Ascend Camp & Retreat Center
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Ascend Camp & Retreat Center stands out for its exceptional horseback riding experiences, guided by patient and knowledgeable staff, and the unique opportunity to interact with well-cared-for horses after the ride. Beyond horse riding, it offers a diverse range of family-friendly camp activities like paintball and swimming, complemented by relaxing amenities such as cute cabins and hammocks, making it an ideal destination for a holistic family getaway or a focused equestrian adventure in the Dallas Fort Worth area.
Key Highlights
- ✓Highly praised horseback riding trails with gorgeous, well-cared-for horses.
- ✓Exceptional, patient, kind, and informative instructors (e.g., Fadi, Mr. Jim, Andrew, Christian, Donovan) who excel at matching riders with suitable horses.
- ✓Unique opportunity to pet and feed the horses after the ride, enhancing the experience for children and animal lovers.
- ✓Beautiful and nicely shaded trails, especially beneficial during summer months.
- ✓Variety of camp activities available beyond horseback riding, including paintball and swimming, catering to diverse interests.
- ✓Relaxing retreat atmosphere with cute cabins and hammocks for unwinding.
- ✓Consistently described as a 'best day ever' or 'best weekend' experience, indicating high satisfaction.
Standout Features
- ⭐Personalized horse matching by skilled instructors ensures a comfortable and enjoyable ride for all skill levels.
- ⭐Staff's genuine care for horses is evident, contributing to a positive experience.
- ⭐Opportunity for post-ride interaction with horses (petting, feeding) adds significant value.
- ⭐Beautiful, shaded trails enhance the riding experience, especially in warmer weather.
- ⭐Availability of multiple recreational activities (horseback riding, paintball, swimming) for a diverse family experience.
- ⭐Comfortable and charming cabin accommodations with relaxing hammocks.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Book the 7 am slot for horseback riding during summer months to enjoy cooler temperatures and perfect weather.
- →Be prepared for a full day of activities if attending a retreat, as participants wished for more time.
- →Engage with the instructors as they are known to be informative and entertaining, adding to the experience.
- →Consider booking for special occasions or family retreats, as it's highlighted for 'sisterhood' and 'family fun'.
Things to Consider
- ⚠One review mentioned wishing they had more time, suggesting a rich itinerary that might feel packed or leave visitors wanting a longer stay, but not a negative.
Price & Value
Pricing details are not mentioned in the reviews. However, the consistent high satisfaction and numerous positive comments about the staff, activities, and overall experience suggest a strong perceived value for money, making it a highly recommended experience.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accommodations for special needs are mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •No information regarding food and drink policies is mentioned in the reviews.
🚗Parking Info
- •No information regarding parking is mentioned in the reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •No explicit mentions of crowd levels. However, the recommendation for 7 am slots in summer could imply it gets busier or hotter later in the day.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Staff (e.g., Andrew, Christian, Donovan) are praised for taking great care of guests and matching horses appropriately, which implies a focus on rider safety and comfort.
- •Horses are noted as being well taken care of, which contributes to overall safety and a pleasant experience.
⏰When to Avoid
- • None explicitly reported. The facility receives overwhelmingly positive feedback.
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
Horseback Riding Lessons
$90One-on-one riding instruction with focus on horse care and riding skills. Learn Western style riding.
Includes:
- •Horse safety on the ground
- •Grooming and saddling a horse properly
- •Riding a horse correctly with balance and communication
- •Posture and gaits
- •Mounting and dismounting
- •Barn care and safety
- •Grooming and cooling down
- •Care of equipment and tack
- •Equine first aid
Trail Ride (First Person)
$150Duration: Approximately one hour
Immersive trail ride through nature. No prior riding experience required.
Trail Ride (1 Person - eGift Card)
$120eGift Card for one person for a trail ride.
Trail Ride (2 Persons - eGift Card)
$160eGift Card for two persons for a trail ride.
Trail Ride (3 Persons - eGift Card)
$220eGift Card for three persons for a trail ride. Maximum of 3 riders allowed on trail at once.
Corral Ride (First Person)
$100Relaxing ride through a fenced-in corral. No prior riding experience required.
Includes:
- •Equine encounters
- •Pictures with horses
Corral Ride (1 Person - eGift Card)
$60eGift Card for one person for a corral ride.
Corral Ride (2 Persons - eGift Card)
$75eGift Card for two persons for a corral ride.
