1 Hour Spray River Ride
Overview
Available languages
1 hour
Mobile ticket
Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest and most celebrated national park - and one worth getting out of the car and onto a trail for. Go back to a simpler time with a 1-hour horseback ride and experience the park at a relaxed pace. Led by your cowboy guide, saddle up and cross through the tranquil Spray River, and get a feel for what it was like for pioneers first settling in this once-wild area.
Additional Info
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
All riders must arrive 30 minutes prior to their ride time.
For our foreign visitors we require an understanding of basic English for our horseback rides, so that you can understand simple instructions from our guides.
All riders must be under a maximum of 230lbs. Banff Trail Riders is committed to the health of our horses and the safety of our guests, which means that the maximum weight requirements are strictly enforced. As part of the check-in process, guests may be required to confirm their current weight on a scale. In the event that this requirement is not met, the booking will be forfeited without a refund.
Guests participating in horseback riding will need to be 8 years or over and children aged 17 years and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Please note that children will not be paired with an adult – they must ride their own horse. Minimum age is strictly enforced and as part of the check-in process, guests may be required to provide proof of the child’s age. In the event that this requirement is not met, the booking will be forfeited without a refund.
For safety purposes helmets are mandatory to be worn by all riders.
Riders must wear long pants and sturdy closed toed shoes enclosed to the ankle - no open toe shoes or shoes with big heels.
Adults must sign a waiver for all activities, and a waiver must also be completed by the parent or legal guardian of any person under the age of 18 (documentation may be required to confirm the signatory’s authority).
Riders must be physically capable of controlling the horse during the ride without assistance and for the health and safety of all riders we regrettably cannot accommodate any disabilities or special needs riders. We recognize that disabled riding is a unique and respected skill set that we at the barns do not have the appropriate equipment or skills to safely execute.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Basic horseback riding instruction
Use of horse
Helmet (mandatory)
Lead and tail guides
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Food and drink
Gratuities
What To Expect
The 1 hour Spray River Ride takes you across the tranquil Spray River in Banff. Take in the beautiful views of the Bow Falls and the surrounding Mountains.
Options
1 Hr. Spray River Ride
1pm Spray River Ride: 1 hour horseback riding tour departing at 1pm. Please arrive at 12:30pm at Banff Springs Corrals, Spray Ave (behind the tennis courts, next to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel) Banff.
Reviews
204 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Excellent experience
Rachel B,
Nov 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We very much enjoyed our riding experience. Our original trip was changed due to weather (totally understandable), we're grateful they were still riding despite the cold and snow that day. Our guides were kind and helpful, the scenery was beautiful and the horses were lovely. We hope to come back and do the real river ride in warmer weather!
Had an amazing time!
Jennifer W,
Oct 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Has such an amazing time, Erin was a great help and so fun to talk to, the whole trip was amazing and meeting someone from scotland made it even better. 10/10 cannot recommend more!
Great horseback ride!
Rick P,
Oct 12, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Beautiful ride in and around the Fairmont Banff property! The guides were friendly and knowledgeable! Great way to spend an hour!
I was a novice rider and...
Kyra M,
Oct 9, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00I was a novice rider and the guides were amazing, everything was explained patiently (including your horses quirks) and the scenery was magnificent. The horses were well trained and perfect for first time riders.
Banff trail riders corrals
Mariah B,
Oct 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Such a cool experience! Very beginner friendly, it was so cool going through forests and rivers in Banff. The staff were amazing! Would 100% do it again.
Different kind of experience.
Katrina B,
Oct 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00I have done it before I love it, but this time my horse just did not want to do the trek so it made my ride more like work and other issues with the horse behind him nipping his behind because he was too slow. Lols. Not as relaxed on this occassion as I wanted to be. My husband enjoyed it a ton and loved his horse.
Fantastic experience
Melanie B,
Oct 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a great experience. The team were great with the horses and clearly loved them all. Beauteous through forest and rivers Highly recommend
Perfect
evigii,
Oct 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was such a wonderful experience. The horses were so trustworthy and kind, the scenery was breathtaking, and Crystal was so friendly and knowledgeable which sewed the whole experience together perfectly. Everyone was smiling and made me feel so welcome- the friendliest corner of banff :)
Experience Ruined by Guide “Erin” – Spray River Tour, September 28, 2025 - 1:00pm tour.
Winterpeg90s,
Sep 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00Experience Ruined by Guide “Erin” – Spray River Tour, September 28, 2025. I booked this tour as a special birthday surprise for my partner, and we were both looking forward to it as our first-ever horseback riding experience. Unfortunately, what should have been a memorable and enjoyable day was completely ruined by the behavior of one of your guides, “Erin” (apologies if the spelling is incorrect). The ride began well, but about 20 minutes in, the horses started to bunch up in the trees and the riding order shifted. Erin, who was following behind, rode up beside my partner to give instructions on getting her horse to move. My partner, who had never been on a horse before, was doing her best but wasn’t pressing hard enough with her feet. After less than 30 seconds of effort, Erin suddenly began yelling at her, shouting: • “You’re wasting everyone’s time!!!” • “If you can’t follow my instructions, at least follow the horse!” The outburst was shocking, completely unnecessary, and deeply disrespectful—especially given it was my partner’s birthday. Instead of feeling supported on a first-time ride, she felt humiliated and singled out. This ruined what should have been a special experience. We spoke immediately with the manager, Dakota, after the ride to share our concerns. It left us questioning why a company focused on customer experience would allow such aggressive and unprofessional behavior from a staff member. Erin’s conduct came across as someone looking to bully defenceless guests rather than guide and encourage guests. We had planned to return with family next month, but after this experience, we will not be coming back and will be sharing our disappointment with others. We are not sensitive people, and enjoy making positive reviews, but Erin’s behaviour was totally unacceptable.
Awesome experience our...
Tammy Q,
Sep 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Awesome experience our two guides were very kind and helped us out because we had no experience riding horses. I had a horse named Edward and my husband had Schinook. Wonderful time going across the spray river. Definitely do it again.
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