On the March 1964 cover of GQ, a dashing gray-haired Cary Grant sits atop a horse in denim and a red work shirt. The headline reads, “GQ Visits CG in Palm Springs.” At the time, Grant owned a home in the Movie Colony neighborhood of Palm Springs and spent much of his leisure time in the desert on horseback, often at Smoke Tree Stables. Founded in 1927, the riding and boarding facility south of downtown Palm Springs remains open today, still run by the same family who rode the trails with Grant.
Kenneth “K.C.” Johnson runs the stables with his wife, Stacey. His grandfather, also Kenneth Johnson, “shared a very close friendship with Cary Grant,” Stacey says. “They rode together and maintained a strong bond over the years. One of my sisters-in-law was named Cary as a tribute to him.”
She admits Smoke Tree Stables “did not keep great records,” so the venue’s early years are historically hazy, but she knows it began as part of the Smoke Tree Ranch development. Her husband’s grandfather, who had been leading “Burro Train” rides through the Indian Canyons, bought the business in the 1940s.
Bud Kinnaman, an early stable manager, pictured in 1957.
Photo courtesy smoke tree stables
While the family has expanded space for the 50 to 100 horses (depending on the season), “the infrastructure is pretty much the same,” Stacey says. “Anyone who was there in the ’60s walks up and says, ‘Wow, this looks exactly the same.’ ”
About 20 years ago, Smoke Tree Stables introduced equine therapy, led by Stacey. Patients from Coachella Valley treatment centers visit to build self-esteem, mindfulness, and healthy boundaries by connecting with the horses.
The stables also host weddings and Western-themed dinners, though guided trail rides remain the main draw — and, as Johnson points out, therapeutic for everyone.
“When you show up to go horseback riding,” Johnson says, “you’re almost always in a good mood.”
Betsy Drake and Cary Grant on horseback in Palm Springs.
Photo by palm springs historical society
A Glimpse of “CG”
Drive 10 to 15 minutes northwest of Smoke Tree Stables to see horseback enthusiast Cary Grant’s former Palm Springs home, “Las Palomas” (meaning “The Doves”), at 928 N. Avenida Palmas. Designated a historic site by the city of Palm Springs, the Spanish Andalusian home built in 1930 is surrounded by a gate and walls, so your view is limited. But the gate itself is charming, still bearing the initials of the former owner.
