Cowboy Up: Live the Childhood Dream for One Unforgettable Week
If you’re up for an adventure where you can channel your inner cowboy or cowgirl then you need to sign up for this ride. There is nothing staged about this cattle drive, run by the Kerns family, who have been grazing cattle in the Big Horn National Forest for generations.
Trip Highlights
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Falling head over heels in love with your nifty quarter horse as you race after a breakaway beast
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Watching a wrangler-clad cowboy rope a steer in the blink of an eye
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Sitting around the campfire in the evening spinning yarns
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Wandering through fields of wildflowers as you trail the mob of cattle
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Learning the tricks of the trade from guides who have been driving cattle for generations
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Collapsing into your tipi tent each evening, exhausted but exhilarated beyond comprehension
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Relishing the freedom that comes from wide open spaces as far as the eye can see
Details
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Riding levels
Caters for all riding abilities.
As a beginner, you need to be physically fit and be prepared to spend up to 11 hours in the saddle when required.
Please note: If you suffer from vertigo or are terrified of heights, this is NOT the ride for you.Not sure what your riding ability is? See the definitions below.
- Type of tack
Western saddles and bridles.
- Horse breed
Quarter Horse and Quarter Horse cross.
- Accommodation
Two-man teepee tents. Long drop toilet facilities are available, but there are no showers.
- Pace
Variable depending on the terrain. You will spend a lot of time walking behind the cattle, but there will be opportunities to chase after a breakaway beast.
- Weight limit
A maximum of 102kg / 224lbs.
It is VERY important that you provide your current weight accurately when booking. If your weight is not accurate, we cannot guarantee that your hosts will have a horse for you to ride.
- Group size
A maximum of 20 guests.
- Minimum age
12 years of age
- Time in Saddle
On average 6 to 10 hours a day, sometimes 11, depending on the cattle.
- When to go
July. The temperature can vary greatly in the Big Horn Mountains, even in the summer.
- Languages
English
What’s included (and what’s not)
Included
- Ground transportation within the itinerary
- All food, soft drinks, beer and wine.
- Accommodation
- Saddle, tack, horse lease and guide service.
Excluded
- International and regional flights
- Travel insurance (compulsory)
- Alcohol other than beer and wine (BYO is welcome)
- Transfers to/from Sheridan
- Staff tips
Departure dates and prices
Ride length
7 days, 6 nights
Riding level
Beginner • Intermediate • Strong Intermediate • Advanced
Booking fee
A fixed Booking Fee of $106 USD
Payment plans
Lock in your ride with a 10% deposit and pay the rest over time – interest-free in 10 easy payments. Learn more.
Accommodation types
Single
Private accommodation for one guest (room, tent, or similar). A supplement may apply on departures where a sharing option is available.
Share
Willing to room share with the same gender or travelling with a companion.
Couple share
Sharing a bed with companion.
Non-rider
Sharing a room with a riding companion.
Per person
2026
Globetrotting Exclusive Departure
July 19 to 25, 2026
The fun bits
Payment details
- A fixed Booking Fee of $106 USD
- All bookings are charged in the local currency of the ride destination.
- Accepted payment method is by credit or debit card only.
Cancellation policy
We understand that plans can change. If you need to cancel your ride, please let us know as soon as possible. Cancellation fees apply based on how close your departure date is, and deposits are non-refundable. We strongly recommend travel insurance to protect your booking. Read our full cancellation policy.
International fees
If you're paying in a currency different from your own, your bank may charge a conversion or international transaction fee.
Please note
Unfortunately vegan dietary requirements cannot be catered for on this ride. We apologise for any inconvenience.
Itinerary
Please remember, working with cattle and Mother Nature requires fluidity, so suggested itineraries don’t always go according to plan and are subject to change at the discretion of your guides.
Please note: throughout the week you’ll be riding at elevations from 4,200 feet up to over 9,000 feet. If you live at sea level or have concerns about altitude, we strongly recommend speaking with your doctor about high-altitude medication before departure.
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Day Before: Arrival
You must arrive into Sheridan the night before your ride begins. Accommodation this evening will be at your own expense. We recommend the Ramada Plaza or the Sheridan Inn.
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Day 1 (July 19): Horsemanship Clinic
5 to 6 hours in the saddleWelcome to Wyoming, globetrotters! You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Sheridan around 8am and transferred out to cow camp where cowboy life will kick off with a horsemanship clinic, giving everyone time to settle in and be matched with the perfect mountain horse for the adventure ahead. These surefooted cow horses are your partners for the week to come – strong, sensible and born for the high country.
You’ll then set off on your first stretch of trail, easing into life in the saddle as anticipation builds for what lies ahead.
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Day 2 (July 20): Little Big Horn Canyon
8 to 10 hours in the saddleBefore dawn, the camp stirs (coffee never tasted so good at 4am!), and you’ll saddle up as the first light hits the canyon walls. Today you begin trailing the mother cows and calves up to their summer range, riding straight into the jaw-dropping beauty of Little Big Horn Canyon.
