Passion for Adventure. Love for Arizona. Locally Owned. Professionally Guided.
We’re locals who fell in love with the Sonoran Desert — and never stopped wanting to share it. Founded in 2016 in Scottsdale, Wild Bunch Desert Guides grew out of one simple idea: show visitors the real Arizona, the way a friend would.
Today we’re one of the Southwest’s top-rated adventure tour companies — 5 stars across Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and Facebook — and we’re still the same small, personal, hands-on operation we’ve always been. That’s the point.
Wild Bunch was founded by Laurel Darren and Bill Simmons — two transplants who brought their love of mountain biking and hiking to the desert and decided to turn that passion into something real.
“We just put everything we could into it — nancially, emotionally, and physically. Our single-minded goal has always been to craft and deliver each tour to the vision of the guest. It’s been an incredible ride.” — Laurel Darren, Owner & Operator
Every guide on our team is certifed, medically trained, and genuinely passionate about the out doors. They know these trails better than anyone — and they know how to make your experience unforgettable, whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned adventurer.
Private guided hiking and mountain bike tours through the most spectacular corners of the Sonoran Desert. Every tour is customized, every group is private, and every detail is handled for you.
We work with all skill and tness levels — solo travelers, couples, families with kids, corporate groups, and milestone celebrations. Big or small, beginner or expert, we make it work for your group.
The answer is…it depends!
At Wild Bunch Desert Guides, our adventures are private, and we don’t believe in spending half your tour sitting in a vehicle. If you choose transportation, we generally take you to a beautiful trail system that makes the most sense based on where you’re staying, your ability level, weather, and the adventure you’ve booked.
Less driving. More trail time. That’s the goal!
All drive times listed below are approximate. Phoenix and Scottsdale traffic can definitely be a factor depending on the time of day, day of the week, construction, special events, and just plain old traffic! Your actual travel time may be shorter or longer.
We also want to give you a heads-up about relying on Uber, Lyft or Waymo to get to our trailheads—especially for mountain biking.
Some of the trailheads we use are farther into the desert, and rideshare drivers may not accept the trip, may cancel once they see the destination, or you may have difficulty finding a ride back after your adventure.
For that reason, booking transportation with us is often your easiest option. If you have your own vehicle or rental car, meeting your guide directly at the trailhead is also a great option.
If we provide transportation: Here’s where we typically take guests based on their resort:
Mountain Shadows Resort
Phoenix Mountain Preserve
Hike 12 min
Hermosa Inn
Phoenix Mountain Preserve
Hike 10min
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort
Phoenix Mountain Preserve
Hike 15 min
Global Ambassador
Phoenix Mountain Preserve
Hike 15 min
Arizona Biltmore
Phoenix Mountain Preserve
Hike 10 min
The Rocks Club
Marcus Landslide Trail – McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Hike 15 min
The answer is…it depends!
For the majority of our mountain biking adventures, we ride from Pima/Dynamite Trailhead in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This gives us access to a huge trail system and allows our guides to create a ride based on your group’s experience and ability.
If we provide transportation: Here’s where we typically take guests based on their resort:
If you have a rental car or your own vehicle, meeting your guide directly at the trailhead is a great option.
If you don’t have a vehicle, we strongly suggest adding transportation to your mountain biking
adventure rather than counting on a rideshare. Uber, Lyft and Waymo can be unreliable to and from some of the desert trailheads we use, and cancellations do happen.
“We hosted 20 corporate VIPs for an early morning ride and always get rave reviews. Wild Bunch does an amazing job
gearing everyone up and putting them on a path everyone can enjoy — regardless of skill level. We’re planning to return
for a third year in a row. Outstanding. Highly skilled, safe, and super contagious in their passion
— Alison Sansone, Google Review
We’re not a big box tour company.
We’re your local guides — the ones who remember your name, stock your favorite snacks, and make sure your hike feels like a real occasion
Groups of 10 or more? please call to schedule.
