06/10/2026
Come ride the Tevis canyons on the infamous Western States Trail!
Robinson Flat 🌲 —> Chicken Hawk 🐔
Can you spot some iconic landmarks like Pucker Point, Swinging Bridge, or Devil’s Thumb?
If I’m being honest, my feelings towards this section of trail have been primarily negative. I’ve had some brutal trips through the canyons on various Tevis attempts that’s left me with trepidation and the mindset of, “you just have to survive the canyons.” I’ve rarely had the chance to enjoy them and take in how beautiful that area is. It is some of the most rugged, dramatic trail you will ever find. Yesterday for possibly the first time ever, I really got to appreciate the beauty of it. The wildflowers are blooming in droves on the steep, rocky slopes, and the crystal clear water of the American River below Swinging Bridge is mesmerizing.
Five of us set out yesterday from
Robinson Flat on the Campbell family’s string of endurance mustangs, and all five mustangs crushed it!
I am so proud of Maverick. This horse never backs down from a challenge, and the trust we’ve build with one another in such a short time is mind blowing. Maverick was not an easy horse coming out of the BLM corrals, and spent most of his life wild. Yesterday, I finished our ride out of the canyons in a halter. It was a moment of triumph on so many levels, and a reminder that sometimes the biggest wins are quiet. They happen in the forest when no one is watching, but if you’re looking for them, those are the moments and the wins that can mean the most.
Maverick would not be where he is today without Matt Zimmerman, the phenomenal trainer that took him on when many others would have likely turned him away, and thanks to the Campbell’s for not giving up on him.
The future is bright for this little bay horse with a heart of gold, and I sure feel lucky to be along for the ride 💛
