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If you’re looking for a fun outdoor activity when visiting Phoenix, an off-road UTV or ATV adventure is the perfect solution! The Sonoran desert landscape is so unique, and while I always appreciate a nice dense green forest, it’s cool to see the contrast of what a desert landscape has to offer. What better way to see it than by driving right through it!
We went on a morning UTV guided tour with Arizona Outdoor Fun on one of our many visits to the area, and it ranks at the top of my list of activities to do when visiting the Phoenix or Scottsdale area (especially when in town for Spring Training!).
Here’s a rundown on how our adventure went, along with tips to help you prepare if you’re considering a UTV or ATV tour with Arizona Outdoor Fun.
Getting to Arizona Outdoor Fun
The location of Arizona Outdoor Fun where the UTV tours are based out of is about a 45-minute drive north on I-17 from Downtown Phoenix. You can easily do this activity in the morning and still have plenty of other fun activities to pack into the afternoon!
If you end up booking with Arizona Outdoor Fun, be sure to carefully follow their instructions on getting to the tour location.
Google Maps apparently often leads visitors astray! The gravel road that leads down to the facility can also easily be missed. You don’t want to find yourself back on the highway with no spot to turn around for miles! Be sure to keep an eye out for the signs.
Check-In Process
Once you arrive to the tour facility, there’s a designated dirt parking lot. Then, you’ll make your way down to the check-in area. Be sure to have your Drivers’ License handy, along with the same credit card you used for booking.
At this point, each rider will also need to sign a liability waiver. They make it nice and easy for you since it can be done electronically by scanning a QR code at the check-in desk.
After check in, the staff will direct you over to the gear station where you can pick out safety gear to use for the ride.
This would also be a great time to use the restroom before getting on the trail. There are several porta potties lined up for guest use.
What to Wear/Bring
The Arizona deserts are dry and dusty! You can probably imagine the kind of dirt that gets kicked up when riding around in an all terrain vehicle. Wear something comfortable that you don’t mind getting dirty.
- Wear long pants
- Closed-toed shoes are required
- Dress in layers (t-shirt and sweater/hoodie – removable for when it warms up)
- It’s okay to bring a backpack (to protect your camera and/or prevent any of your belongings from getting too dirty). There is enough room at your feet for a bag to rest while you’re on the trail.
- Water bottle (hydration is important, especially when you are out in the desert!)
Gear Provided by Arizona Outdoor Fun
Arizona Outdoor Fun provides riders with:
- Helmets
- Goggles to protect your eyes from dust and debris
- Disposable head sock to protect your face from the dust
What to Expect from the Tour
This tour was honestly so much fun! We booked the UTV (Utility Terrain Vehicle) Centipede tour and got a two-seater vehicle. We’ve done a single rider ATV tour before in Hawaii and while it was fun, it was a little stressful for me not being a very experienced rider.
This time around, I wanted a UTV so my husband could have all the fun driving while I captured the experience and scenery on video and in photos.
Once everyone was squared away with their gear, we all followed our guide out to the trail. On our guided tour, we drove through cacti-filled desert landscape as far as the eye could see. We crossed a portion of the Agua Fria River (which was thankfully more like a shallow stream), cruised over hills, and crawled over rocky trail terrain.
I will say I am glad we booked the morning tour. Even though the temperatures were cool to start, it does warm up quickly.
Stops on the Tour
There were two rest breaks on the tour where we could stretch our legs and take in views of the landscape. Our guide also used these opportunities to give us a bit of history of the region.
We also learned about the local flora like the Saguaro cactus (pronounced sah-wah-ro), the creosote bush, and the Teddy Bear Cholla. I really loved the fact that the tour was both fun and informative!
One of the plants we learned a bit about was the creosote bush, which is found throughout Arizona and the Southwest. Native American tribes used the creosote in the past to treat many physical maladies, and it’s still used in some parts of Mexico as herbal medicine.
To many people, the creosote emits a scent reminiscent of desert rain. Our guide had us rub a few leaves together and it did have a slight hint of that scent.
The yellow pop of color from the creosote flowers is also a very nice addition to the desert landscape!
Our second stop was at an area where the cholla (pronounced choy-ya) cactus was clustered. The cholla, aka teddy bear cactus, gets its nickname from its fuzzy appearance. But don’t be fooled! Those spines are painful.
The teddy bear cactus is also nicknamed the “jumping cholla” as it will detach from the main plant very easily when something gets too close to it.
Our guide Tyler showed us how we could extract nourishment from the cholla cactus by burning the spikes off and then cutting little pieces up to taste (the taste of it is almost like a salty kiwi). It was super interesting!
This really was such a fun activity and am so glad we got out and did something outdoorsy!
Total time of the tour from check in at 8:00 a.m. was close to 3 hours (we got back to the facility just before 11 a.m.).
Booking Your Adventure
Are you ready to book an awesome outdoor UTV adventure with Arizona Outdoor Fun? There are a couple of options for you:
- Book your adventure on Viator
- Book directly with Arizona Outdoor Fun
If you book this adventure, I hope you have as much fun as we did! Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever been on a UTV tour!
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