Alpenglow over the Sonoran Desert with Desert Dog buggies parked on the trail near Scottsdale

DDScottsdale AZEst. 1997

Scottsdale's Must-Do

Meet the Real Desert

Name: Desert Dog Offroad Adventures
Address: 17212 E. Shea Blvd., Fountain Hills, AZ, 85268, US
Telephone: (480) 837-3966
Price range: $$
Rating: 4.9

You came for the spa, the golf and the rooftop pool. Before you leave Scottsdale, see the desert that was here first. On the trails the resorts never touched since 1997. Let Desert Dog show you the real thing.

Book the Real Desert or call (480) 837-3966

4.9 stars, 1,700+ riders In the Sonoran backcountry since 1997 Exclusive Tonto National Forest trails You drive, we guide

Before the resorts

There was one road in, and one road out

Scottsdale used to be a single road through open desert. One way in, one way out, and miles of Sonoran country on either side. Desert Dog has run these trails since 1997. We watched the town grow from that road into the metropolis it is today, and we never left the backcountry that built it.

This valley was carved by real pioneer cowboys, the people who worked this land long before the fairways and the valet lines. That desert did not go anywhere. It is still out here, past the last streetlight, exactly where we ride.

The tour you book online shows you the postcard. We show you the real thing.

Saguaro-studded Sonoran Desert glowing at sunset outside Scottsdale

The Sonoran backcountry, northeast of Old Town Scottsdale

The city changed. The desert did not.

A metropolis grew up around it

Then

Open range and a dirt track

Cattle, cowboys and a single road cutting through the saguaros. The desert set the terms, and the people who knew it earned their way across.

Now

Resorts, freeways and 4.9 stars

The valley is a destination now. But drive 45 minutes from your resort and the real Sonoran Desert is right where it always was, and we know every mile of it.

Why it belongs on your list

The one Scottsdale day you actually remember

Anyone can lie by the pool. This is the story you tell when you get home.

The real backcountry

Exclusive Tonto National Forest trails most rentals cannot reach. Not a manicured loop behind a hotel.

You drive it

Your own Polaris machine, your hands on the wheel. No experience needed, a full safety briefing first.

Local pioneers lead

Guides with decades on this land, reading the desert the way the people who settled it did.

A story worth telling

Saguaros three stories tall, wildlife, and a sky that turns to fire at sunset. The trip everyone talks about.

Out past the last streetlight

What the real desert looks like

Riders taking in a Saguaro Lake vista on a Scottsdale desert tour — Saguaro Lake vistas

A dusty backcountry trail on a Scottsdale desert adventure — Trails the rentals cannot reach

Four Peaks glowing at golden hour on a Scottsdale desert tour — Four Peaks at golden hour

A lineup of buggies and riders at dusk in the Sonoran Desert — Dusk in the Sonoran

A sand buggy against a dramatic orange desert sunset near Scottsdale — Skies that turn to fire

The Desert Dog way

"The resorts will sell you Scottsdale. We will show you the desert it was built on."

On the real trails since 1997

ATV and UTV parked at sunset in the Sonoran Desert outside Scottsdale

Your date is waiting

Let Desert Dog show you the real thing

Morning, afternoon or sunset. Reserve your day now, and see the Scottsdale almost no visitor gets to.

Book the Real Desert or call (480) 837-3966

Sunset tours book out first. Reserve early to lock your date.

Good to Know

Things to do in Scottsdale: the desert question, answered

What first-timers ask before they add the real desert to the trip.

What is the most unique thing to do in Scottsdale?

Driving your own ATV or sand buggy through the real Sonoran Desert is the Scottsdale experience most visitors never find. Desert Dog has run exclusive Tonto National Forest trails since 1997, on backcountry the resorts and rental loops cannot reach. It is hands-on, it is genuinely local, and it is the day most guests say they remember most.

Is a desert tour worth adding to a Scottsdale or Phoenix trip?

Yes. If you are visiting Phoenix or Scottsdale, seeing the real desert is a must-do. The staging area is about a 45-minute drive from Old Town Scottsdale and the Phoenix resorts, so a half-day gets you onto trails and vistas you cannot see from the pool, then back in time for dinner.

Do I need experience, and can I drive my own machine?

No experience is needed, and yes, you drive your own Polaris machine. Every Desert Dog tour starts with a full safety briefing and hands-on instruction, and a local guide leads the whole route. Drivers must be 16 or older with a valid license, and passengers can ride from age 8.

How much does it cost and what is included?

Tours are $299 per two-seat buggy, which is $150 per person when two ride together, or $199 for a single driver. Every ride is all-inclusive: your machine, an expert guide, safety gear, water and snacks, free action photos, and all Tonto National Forest trail permits.

When is the best time to go?

Mornings are the coolest and best for wildlife, and sunset tours are the most popular, when the desert sky turns to fiery reds and golds over the saguaros. In summer, early-morning and sunset rides are the comfortable choices. Sunset tours book out first, so reserve early.

Loved by riders

Voted the #1 off-road tour in Scottsdale & Phoenix

4.9Average rating

1,700+5-star reviews

27+Years on these trails

CPRCertified guides, every ride

Real, verified reviews across Google, TripAdvisor & Yelp

Book your adventure