WELLSVILLE – The American West Heritage Center, located at 4025 S. Hwy 89-91 in Wellsville, is offering their annual horse drawn sleigh rides again this year starting Dec. 14. They hope the rides will add to the magic of Christmas.
With the snow-covered Wellsville Mountains as a backdrop, it is hard to find a more picturesque setting to enjoy a ride in the snow. Since they started the rides during COVID a few years ago it has grown in popularity.
The historic village has been decorated with lights, wreaths and other décor and they have added activities in some of the buildings, including a Santa’s Workshop for sleigh riders.
The sleigh rides are a popular holiday event attracting large numbers of people for a ride through the historic community at the American West Heritage Center.
“We have up to four teams of horses we can use but usually we can get by with two or three teams,” said Chance Getz, the manager of the farm and facilities at American West Heritage Center. “Each trip will last about a half hour with the activities we have planned.”
The $9 tickets can be purchased at the Welcome Center and then they will be loaded onto the sleigh. There is no charge for children 2 years of age and members are also free for one visit.
“We take them to the 1917 farmhouse where they can get a homemade snickerdoodle cookie, then on to the village where they can get hot chocolate and do a craft,” Getz said. “We also have a petting zoo with lambs, goats, miniature ponies and donkeys. There is also a place for children to write letters to Santa.”
Doors open for the sleigh rides at 10 a.m. and go until 4 p.m. and only on specific days in December. The rides will be on December 14, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, and 28. Last rides begin at 4 p.m. the gates will close promptly at 5 p.m.
“If there is enough snow we will put runners on the sleighs,” Getz said. “And we will open the sledding hill as well.”
Children need to dress warmly and bring their own sleds if they are planning to use the sledding hill.
When everyone is sufficiently warmed by cocoa, fun, and laughter, they can hop back on the sleigh for a round trip return to the Welcome Center.
Riding on a horse drawn sleighrides through the decorated building at the American West Heritage Center they hope helps bring in the holiday spirit.
The General Mercantile and Gift Shop will be open to help make holiday shopping easy and meaningful.
To create an educational and entertaining environment that inspires visitors to learn, live, and celebrate the American West by exploring the diverse cultures that shaped Cache Valley and the surrounding region from 1820-1920.
For more information, call (435) 245-6050 or contact them by email at heritagecenter@awhc.org.