Take an unforgettable horseback journey into the untamed heart of the Southwest with WolfHorse Outfitters, your gateway to the pristine Gila Wilderness. Operating from Arenas Valley, New Mexico, this outfitter offers more than a trail ride. It’s your immersion into one of America’s most spectacular wild landscapes, with significant cultural and historical roots. Joe Saenz, owner and operator of WolfHorse Outfitters since 1998, brings his love for the Earth and her offerings to his business. He shares traditional Apache teachings in his horseback tours and trips.
Joe Saenz, owner and operator of WolfHorse Outfitters since 1998, brings his love for the Earth and her offerings to his business.He shares traditional Apache teachings in his horseback tours and trips.
Photo courtesy of WolfHorse Outfitters
Apache-Guided Horseback Rides
WolfHorse Outfitters, named from Saenz’s family name, offers a variety of personalized rides for all levels of riders. The business is also approved and permitted to guide visitors by the US Forest Service. With a four-person limit during rides, you’ll be sure to get the care and attention you need to make your trip memorable, (but in a good way)!
Saenz caters to the adventurer who wants to sleep under the stars and eat meals cooked over the fire, down to the traveler with only a couple hours to be horseback. Choose from multi-day pack trips into the vast wilderness, half-day rides with lessons along the way from Apache culture, to even moonlight rides under the starry New Mexico sky.
Reviews rave about Saenz and his team, noting that the WolfHorse Outfitters crew makes everyone feel comfortable and safe horseback, provides valuable wisdom and guidance about the Earth and her offerings, and mounts visitors on gentle and safe horses that know the wilderness like the back of their hoof.
Lisa C. on Tripadvisor says:
“What an amazing experience with Joe and his horses! Joe was very informative from local history to picking samples from a variety of plants for us to try. The horses were gentle and patient with our novice abilities. We will repeat this experience next time we’re in the area and highly recommend them. The only negative was that the ride eventually had to come to an end.”
Coming Home
Saenz is of Huichol and Tci-He-Nde (Red Paint People) ancestry, and has deep roots in the land. His youth was spent in the rugged and wild terrain, learning of the land and his people’s history.
“I grew up in Ysleta, which is East of El Paso, Texas. I was born and raised in my traditional country.” Saenz recounts his childhood exploring all the Earth has to offer, saying, “My parents took us around the mountains, the Sacrementos, the Gila, and started teaching us about the environment. When we had extra time together as a family, it was spent outdoors.”
Although Saenz eventually left the area to spend time in various places, his adventures took him to three distinct areas; Northern California, Southern Canada, and Alaska. However, Saenz started to hear the calling of home, and eventually heeded it.
“From Alaska is where I started to receive the messages to come home. They came in various forms but the message was always consistent. Alaska at the time was still pretty wild and I thought I would stay there for much longer. But the calling to come home became more persistent and I started to take it seriously.”
Saenz, heeding the message to return to his home, came back to his ancestral land. He had worked for various outfitting businesses before starting WolfHorse Outfitters in 1998.
“I’ve tried other types of work in various industries, but this was a calling I eventually had to pay attention to and take serious. So, I got my own forest permit in 1998.” The outfitter talks about the reasons that led him to opening his own operation, noting that business autonomy was of great importance. “I guess specifically related to why I went down the path as an outfitter in my own business was to make my own decisions. I wanted to design my business as I saw fit, how I saw it related to the environment, related to the area I was visiting; culturally, historically, and related to my family and relatives.”
Truly the Land of Enchantment
The great expanse of country called Gila National Forest is found within the ancestral lands of the Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apache Nde. With more than 1,400 trails to explore, hot springs to take a dip in, 360 miles of streams and five lakes to sit alongside and relax, you’re bound to find your peace in the Gila Wilderness.
Three wilderness areas make up this majestic country; the Gila, the Aldo Leopold, and the Blue Range. Riders can expect to find varying geography and elevation ranging from towering ponderosa pines, hidden box canyons, and ancient cliff dwellings. As well as the chance to spot elusive wildlife await on these expeditions.
Great swaths of ponderosas cover mountainsides, while the Gila River watershed system has carved out canyons and valleys for the brave adventurer to discover. The land is the original home of the Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apache People, and Saenz seeks to show his visitors the land as his people knew it.
The Gila National Forest is a wild and expansive land that calls to explorers, trail riders, and anyone looking to get connected with nature.
Photo courtesy of WolfHorse Outfitters.
A Horseback Ride Through History
More than a ride through beautiful country, WolfHorse Outfitters offers guests a ride through history and culture. Operating on a strict policy of “Leave No Trace”, Saenz guides his visitors through the wilderness in a way that minimizes impact on the land. While also educating folks on the offerings that are under our very feet.
Guests say that Saenz points out edible vegetation, explains the medicinal properties of specific flora and fauna that his people have used for years, educates about the geography, and takes guests through a tour of ancient petroglyphs while sharing his wisdom of the land with his visitors.
[Learn More About WolfHorse Outfitters and the Warm Springs Apache and Chiricahua People]
The adventurous type might enjoy the “Drag the Wolf Tail” Ride. It is aptly named after the Apache warrior code for “explore and scout.” This multi-day ride takes guests through a horseback educational, immersive, outdoor skills journey.
Riding Through New Mexico Culture
Most importantly to Saenz is the ability to combine his culture and love for the Earth and environment into his livelihood, and other efforts within the same purview.
“WolfHorse Outfitters encompasses other efforts and work that we’re doing. They all directly relate to our cultural ties to this land.” Saenz notes that his business is related to other efforts by the Warm Springs Apache and Chiricahua People to preserve their history and educate the public. “We’re trying to centralize the information and knowledge to make it all available to the public.”
So, whether you’re an experienced rider with a desire to explore the untamed Gila Wilderness, or you want to take a leisurely ride through the Dragonfly Federal Land open space, check out WolfHorse Outfitters for an unforgettable trip through New Mexico. But be sure to leave no trace on the land during your stay, and soak up the wisdom of your guide.
As Saenz says, “We just want the same message voiced at all times. One of respect and value for our Earth.”
For more information on WolfHorse Outfitters, call (575) 534-1379 or visit www.wolfhorseoutfitters.com. For more on the Gila National Forest, call (575) 388-8201, or visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/gila.
