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Desert Dog Offroad Adventures buggies on Sonoran Desert trails among the saguaros near Scottsdale
DDScottsdale AZEst. 1997
Scottsdale's Must-Do

Meet the Real Desert

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 Offroad Adventures 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 Offroad Adventures 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.

Cartoon of Michelle beside a saguaro, pointing out across the desert with binoculars Out past the last streetlight

What the real desert looks like

A sand buggy on a dirt trail beneath a giant saguaro and a mackerel sky in the Sonoran Desert
Saguaros three stories tall
Three Polaris RZRs on a desert trail as the sun sets behind the hills near Scottsdale
Trails the rentals cannot reach
Four Peaks glowing pink at sunset beneath layered clouds, seen from the Sonoran Desert floor
Four Peaks at golden hour
Monsoon storm clouds lit by the sunset over green Sonoran Desert scrub near Scottsdale
Monsoon skies over the Sonoran
Saguaro silhouettes and a buggy with its headlights on under a vivid red sunset sky
Skies that turn to fire
The Desert Dog Offroad Adventures 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 Offroad Adventures 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 Offroad Adventures 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 50 minutes from downtown Phoenix, 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 Offroad Adventures 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. Prices are plus tax and fees, and every ride includes 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

Rated 4.9 by riders since 1997

4.9Average rating
1,700+Verified reviews
27+Years on these trails
CPRCertified guides, every ride

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