For around five unforgettable hours, you’ll climb more than 3,000 feet through towering rocky rims, winding trails and untouched wilderness that few people ever see. The sense of remoteness is powerful – just you, your horse, the cattle and the vastness of the mountains.
By afternoon, you’ll emerge at the magical Rock Cabin Park, your ultra-remote campsite tucked beside crystal-clear springs cascading down Leaky Mountain. This is proper backcountry living at its finest.
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Day 3 (July 21): Rock Cabin Park
7 to 10 hours in the saddleToday is all about soaking up this extraordinary pocket of wilderness. After a hearty cowboy breakfast, you’ll head out on horseback to explore the area, tethering the horses at the base of Leaky Mountain before hiking up to the roaring spring where water bursts straight from the rock face. You’ll collect any stray cattle you come across on the way back to camp.
Evenings here are something special – crackling fires, home-style meals, and stars so bright they hardly seem real.
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Day 4 (July 22): Joslyn Trail
7 to 10 hours in the saddleIt’s another early start as you push higher into the Big Horns, following the historic Kerns Joslyn Trail up the canyon rims. Today’s ride climbs a further 2,000 feet, revealing sweeping views that stretch forever in every direction.
By afternoon, you’ll arrive at Lake Creek Camp, your home for the next two nights and the heart of cattle work on the mountain.
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Day 5 (July 23): High Country Cattle Work
7 to 10 hours in the saddleNow fully immersed in mountain ranch life, today is spent helping the Kerns family move, gather and manage the herd across rugged alpine terrain. Expect long hours in the saddle, breathtaking scenery at every turn, and that unbeatable feeling of purpose that comes with working stock in wild country.
Breakfast comes a little later up here – around 7am – letting both riders and horses fuel up properly for another big day. The cooler mountain air makes riding comfortable, but layers are your best friend.
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Day 6 (July 24): Return to Civilisation
6 to 8 hours in the saddleAfter one last mountain morning, you’ll ride down off the range, officially completing nearly 100 miles in the saddle across six unforgettable days.
From there, it’s off to Bear Lodge Resort for hot showers, real beds (oh the luxury!) and a well-earned banquet dinner. Tonight is all about celebrating an epic achievement, swapping favourite moments, and reliving the magic of one of the most authentic cattle drive experiences on Earth.
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Day 7 (July 25): Departure
Non-riding dayAfter breakfast, you’ll be transferred back to Sheridan for your onward adventures. Flights from Sheridan can be booked after 12 midday today.
Transfer information
For international guests we recommend you fly into either Cody, Wyoming or Billings, Montana a day or two before the ride begins. So you’re not suffering from jet-lag when it comes time to throw a leg over the saddle. If you’re happy and comfortable to hire a car (driving on the other-side of the road) its a straight-forward two hour drive from Billings to Sheridan or a three hour drive from Cody to Sheridan.
Guests can also fly to Sheridan via Denver (Denver Air Connection) and if you have a spare few days you can hire a car and visit Yellowstone National Park or drive east to visit Mt Rushmore and the Black Hills.
Please note
Please note, all guests MUST arrive and stay in Sheridan (at their own expense) the night before the ride begins, so that you’re ready to be picked up around 8am on day 1 and be transferred to the cow camp.
Departure from Sheridan can be anytime after 12 midday on the last day.
Accommodation
You’ll stay in two-man teepee tents throughout the cattle drive. Tents are shared unless a single supplement has been purchased. Long drop toilet facilities are available, but there are no showers. On the last night, you will stay in cosy lodge accommodation and welcome a comfortable bed and a hot shower.
Tack
Western saddles and bridles.
Reviews
Mady W
1 ride with Globetrotting 
Melissa Brooks
1 ride with Globetrotting 
Ellen Comfort
1 ride with Globetrotting 
Lucy Regan
2 rides with Globetrotting 
Nichola Horton
What's my riding level?
Not sure what your riding level is? Watch our videos to see all our levels.
Beginner
Reasonably confident riding a horse at a walk, a rising trot, and learning to canter.
Intermediate
Confident and in control riding at all paces outside an arena, but not riding regularly. Comfortable and competent using aids {the language of your leg, seat and hands} to communicate with your horse.
Strong Intermediate
An intermediate rider who is currently riding regularly outside of an arena and is fit enough to ride for at least six hours per day. Strong intermediate riders are comfortable and competent in all three gaits; able to post or sit to the trot; have an independent seat while cantering (don’t hold onto the saddle); and can pick up the correct canter lead. They can also navigate more complex terrain, including asking a horse to sidestep and jump over a small obstacle.
Advanced
A frequent rider who is very fit, comfortable in the saddle for at least six hours per day, and has an independent seat and soft hands. Advanced riders are confident on a forward-moving horse at all paces over rough and variable ground on open terrain. They can ride over small jumps and know the techniques used to collect a horse
Not sure? Contact our team to help you figure out your riding ability.
Stories from the saddle
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