All over America, state fish and wildlife agencies are hosting holiday-themed outdoor adventures for your family. Some, of course, are hearkening back to yesteryear with one of the most iconic Christmas activities that almost nobody gets to enjoy: sleigh rides! Today, we've learned about a particularly interesting sleigh experience courtesy of Utah's Hardware Wildlife Management Area. Starting Dec. 6, your family can ride on a horse-drawn sleigh through Hardware WMA's hundreds-strong elk herd. (The only way it could be more perfect is if there were caribou too!)
An organization called Haviland’s Old West Adventures is carrying out the Hardware WMA sleigh activities. Drawn the old-fashioned way by horse, each ride lasts about 45 minutes. (If there's not enough snow, wagons will be deployed instead.) These rides will be available to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Feb. 9. Rides start at 10 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. each day. There aren't any restrictions unless you have a group of 25 or more, in which case reservations are available by phone (435-744-3229).
The fee to go on a ride is $10 for those 9 years of age or older and $4 for those 4 to 8 years old. Those 3 years of age or younger ride for free. Tickets are not available online; they're only sold at the Hardware Wildlife Education Center, and you must buy them in-person on the day of your ride. For more info about the WMA and how to get there, click here.
If you're not a Utahn, don't fret. As we mentioned earlier, many states and locales are offering cool family activities for the season. Check your local state parks and wildlife-management area websites and see!
