Tanque Verde, AZ Outdoor Activities

Bandit Outfitters’ team of knowledgeable guides leads horse-topped guests through rugged desert wilderness on 90-minute tours during the invigorating daylight hours or the hazy transition of sunset. Riders board their gentle, patient steeds and meander through the National Mail stagecoach route past towering saguaro cactus as they enact accurate depictions of Old West sharpshooters in tableau vivant.

Kruse Arizona Tours are led by Alan Kruse, whose encyclopedic knowledge of local culture earned him the title “the king of local tours” by the Arizona Daily Star, as well as a vice-presidency at the Southern Arizona Guides Association and membership at the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau. Opt for the twilight Barrio Viejo walking tour and meet by La Pilita to set out on a two-hour exploration of the cultural and architectural traditions of local Hispanic culture. Or take the tour of Armory Park, which meets at the Royal Elizabeth Bed and Breakfast and boasts two hours of enlightening education about the Victorian and Californian architectural stylings of 1880s Tucson. The two-part Pioneer Women of Tucson tours chronicle female architects, artists, and politicians who have shaped Tucson's cultural landscape. Tourists can meet at the northwest corner of Main and Alameda for a two-hour stroll admiring the historic mansions of Main Street, complete with anecdotal entertainment on the life and times of early Tucsonans. Tour guide Alan Kruse is a former college professor who now boasts one of the busiest walking-tour schedules in Tucson. His cunning wit and quirky attire promise to charm even the most gruff and hardened historical home touree. Call ahead to schedule the tour of your choice and prepare for two hours of unparalleled enlightenment.

Offering scenic views of Tucson and the surrounding area, the Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley sky ride (a $9 value for adults and a $5 value for children) allows lounging adventurers to kick back and catch a bird’s-eye view of nature’s bounty without lassoing an albatross. Each sky ride to the summit takes approximately 30 minutes and covers approximately one mile. Departing from an 8,200-foot base, sky riders will climb nearly 1,000 feet into the clouds while soaking in views of the Reef of Rocks, San Pedro Valley, and the mountains of Globe and Phoenix in the distance. Along the way, scan the surroundings for golden eagles, wild turkeys, and more than 200 species of birds, as well as black bears, mountain lions, white-tailed deer, and dodos.