Corral Ride (3 Persons - eGift Card)
$105eGift Card for three persons for a corral ride.
Corral Ride (4 Persons - eGift Card)
$140eGift Card for four persons for a corral ride.
Corral Ride (5 Persons - eGift Card)
$175eGift Card for five persons for a corral ride. Maximum of 5 riders allowed.
Paintball Session
$499.99Duration: Up to 1.5 hours
Outdoor paintball session for a group. Develop teamwork and communication skills.
Includes:
- •Admission for up to 10 players (minimum cost is the same for less than 10 players)
- •Paintball Equipment
- •Protective Masks
- •100 paintballs per player
Group Day Camp
Call for a quotationDuration: Five-hours access
Day camp experience for groups to explore, learn, and have fun.
Includes:
- •Access to common grounds
- •Self-facilitated activities (Trail Hikes, Mini-Golf, Field Sports)
- •Access to other activities at discounted rates (as add-ons)
Group Overnight Camp
Call for a quotationOvernight camp experience for groups including lodging and meals.
Includes:
- •Lodging
- •Access to common grounds
- •Three meals
- •Self-facilitated activities (Trail Hikes, Mini-Golf, Field Sports)
- •Access to other activities at discounted rates (as add-ons)
🍎Food Policy
- • Amazing food provided.
- • Three meals included with Overnight Camp package.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Accredited by the American Camp Association.
- • Waivers MUST be completed in advance for horseback riding and paintball.
- • Guardian MUST be present on-site at ALL times during a child's horseback ride.
- • Horseback Riding Dress Code: Pants highly encouraged for skin protection. Close-toed shoes MUST be worn.
- • Horseback Riding: No doubling up (one horse per rider).
- • Horseback Riding Weight Limits: Max 250lbs for the first rider (one specific horse), all additional riders max 220lbs (no exceptions).
- • Paintball: Safety rules explained by an instructor.
- • Paintball: Not safe for non-playing children or parents to be close to the field without protection; main camp field with playground, gazebo, swings, and free coffee is available for non-players.
- • Paintball: Must use provided, tested, and approved quality paintballs (no exceptions).
- • Paintball: Own equipment can be brought if it meets standard safety requirements (Ascend reserves the right to not allow certain equipment).
- • General Restrictions: Groups consuming alcohol or controlled substances, and firearms (concealed or otherwise) are not accepted or allowed on premises to maintain a neutral and safe environment.
📅Booking Policy
- • All activities are by appointment only; walk-ins are not allowed.
- • For Group Camps, call for a quotation.
- • To add additional paintball players, call after securing initial booking.
What People Say
What's Great
- Friendly and helpful staff (mentioned in 7 reviews)
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 4 reviews)
- Great for birthday parties (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Khadija Abdur-Rashid
5 months agoI attended an amazing retreat Nurturing your soul retreat it was so relaxing , the camp activities were fun paintball, horseback , swimming we had a blast the , The retreat speakers/presenters were great learned a lot and a great weekend of sisterhood and family fun. It was so much to do wish we had more time. really just what we needed as a family loved this event best weekend ! Sn loved the cabins so cute and the hammocks very relaxing at Fajr 💕
Evan Noel
a week agoMe and my son did the horse back riding trail with Fadi. he was a great instructor and all of the staff were extremely helpful and kind the horses and trail were gorgeous. If you are ever in the Dallas Fort Worth area I would definitely recommend this. We can’t wait to come back and do it again.
Chris Armstrong
5 months agoThanks too Mr Jim and Fadi for the ride it's the best time I've had the staff is amazing and at the end of the ride they let us stick around to pet the horses and feed them I will be back best day ever
Emily Peek
a year agoAndrew was fantastic! We had such a nice time. He was patient, kind and entertaining. He did a great job matching our horses. We all felt we got the perfect horse for each of us. The 7 am slot is the best one for this summer heat! It was the perfect weather. The trails are beautiful and nicely shaded. This was a wonderful experience.
Hannah Dollarhide
a year agoMy bestie surprised me with horse riding for a belated birthday gift and this was such a sweet experience. Christian and Donovan were so kind and informative! They took great care of us while on our ride and we had a blast chatting with them. You can tell the horsies are well taken care of and loved - I wish I could spend all of my time here. Thanks so much Christian!! 🤎🤎