Booking choice: The Wild West sunset ride with dinner, from $160 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Both rides pick you up at your hotel, put you on a horse for about 90 minutes around sunset and finish with a meal by a campfire. Both take about five hours in total, and both cancel free up to 24 hours before.
The differences are the scenery, the drive, the menu and about $40.
The quick answer
Choose the Wild West ride in Moapa ($160) for open desert, Joshua trees and the lower price, and accept about an hour's drive each way (more with hotel pickups). Choose the Red Rock Canyon ride ($199, or $225 with steak) for red sandstone scenery, a shorter drive, soft drinks and s'mores. Red Rock rates 4.9 from 1,417 reviews; Moapa 4.8 from 1,106.
How do the two sunset rides compare side by side?
Moapa is cheaper and more remote; Red Rock is closer, slightly higher rated and adds drinks and s'mores.
| Wild West (Moapa) | Red Rock Canyon | |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Wild West Horseback Adventures | Cowboy Trail Rides |
| From | $160 | $199 ($225 steak) |
| Time on horseback | About 1.5 hours | 90 minutes |
| Total trip | About 5 hours | About 5 hours |
| Meal | Steak or chicken, potato, corn, rolls, apple pie | Steak, chicken or salmon, sides, dessert, s'mores |
| Drinks listed | No | Soft drinks and water |
| Minimum age | 6 | 7 |
| Max group | 12 | 8 |
| Rating | 4.8 (1,106) | 4.9 (1,417) |
Leaning towards the desert ranch? Check sunset dates for the Wild West ride.
Check dates for the Wild West sunset ride with dinnerWhich ride has the shorter drive?
Red Rock. Cowboy Trail Rides says Red Rock Canyon is about 20 minutes from the Strip (its 2-hour ride listing says under an hour by car to the start point), while the Moapa ranch is roughly 55 to 60 miles away.
That is about an hour each way to Moapa by road; one reviewer reported about 1.5 hours including hotel pickups. Both listings still quote about five hours in total, because pickups for the Red Rock ride run one to two hours before the ride starts.
Which has the better scenery?
It depends on taste: Red Rock has red and cream sandstone cliffs, while Moapa has open desert, mountains and Joshua trees.
Red Rock reviewers talk about canyon views and some uneven terrain; Moapa reviewers talk about the sunset and the quiet. Both trails are ridden at a walk.
How do the dinners compare?
Moapa serves steak or chicken with a baked potato, corn on the cob, rolls and apple pie; Red Rock serves steak, chicken or salmon with salad, cowboy potatoes, beans, dessert and cowboy s'mores.
Both offer a vegetarian meal if you request it at checkout. Red Rock's listing also includes soft drinks and bottled water; the Wild West listing does not list drinks, so bring water.
Is one better for families?
Moapa takes children from age 6 and Red Rock from age 7; both charge children the adult price.
At Moapa riders 12 and under wear helmets; at Red Rock everyone under 18 does, though 16 and 17-year-olds can ride without one with a parent's release. See riding with kids.
What do reviewers complain about?
Complaints are rare on both, but they differ: at Moapa a few guests mention the long drive, a slow ride or a very basic ranch house; at Red Rock a guest had trouble with a changed pickup point.
One Moapa guest described the ranch house as a converted shed with no air conditioning or running water. One Red Rock guest said the changed pickup location did not show in the app. Neither pattern is common in the reviews.
Prefer the canyon? The Red Rock sunset ride adds drinks, dessert and cowboy s'mores.
Explore the Red Rock sunset ride and barbecueSo which should you book?
Book Moapa to save about $40 and get the most remote desert feel; book Red Rock for canyon scenery and a fuller menu.
If you would rather ride in the morning, both operators run day rides too: see sunset or breakfast ride.
Decided on the desert ranch? The Wild West ride includes pickup, dinner and the campfire.
Check dates for the Wild West sunset ride with dinnerFrequently asked questions
Is Red Rock Canyon horseback riding inside the national conservation area?
Cowboy Trail Rides describes its rides as being in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 20 minutes from the Strip.
Which sunset ride is rated higher?
On Viator, the Red Rock sunset ride rates 4.9 from 1,417 reviews and the Wild West ride 4.8 from 1,106 reviews.
Do both rides include hotel pickup?
Yes, from select Las Vegas hotels. Pick your hotel at checkout and confirm the pickup time with the operator.
Ready to book
Choose your ride
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Wild West Sunset Horseback Ride with Dinner
- Guided horseback trail ride of about 1.5 hours
- Professional wrangler guide
- Dinner: steak or chicken, baked potato, corn on the cob, rolls, apple pie (vegetarian on request)
Red Rock Canyon Sunset Ride & Barbecue
- 90-minute guided horseback ride in Red Rock Canyon
- BBQ meal: steak, chicken or salmon (vegetarian available)
- Soft drinks, bottled water and dessert
