bardy's trail rides - day tour

Our family took the 2 hour ride in August. Very nice ride. Got to cross some small rivers, see eagles p close, and witness the Salmon running up the river. Horse almost stepped on some of the salmon. Beautiful sceenery and the young lady (I think it was Jessica) was a great guide. Horses seem to be in great shape and ready to ride. Highly recommend it.

About a mile north of the town (taxi or doable walk if you don't have a car) this was a very nice way to spend a few hours and see some of Seward you might not otherwise see (get the view of the harbor from the far side of the bay). Nice walk through the woods and through streams to the bay. Not a lot of wildlife the day we went and weather overcast-but not raining. Our family of four (with two teenagers) was entertained. Our tour guide was a young girl that was not really all that forthcoming with information, but after we asked her a few questions she seemed to open up more. I think the owner is currently pregnant and not guiding the tours herself. Overall I think this is a good experience and well worth the time/money

After reading other reviews, I was convinced this would be the trip of a lifetime. The trail was beautiful and the wildlife plentiful. We saw 2 moose and many bald eagles. Unfortunately my horse was not a good match for a novice rider. I did not feel safe and I had trouble enjoying myself. My husband and 2 kids had horses that matched them well and they all had a great time. I would say this ride is best for riders with some experience. I'm too much of a chicken.

Wow! My wife and kids wanted to go horseback riding and I did not want to do it cause past rides in other states to me were always boring and a waste of money, however this ride was worth every penny. The views, terrain and wildlife was amazing and surreal. My kids are 11 and 9 and also loved it. Jessica was our guide and did a great job. Would recommend this ride to anyone visiting Seward, it will not disappoint.

I took this ride last year and it was AMAZING, but somehow it got even better this year. The main change I really liked is that now you get to go through the woods for about 1/2 the trip instead of just a couple feet. Riding horseback in the woods is so much fun, then you get to ride on a beach and cross rivers on the way back.The landscape from the beach is truly paradise which is why I decided to propose to my girlfriend on a Bardy's Trail Ride on the beach. I can't even tell you how awesome the staff was not only keeping the secret, but with the AMAZING service they provided throughout the ride. You guys are seriously amazing at what you do and I couldn't have asked for a better ride and experience!

We try to horseback ride on all our vacations - a great way to slow down and immerse yourself in the land. This lived up to all our expectations! Along the trail, we saw several spots where the 1964 earthquake and tsunami took out a great part of the town, including old cars and structures still where they washed up. Further down the trail, we encountered many bald eagles nesting in the area. It was very up close and personal. All along the trail were signs of moose and bear, but no sightings. Our guide Jess, who looks to be no more than a teenager and carrying a hand canon should there be any encounters :). The landscape along this ride is right out of a jack London novel. Rugged, clean and untouched. Winding our way through the trails, creeks and ocean, you get a real sense of the quiet, untouched land. We highly recommend it - and it is very reasonably priced!

Had a great time! Staff was very knowledgeable, professional and fun. There were four in our group and we hadn't been on horses in many years, but that didn't matter; the horses needed very little guidance, as they were very familiar with the terrain. Saw quite a few bald eagles at a very short distance. Highly recommend this trip to anyone looking for a different way to see scenery in Alaska.

i didn't have any plans for my last day in seward and was traveling solo so i thought why not… i haven't ridden in a while but let's give it a go. i wasn't totally sure what to expect as on other 'trail rides' in touristy destinations it's been a bit of a 'canned' experience… this was not that and i was so thrilled. i called and they were able to fit me in the next day ( perk of traveling solo ) and off we went… i rode seQuoia who certainly was a thrill to ride and our guide Jessica led us on a trail that was packed with stunning views. it is alaska, and it is the wilderness… and there is water and mud…so my advice be prepared for anything and take it all in… where else are you going to have such an experience! i'm so glad i made this a stop on my Seward journey…

Our first day in Seward and I had scheduled a horseback ride. We had the best weather and my husband enjoyed the ride because his horse kept him on his toes. A little spirit in a horse makes a ride so much better and more enjoyable. I have MS and I was able to handle my horse with no problem. I was thrilled when one of the guides offered to take pictures of me and my husband on our horses. She did a great job. We try to ride in each state that we visit and this was one of the better rides.

The weather during out trip was horrible, with rainy blowing sideways and temps in the 50's. We called to see if the ride was still going to happen, and they decided that it would not and that they would happily refund our money. To me that shows good business sense.

Hands down, worst experience I have ever had on vacation. I was on a two hour tour with a family of 5, with three children ages 5, 8, and 13. I arrived early to "get to know" my horse as stated by the tour recommendations. I noticed right away that three of the horses appeared to be somewhat agitated. I was very nervous, as I am not an experienced rider, but I have been on a ride in the last 6 months. I expressed my concerns with the owner and requested that I not ride the three horses in question, in which she told me not to worry because "those horses are for the children". I was relieved and at the same time horrified, but I figured they must have more riding experience. Also, I observed that the horses were being "saddled up" by a group of teenage employees, probably ranging from ages 14-17. About 40 minutes into the ride, I noticed one of the children's saddles slipping to the left a little and I yelled out to the guide. Before she could respond, the horse became startled and started bucking wildly. Luckily the rider wasn't seriously injured but he did comment that the horse came dangerously close to coming down on his ankle. About 1 hour into the trip we came to a meadow and were told to let the horses eat grass, at which time our guide (also a teenager) offered to take pictures of us on our horses. I noticed right away that the smallest rider's horse started off on the trail without us. As the guide went to retrieve that horse, the 8 year olds horse took off abruptly on a side trail and my horse followed! I pulled very hard on the reigns to try to gain control, but lost them over the top of my horses head as she thrusted her head down and forward. The horse was very uncontrollable and did not listed to basic commands. I hung on for dear life before both horses came to a hault. The 8 year old could not maintain his position on his horse, but luckily was not injured as he landed in the grass. At this point the entire group unanimously decided to abort the mission, and we walked the horses back to base camp in the mud. I justifiably expressed my disgust in this experience with the staff and the owner but was denied a refund. The owner did say that she may give a partial refund to the family whose children were thrown off from the horses but ultimately said it was our decision and not the company's to end the tour early and that the guide remained in complete control of the situation at all times.

My husband and I were looking forward to our ride; we try to ride whenever we visit a National Park. We were joined by a family of four - mom, dad and two young children. Maybe it was because of the two young kids, but our ride was dull with little or no information from our guide. We were assigned spots in the line up and were not allowed to ride near each other, so we couldn't even talk to each other. Overall, relaxing ride but not much elwse.

We absolutely loved our horse ride. What amazing scenery and if your'e an animal lover, you must do this. Note - it is very fun riding through the rivers, just make sure to lift your feet up high, my shoes got drenched ;)

We had a rainy day so the scenery was limited but we saw so many eagles and some of them were quite close. My daughter who is 7 loved it. The horses have a bit of spunk but really follow each other butt to face quite close so you don't have to do much from a riding perspective. The girls leading it were really nice but it is hard to hear in a long line so there wasn't much talking going on. On a clear day I bet the scenery is totally amazing but even in the rain it was really nice and it was just us out there on the public land so quite private.

Horseback riding is always fun, and the scenery at Seward is pretty cool, but these aren’t your typical trail-broken mares. Maybe it was because there were children on our tour who got the more docile horses, but ours were a bit feisty (and I’m not a novice rider). If you can ride, you’ll enjoy this. If you’re hoping to just be taken for a ride, you might struggle to keep the horse under control. Bring water and bug spray. Check with tour saver for a 2 for 1 coupon.