2026 Event Calendar

Thursday, July 16 - Sun, July 19 – Scott’s Lake Campout – Hope Valley. RSVP by text to Lisa Sandbo, 775-364-8023 no later than July 9th. 

When the heat is on, there’s no better place to be than in the mountains horse camping with your High Desert Horsemen (HDH) friends among thick forests, alpine lakes, lush meadows, creeks and hidden waterfalls. Scotts lake is located in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest near Hope Valley/Markleeville off highway 88.

CAMPING: Scotts Lake offers primitive & dispersed horse camping. There are no dedicated horse facilities, corrals or water, so you must bring your own containment systems and water for yourself and your horse. There are several camping spots within the trees that are mostly flat. Dogs are NOT allowed on the trail, but WILL be allowed in camp, subject to Dog Rules (see Club Activity information tab on the HDH website).

RIDES/TRAILS: Day group rides will leave at 9am sharp each day. Please be saddled and ready. Be sure to bring bug spray for you and your horse. The daily rides will be HTAP. You can ride out with the group or go out on your own on the honor system. Each rider will need to sign-in before they ride out and clock their own rides. Friday's ride will be to Scotts Lake. Saturday's ride will be to the Hidden Waterfall where we will have lunch and Sunday's ride will be a surprise ride, about 2-2.5/hrs. Footing is a mixture of dirt and rocky. There are areas where we may find water on the trail. You will want to have shoes or boots on your horse. There is a lot of Off Road/ATV/Jeep activity in the area on the main roads. 

MEALS: Breakfast and lunch will be on your own. Dinners are at 6:00 pm each night. Thursday Dinner – Bring an appetizer to share. Friday & Saturday Dinners – Meal Teams will prepare and serve (optional). If you would like to participate in meal teams, please sign up to be on a meal team when you RSVP to Lisa. 

DIRECTIONS:

There will be signs on Hwy 88 prior to the gate, as well as signs/ribbons at the gate with direction to where we are camping.

Directions from Fallon/Silver Springs/Dayton: Take Hwy 50 to Carson City to I-580. Follow freeway until it junctions with 395 South. Take 395 South to Hwy 88 Junction. Take Hwy 88 West to California.  Go approx. two miles past Hwy 88/Hwy 89 junction. There will be a gate with a cattle guard on the right.  

Directions from Carson City: Take 395 South to Hwy 88 Junction. Take Hwy 88 West to California.  Go approx. two miles past Hwy 88/Hwy 89 junction. There will be a gate with a cattle guard on the right.  

Directions from Yerington: Take Hwy 208 through Smith Valley to Holbrook Junction. Turn right onto Hwy 395 towards Gardnerville. At the 7-11, turn left and go through the Ranchos to Hwy 88. Turn left onto Hwy 88 out of Gardnerville into California. Go approx. two miles past Hwy 88/Hwy 89 junction.  

Thurs, Aug 27 - Mon, Aug 31 – Loon Lake Campout – CA -  Registration for the HDH Loon Lake campout, August 27-31, 2026 is now open. This is a HDH Members Only campout.  Sites are limited so don't delay.  Register today!  This campout is sure to sell out! 
Loon Lake's Individual and group equestrian campground just completed a $10million renovation & improvement, including larger sites for big rigs, bbq pits, tables, corrals, water spigots for horses, pit toilets and upgraded trails. 

Loon Lake Equestrian Campground rests in the Crystal Basin area of the Eldorado National Forest in California near Pollock Pines, 29 miles north of Highway 50 on Ice House Road in a forested area with a mix of trees and open spaces. With an elevation of 6500, milder summer temperatures average in the 80s. 

Loon Lake offers water activities such as swimming, fishing & boating and is a short walk from the equestrian campground, so bring your swimsuits for some water fun after our rides. 

Cost: Only $80 per rig for 4 nights of camping (normally $38 per night so we have a group discount).  

Camp Host:  Sunday Minnich, sminnich1962@gmail.com or 408-858-9958 for questions!

For more details and to register, CLICK HERE!