How do I join a day ride?
The key to signing up for Day Rides and Camping Trips is to be on the Trail Boss's Email List!
Send Sharon an email at [email protected] to let her know that you want to be on the list. You will start getting reminders before each Day Ride or Camping Trip with information about the scheduled event for up-coming weekends. She will let riders know if the Day Ride has been canceled due to weather or lack of participation. Sometimes the facility will close because of other events that they have scheduled or the trails are closed due to certain conditions. She always puts each participant's name in an email prior to the scheduled event so riders know they are signed up to day ride or camp. Please call or text her if you need to cancel.
Sharon will send out reminders for the camping trips about 2 weeks before the scheduled date. She will put everyone's name on the list and make up a meal plan. People will pick a meal that they want to help cook and can contact each other about what they want to cook or bring. By doing this, the campers only have to bring food for the meal that they are signed up for, their drinks, lunches and snacks. This cuts down on bringing a lot of food for the weekend. Also, a camper can let her know if they don't want to be on the meal plan. She will always ask who is planning to go up a day early and help plan a pot luck dinner that night.
Remember it is important to get on the Trail Riders List. You also can call or text Sharon at anytime with questions or concerns. Her phone number is 706-614-0351. You will need to book all camping trips in advance to make sure that you get a camp site. Many Riders have already booked sites for the year.
Send Sharon an email at [email protected] to let her know that you want to be on the list. You will start getting reminders before each Day Ride or Camping Trip with information about the scheduled event for up-coming weekends. She will let riders know if the Day Ride has been canceled due to weather or lack of participation. Sometimes the facility will close because of other events that they have scheduled or the trails are closed due to certain conditions. She always puts each participant's name in an email prior to the scheduled event so riders know they are signed up to day ride or camp. Please call or text her if you need to cancel.
Sharon will send out reminders for the camping trips about 2 weeks before the scheduled date. She will put everyone's name on the list and make up a meal plan. People will pick a meal that they want to help cook and can contact each other about what they want to cook or bring. By doing this, the campers only have to bring food for the meal that they are signed up for, their drinks, lunches and snacks. This cuts down on bringing a lot of food for the weekend. Also, a camper can let her know if they don't want to be on the meal plan. She will always ask who is planning to go up a day early and help plan a pot luck dinner that night.
Remember it is important to get on the Trail Riders List. You also can call or text Sharon at anytime with questions or concerns. Her phone number is 706-614-0351. You will need to book all camping trips in advance to make sure that you get a camp site. Many Riders have already booked sites for the year.
Trail Riding Tips
These tips were compiled in order to make all trail rides and camping rides safe and fun for everyone. They are also very helpful if you are new to trail riding!
- For safety reasons - no dogs on the trails. A lot of state parks (Watson Mill) and camping areas (Silver Spur) do not permit dogs on the trail.
- On a trail ride, don't leave the group and go out on your own unless you inform the group.
- Tie horses properly when you take a break on the trail. If you have a horse that chews on trees, put up a picket line. This is becoming a major issue on some private, State and Federal lands.
- Stay on the trails - several State and Federal trail riding areas get complaints about folks not staying on the trails.
- If everyone is walking their horses and you are in the front, don't let your horse run up or down the hills (see #6).
- If you would like to speed up - gait, trot, canter or gallop - let folks know that you are about to "change gears"!
- When overtaking other horses on the trail, ask to pass. Don't gallop around them - walk by them. If being passed, stop and allow the horse and rider to go safely around you.
- When coming towards another group of horses on the trail, the smaller group should yield to the larger group and get off to the side of the trail or if possible, get off the trail completely.
- At watering holes, if your horse "fouls the stream" or likes to walk in the water, try to go last or go downstream. Wait your turn and don't let your horse push its way into the watering hole.
- Don't allow your horse to "bump" into other riders or their horses. Keep your horse a safe distance from the horse in front of you. This is especially important if you are gaiting, trotting or cantering. If your horse kicks, put a red ribbon in it's tail.
- If a ride is scheduled for a specific time, be prepared to ride out at that time.
- Don't litter! If you carry it in, carry it out!
- Veteran Kel-Mac trail riders should be patient and helpful to new trail riders.
- Be safe and courteous to all riders on the trail.
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Kel-Mac members rode the green trail at Hard Labor Creek State Park on February 24th, and ate a picnic lunch on the trail. Pictured left to right: Sharon, Carlos, Debbie, Tricia and Terry.
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2026 Trail (Day) Ride Dates
DATE |
RIDE OUT TIME |
VENUE |
ADDRESS |
JAN 24 |
cancelled |
Heritage Park |
2543 Macon Hwy, Watkinsville, GA 30677 |
JAN 31 |
cancelled |
Sandy Creek Park |
400 Bob Holman Rd, Athens, GA 30607 |
FEB 14 |
11:00 am |
Harbins Park |
2995 Luke Edwards Rd, Dacula, GA 30019 |
FEB 28 |
11:00 am |
Hard Labor Creek State Park |
5 Hard Labor Creek Rd, Rutledge, GA 30663 |
MAR 14 |
10:00 am |
Watson Mill State Park |
650 Watson Mill, Comer, GA 30629 |
APR 25 |
10:00 am |
AH Stephens State Park |
456 Alexander St, Crawfordville, GA 30631 |
MAY 9 |
10:00 am |
Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center |
543 Elliott Trail, Mansfield, GA 30055 |
JUN 6 |
10:00 am |
Don Carter State Park |
5000 N Browning Bridge Rd, Gainesville, GA |
JUL 11 |
9:00 am |
Hard Labor Creek State Park |
5 Hard Labor Creek Rd, Rutledge, GA 30663 |
JUL 25 |
9:00 am |
Watson Mill State Park |
650 Watson Mill, Comer, GA 30629 |
AUG 8 |
9:00 am |
Sandy Creek Park |
400 Bob Holman Rd, Athens, GA 30607 |
AUG 22 |
9:00 am |
Heritage Park |
2543 Macon Hwy, Watkinsville, GA 30677 |
SEP 12 |
10:00 am |
AH Stephens State Park |
456 Alexander St, Crawfordville, GA 30631 |
OCT 3 |
10:00 am |
Meet and Greet at Heritage |
2543 Macon Hwy, Watkinsville, GA 30677 |
NOV 21 |
10:00 am |
Hard Labor Creek State Park |
5 Hard Labor Creek Rd, Rutledge, GA 30663 |
DEC 12 |
11:00 am |
Heritage Park |
2543 Macon Hwy, Watkinsville, GA 30677 |