7 Phoenix ATV Adventures So Wild You’ll Never Forget the Desert Ride
Looking for some exhilerating ATV & UTV tours in Phoenix for some epic desert views?
Phoenix is a great spot for ATV riders with lots of trail options that cover the city’s diverse desert landscapes. I’ve been to Phoenix a couple of times through my van life years, enjoying off-road rides across different terrains, from sandy areas to rocky paths, and, of course, seeing the epic sunsets posing with cacti.
You can never finish the local ATV scene, with new routes popping up and the desert being completely endless.
Just want to pick the best? This is my top choice. Reserve this 3-Hour Guided TomCar ATV Tour in the Sonoran Desert with a perfect 5-star rating from 1400+ reviews.
Are you ready for some daring fun? Here are 7 top-rated Phoenix ATV tours – each one led by knowledgeable local guides and carefully reviewed by us for the best feedback to different locations.
My Top 3 Picks: Best ATV Tours in Phoenix Arizona
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3-Hour Guided TomCar ATV Tour
✔️ Award-Winning Guided Experience
✔️ Military-Grade Tomcar
Sidewinder ATV Training & Centipede Tour Combo
✔️ More official training session
✔️ Professionally Guided
Self-Guided ATV Rental
✔️ Rent on your own
✔️ Choose your itinerary
✔️ Training Session included
Top Phoenix ATV Tours
1. 3-Hour Guided TomCar ATV Tour in the Sonoran Desert
Best Overall Guided Trip
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ LENGTH: 3.25 Hours | 😍 Book it!
Hop into a military-grade Tomcar for a ride through the tough Sonoran Desert. This guided trip leads you to the core of Arizona’s impressive landscapes with nothing but clear views from your vehicle. Your skilled guides will steer through the shifting terrain, pausing at picturesque locations to take in the desert environment.
Experience the challenge of driving through the desert’s demanding terrains with your Tomcar’s oversized wheels. This top-rated Phoenix & Scottsdale ATV tour presents the beauty of the Sonoran Desert in the best way, having been awarded by BestThingsAZ.com.
Your package includes bottled water and a DustGaiter for dust protection. The tour is limited to a maximum of 40 travelers.
Great adventure! There were several spots along the way so everyone in our party had the opportunity to drive and look at landscape around us! Beautiful and exhilarating experience!
– mary (Read more reviews)
2. Sidewinder ATV Training & Centipede Tour Combo
Best for Beginners who want to practice first
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ LENGTH: 3 Hours | 😍 Book it!
Best for beginners, get ready for this fun-filled three-hour ATV ride. Start on the beginner-friendly Sidewinder track to get the hang of turns, bumps, and hills. Once you’re comfortable, move up to the Centipede tour. Here, you’ll drive through Arizona’s large Sonoran Desert, with its deep canyons and high mountains.
A professional guide will help you get the most out of your trip. Safety is key, so helmets, goggles, and masks are all provided. You’ll also have bottled water to keep you refreshed.
The trip also includes a visit to the well-known Bradshaw Mountains to go off-roading on some of the best trails in this area just north of Phoenix.
The package includes up to an hour of check-in time and three hours of training and riding, with a professional guide and safety gear, with the number of participants for each trip is limited to 20 people.
Our guide, Shot, was not only sweet, but knowledgeable about the different things in the area. I started off on an ATV. We stopped prior to going up a long steep hill. Shot made sure people were comfortable. I was too nervous to do the hill, so he took my ATV, and I drove his UTV.
– angie (Read more reviews)
3. Self-Guided Centipede Desert ATV Rental
Best for those who want full independence
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ LENGTH: 2 Hours | 😍 Book it!
For those who want to switch off with friends and family, rent a larger UTV through the rough terrains of Arizona’s Black Canyon desert. You’ll be in control, steering across the landscape at your own speed after a detailed safety briefing.
The process starts with check-in, followed by two hours split between training and riding. The route takes you across a mix of mountainous and desert landscapes. You’re provided with a paper map to help you navigate your way.
One of the best parts about this tour is its flexibility, choose your own route with room for four people per vehicle.
Your booking includes a 3-hour experience (1 hour for check-in and 2 hours for training & riding), safety gear (helmet, goggles, face mask), and bottled water.
Great trails with even better machines. Loved it. Easy to drive UTV for first time users. Great staff, super helpful. Beautiful scenery and expect to get a little dusty.
-jennifer (Read more reviews)
4. Centipede Tour – Guided Arizona Desert Tour by ATV
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ LENGTH: 2 Hours | 😍 Book it!
Ride this single-rider ATV navigating rocky trails, crossing the Aqua Fria River, and seeing the Bradshaw Mountains. Your knowledgeable guide will share information about the region’s plant life, wildlife, and history.
The tour starts in Rock Springs, a small town just north of Phoenix. After a safety briefing and training, you’ll put on your helmet and goggles and start the tour. Along the way, you’ll see saguaro cacti, canyons created by flash floods, and creeks. You’ll also get to see the Agua Fria River Valley and stop to find local wildlife like coyotes, bobcats, deer, rabbits, quail, and snakes!
