Just 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, Catalina Island boasts beaches that once doubled for the South Pacific on screen and a seaside town often known as the “Amalfi Coast of the United States.” The destination also has long been known for its outdoor pursuits, including horseback riding—a beloved tradition that has returned after a nearly two-decade hiatus.
The island’s last riding operation paused in 2008, but as of early 2025, visitors can now enjoy guided rides with Catalina Island Horseback Adventures. The company offers visitors a chance to experience the landscape the way locals—and Catalina icons—have for decades. “There are more than 100 years of history of riding horses on this island,” said Jeff Skelton, the operator’s founder.
That equestrian heritage is closely tied to Philip Wrigley, the chewing gum magnate who shaped Catalina into a leisure destination starting in the early 1930s. El Rancho Escondido, the Wrigley family’s private ranch, initially maintained a herd of palomino horses and later became nationally recognized for its Arabian breeding program. Wrigley was famously quoted as saying that the best way to see the island was from the back of a horse, a line that has since become entrenched in local lore.
“From the beginning, horses were central to how the Wrigley family envisioned Catalina and helped draw visitors beyond Avalon [the island’s main town] and into the island’s interior,” said Hunter Rusack, president of the Catalina Island Company, the island’s primary landowner and tourism operator.
After decades as a private retreat, the ranch opened to the public in 2024. “You round one final bend, and it seems to materialize in front of you,” Rusack said of the property’s remote setting.
The ranch is one of several stops on a new Wrigley Island Tour that debuts this spring. Horses are not available for rides, but a behind-the-scenes look at the original stables, saddle, and trophy rooms, as well as live horse presentations reflect the vision and intention of the Wrigley era. Meanwhile, visitors also can see the family’s DC-3 hangar at the ACE Clearwater Airfield, also known as the Airport in the Sky, which is open to private planes.
Reviving a beloved equestrian tradition
El Rancho Escondido is privately owned by the Wrigley family, who established the equestrian traditions on Catalina Island.
Courtesy of Catalina Island Company
The island’s last riding operation ended in 2008. According to the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets, wildfires and the resulting fire-damaged landscapes increased flooding risk, creating safety hazards for horseback riding in certain areas. But the tradition of riding never fully disappeared. Since the 1940s, Los Caballeros, a private riding group, has returned every September for a five-day journey across the interior.
Skelton joined them in 2014. Inspired by Wrigley’s often-quoted line, he revived riding on Catalina by launching Catalina Island Horseback Adventures.
Rides run from under an hour to two hours, with private options for experienced equestrians; beginners also are welcome. Groups set out from Rancho Catalina, a short walk from downtown Avalon, usually with one wrangler accompanying every six riders. Groups cross the island’s sole golf course before climbing trails used since the early 1900s.
In the sage-lined canyons, riders may spot a Catalina Island fox dashing across the trail, while bluffs and overlooks reward with spectacular views of the harbor and casino. On clear days, those views may extend all the way to the mainland. This way of experiencing Catalina isn’t new—it’s exactly how generations of visitors have enjoyed the island.
According to Skelton, “There are a lot of ways to see Catalina, but when you’re on horseback, you slow down and really immerse yourself in the scenery.”
