride.

Tuesday: Breakfast at 7:30 AM and we head back to River Springs via the Adobe Lake trail. We’ll cut tracks and look for bands of horses that are working between Adobe and River Springs. We arrive at River Springs by 2PM and will transport guests to Benton to pickup cars by 3PM.

What to Bring

Call us TODAY at 760-872-8331 for a quick response to your questions. You can email us, also. FEES: All Trail Rides and Packing Schools are subject to a 2% USFS fee. Horse Drives are are subject to a 3% USFS fee. Mustang Trips are are subject to a 3% USFS fee. Trips traveling in Yosemite National Park are subject to an additional 3% park use fee. Trips traveling in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are subject to an additional 3% park use fee. Permits and permit monitoring fees are applied per person for trips. Permits are issued from the commercial allocation. Rock Creek Pack Station, Inc operates under permit on the Inyo National Forest. NOTICE: In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA?s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information is also available in languages other than English. To file a complaint alleging discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027 , found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html , or at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provided in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (a) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (b) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (c) email:program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. Last Updated:November 4, 2024 Copyright © 2005-2024 Rock Creek Pack Station - All Rights Reserved