The tour lasts 3 hours, with 2 hours dedicated to riding. It includes safety gear, bottled water, and a professional guide. The group size has a maximum of 50 travelers.
And if you’d rather have a UTV that can fit 4 people per vehicle, opt for this option that follows the same itinerary.
Amazing experience. Best atv ride I had. A real adventure of bumps, hills, and mountains. Great tour guides as well. Made the experience more exciting and guess feel safe.
– brianna (Read more reviews)
5. 3-Hour ATV and Shooting Combo
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ LENGTH: 3 Hours | 😍 Book it!
Experience the wild wild west of Arizona with this Ride & Shoot Combo Tour. Roam the beautiful trails of the Sonoran Desert on an ATV and test your shooting skills at a private range under the guidance of an NRA-Certified Instructor.
Being the ultimate American experience, bump along the best trails in the Bradshaw Mountains, just north of Phoenix past giant Saguaro cacti, the Aqua Fria River, and canyons in the wild desert terrain.
Certified instructors will test your marksmanship at the private shooting range with a Glock 9mm and AK-47. As scared of guns as I am in real life, it’s such a fun activity in a nice, controlled environment.
This half-day combo tour includes safety gear, a professional guide, a shooting instructor, 10 rounds of Glock 9mm, 20 rounds of AK-47, and bottled water. This tour is designed for single-seat ATVs, but there is an option for multi-passenger vehicles with their “UTV and Shooting Combo.”
I had a blast at this place the gun range was awesome and riding on the guided ATV was great to. I think if I didn’t have a guided tour guide. I would’ve gotten lost on the trail.
– james (Read more reviews)
6. Box Canyon ATV Tour in Florence, Arizona
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ LENGTH: Hours | 😍 Book it!
For a longer trip, take on this 4-hour ATV tour in Florence, Arizona, to ride through the historic Box Canyon. The route is 34 miles long and takes you past the stunning Tortilla Mountains and deep into Box Canyon.
As you ride, you’ll encounter ancient Native American petroglyphs on the canyon walls. You’ll also see an old post office from the mid-1800s and a miners’ building from the gold rush era.
Professional guidance ensures your safety, while snacks and bottled water are also included. You can choose between single or double-sized ATVs, and there will be no more than 6 on the trip.
Excellent experience!! Highly recommended.. our tour guide Ray was the best… get there early! You will have a better tour!
– rafael (Read more reviews)
7. Guided UTV Sand Buggy Tour Scottsdale
⭐️ RATING: 4.5/5 Stars | ⏳ LENGTH: 2 Hours | 😍 Book it!
Get ready for this high-energy UTV Sand Buggy ride across the desert’s tough terrains, washes, and hills.
Your trip begins in Scottsdale, where you’ll receive your own sand buggy, complete with necessary safety equipment like goggles and a helmet. Guided by an experienced leader, traverse sandy washes and rocky creek beds in an impressive desert landscape.
You’ll have the chance to drive a “C2” Desert Car, a 2-seat vehicle with a roll cage. As you cross ridge lines, get a bird’s eye view of the vast Sonoran Desert.
The tour involves going to the scenic Tonto National Forest, where you’ll navigate in a 400cc, 2-seated Sand Buggy. Be ready for rock gardens, desert washes, and possible water crossings if you visit during the wet season.
The package comes with all required safety equipment and bottled water. It’s designed for two people per vehicle.
Hands down one of the best experiences! The different terrains offered a variety of scenery. Our guides were phenomenal! Would definitely do this again!
– lisa (Read more reviews)
Final Thoughts: ATV and UTV Tours in Phoenix AZ
Most people don’t expect Phoenix to be the 5th largest city in the country (at least this American didn’t). But it is purely surrounded by epic dessert scenes that are perfect for an ATV tour.
It’s one of the best things you can do in the area, and even if you don’t take an official tour or rental, get off the main road just to hear the absolute silence. I also saw one of the best sunsets in recent memory around Phoenix.
In case you’re still not sure which to opt for:
- If you want the best guided experience, join this guided Sonoran desert tour.
- If you want a more official training session first, sign up for this combo trip.
- If you’re up for an exciting off-road adventure all on your own, book this 3 hour ATV rental.
And if you’re looking for other places to visit in town, check out my one-day guide for Phoenix.
Don’t close that tab just yet…Where to Next in Arizona?
Arizona is amongst my top favorite places in the world. I’ve vanlifed around and through this great state back and forth, north and south, multiple times on my road trips. If you’re looking for more itineraries on Arizona, check out these other destinations.
- Perfect One Day In Petrified Forest National Park Itinerary
- One Day in Saguaro National Park Itinerary for First-Timers
- One Day in Grand Canyon South Rim: First-Timers Itinerary
Catherine, a seasoned travel writer, has lived in 4 different states and explored 36 states and 28 national parks. After spending two years embracing van life, she's now dedicated to sharing her vast knowledge of day trips across America. Catherine's other works has been referenced in major publications like MSN, Self, and TripSavvy.
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