Authentic Experience Southwest Trekking
Mountain Biking around Tucson
It's no secret why top athletes and savvy travelers place Tucson high on their list of favorite places to mountain bike. Southwest Trekking offers many diverse and fun adventures throughout the Tucson area on mountain bikes, from hammering the dirt hills in the Rincon Mountains to a leisurely ride through the serene Santa Ritas. Expert guides, bicycles, water bottles, helmets, and transportation to and from the course are provided.
Attendees: 100 max.
Length: 4 hours
Contact: John Heiman Southwest Trekking
P.O. Box 57714, Tucson, AZ 85732
(520) 296-9661
john@swtrekking.com, www.swtrekking.com  Cocoraque Ranch & Pavilion
Cattle Drive & Cowboy Cookout
You've seen it in the movies, now here is your chance to experience the real cowboy spirit of the Old West. Be part of a cattle drive at a century-old working cattle ranch. The cowboys at Cocoraque Ranch will mount you up on a ranch horse and lead you across acres of unspoiled desert terrain. With some wrangler teamwork, help drive a herd of cattle from one pasture to another. The ranch hands and wranglers will teach you how to keep the herd together and provide the unique language of the open range (YIP! YIP!). Once the mission is complete, take a leisurely ride back to the ranch house, dust off your boots, enjoy some delicious cowboy grub, and watch a spectacular Tucson sunset.
Attendees: 12 min./50 max.
Length: 3-4 hours, including meal
Sample Menu: Mesquite-grilled chicken and steak, homemade beans, corn salad, homemade salsa, homemade flour tortilla, seasonal beverages and dessert.
Contact: Jesus Arvizu, owner Cocoraque Ranch & Pavilion
6255 N. Diamond Hills Ln., Tucson, AZ 85743
(520) 682-8594
jearvisu@msn.com, www.cocoraque.com  Old Tucson Studios
Explore Hollywood in the Desert on Horseback
Tucson Mountain Park is a spectacular Sonoran Desert natural preserve with the world's most spectacular saguaro-cactus forest. Within its boundaries is legendary Old Tucson Studios, the award-winning movie location and setting. Experience both on this horseback tour. Begin early at Old Tucson Studios and ease onto the scenic trail, where you'll see native wildlife stirring as the sun rises over Golden Gate Mountain. After a 1½-hour journey, your group of vaqueros will return for a hearty cowboy breakfast at the Grand Palace Hotel & Saloon. By that time, the park will be open and filled with cowboys.
Attendees: 20 min./50 max.
Length: 2 hours (plus time in park)
Times: Daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Reservations: At least two weeks in advance, with 50%-nonrefundable deposit.
Special Instructions: Package price includes the Sunrise Trail Ride and admission to the park. For $5 per person, group photos with a Western duo are available at selected settings, including the High Chaparral Ranch set, the Old Tucson Lines Stagecoach in Town Square, and the Reno locomotive engine.
Contact: Gilbert LaRoque Old Tucson Studios
201 S. Kinney Rd., Tucson, AZ 85735
www.oldtucson.com
(520) 883-0100 ext. 264
glaroque@oldtucson.com
 Trail Dust Adventures
Open-Air Jeep Tour
Enjoy the beauty of the Sonoran Desert as you venture into the mountain foothills via an open-air Jeep, hosted by Trail Dust Adventures. During this tour, experience the unique flora and fauna of the desert, learn about the history of Southern Arizona, visit the Native American petroglyphs, and enjoy Tucson's only private off-road trail! Length: 3½ hours without meal. Add another 1½ hours for meal.
Sample Menu: Optional appetizer, breakfast, lunch, and dinner programs to fit any occasion. Dining in the Desert programs can be added to any Jeep tour, or can be events in themselves. Options vary from hot dogs on an open fire to a five-course dinner. Box lunches are also available.
Contact: John or Zelda Polaski Trail Dust Adventures
1665 S. Craycroft Rd., Tucson, AZ 85711
(520) 747-0323 |
