For the second year in a row, Timber Ridge Horse Campground received the most votes to become the winner of the coveted 2011 "Five-Star" Award given annually by HorseTrailDirectory.com. In only its third year in business, Timber Ridge, adjacent to The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Jamestown, TN, received 262 Five-Star ratings out of a total 273 trail riders' reviews.
Five star horse trail awards
HorseTrailDirectory.com currently has over a thousand trail and campground locations in its database.
Heart of Dixie Trail Ride in Troy, AL, which has been either first or second four years in a row, came in second in trail riders' voting. Close behind in third place, under new ownership, was True West Horse Campground, also at The Big South Fork.
According to John Thurow, proprietor of HorseTrailDirectory.com, the winning campground must receive the most Five-Star ratings from trail riders, who post their ratings on HorseTrailDirectory.com during the year. In 2011, trail riders wrote reviews and recorded more than a thousand ratings on 329 different horse campgrounds, with 134 campgrounds receiving at least one 5-Star rating. For a complete listing of Five-Star campgrounds and trails, visit http://www.horsetraildirectory.com/fivestars
The Big South Fork National Recreation Area offers hundreds of miles of horse trails, and Timber Ridge owners Lee and Denise Stevens work with the park to maintain and open more trails near their campground. Riding from the campground, trail riders can see waterfalls, rock bluffs, water crossings, and rock formations.
The trails vary in degree of difficulty, offering riding for everyone, from the beginner rider to the most experienced so that everyone can enjoy the fantastic views from the backs of their horses. Campers also have the use of Timber Ridge's stock trailer for those adventurers who want to travel to remote trailheads in the park.
Timber Ridge offers 25 electric/water shaded campsites and three cabin rentals, wi-fi, two large barns, turnout corrals and miles of trail access right from camp. Lee and Denise believe that the size of their facility allows them to be readily available and spend time with their guests, meeting their needs and developing long lasting friendships!
Denise says, “We have met great people here at Timber Ridge and have developed many friendships with those who have stayed with us!!” Lee adds "After three years we still enjoy the hard work, long days and company of good people."
Thurow said that HorseTrailDirectory.com currently has over a thousand trail and campground locations in its database, put there by people who have ridden at the trail locations or by campground owners.
Most of the locations are in North America but there are also listings in countries around the globe, including Argentina, Spain, Hungary, and Russia. Each listing is described in a brief narrative, accompanied by information about the location, such as number of trail miles, trail difficulty, number of campsites, and directions to the location. After visiting a location, riders can comment on their experiences by posting reviews.