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WBDG In the News

Home | About | WBDG In the News

As a small business, the Wild Bunch Desert Guides are thrilled whenever our local mom-and-pop shop receives attention from media outlets ranging from newspapers to online magazines to TV and radio stations.

Already in our relatively short history, the big headlines and bright TV lights have shined a spotlight several times on the Wild Bunch’s guided hiking and mountain biking adventure tours. The star treatment has helped our business grow and is a huge complement to our commitment to making every guided adventure safe, fun, and absolutely unforgettable for our guests.

A sampling of the “earned media” coverage received by the Wild Bunch Desert Guides follows our YouTube videos below. We hope you will become part of our still unfolding story soon by booking one of our now world-famous hiking or mountain biking guided adventure tours in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert.

Playlist

6 Videos

Deserts and Devotion: Exploring Retreats and Reaches

Wild Bunch owner Laurel Darren shares how she has been shaped by her mother's deep-rooted desire to make a difference. Discover how Laurel turns scenic escapes into meaningful Phoenix adventure tours and platforms for change.
LISTEN to the podcast

Tricia Lea Keightley/WHAT’S YOUR DREAM? Podcast, April 2024

Wild Bunch Desert Guides bring summer fun to Colorado

Laurel Darren's face exudes joy and a deep love for all things outdoors. But the Wild Bunch Desert Guides owner truly lights up when talking about her hiking and mountain biking company offering tours each summer in her remote vacation outpost of our former mining community tucked away in the San Juan Mountains.
Read the full article here

Lake City (CO) Silver World Newspaper, July 2023

Wild Bunch Desert Guides: For the Love of the Desert

Phoenix TV personality & podcast host Jaime Cerreta talks to Wild Bunch owner Laurel Darren. Hear about the guiding outfit's passion for showing visitors the beauty of the Sonoran Desert via guided Phoenix hiking tours and Phoenix mountain bike tours.
WATCH & LISTEN to the podcast here

AZFamily.com/JAIME’S LOCAL LOVE PODCAST, Nov. 2023

The impact of the Spring Training delay on Valley businesses

A local business, Wild Bunch Desert Guides, which offers hiking and mountain biking tours, says they have actually seen an increase in bookings.
Read the Full article here

Arizona’s Family, March 3, 2022

Reaching the mountain top

Wild Bunch Desert Guides owner Laurel Darren got Philadelphia media personality John Duffin to the top of Phoenix's iconic Camelback Mountain after two unsuccessful attempts. They became fast friends -- connecting on a number of issues with their many discussions during an incredible adventure. In this episode of Duffin's "Your Message Received ..." podcast, the duo recount their transformative journey and the many lessons to be learned and applied to real life struggles and challenges.
Read the Full article here

Arizona’s Family, March 3, 2022

Life lessons from a small business owner

In less than 15 minutes each day, the "Shoutout Arizona" podcast promises to expose listeners to "some of the brightest and most inspiring entrepreneurs, artists and creatives" in the Phoenix area. Wild Bunch Desert Guides owner & operator Laurel Darren is the guest on this episode.
Listen to the podcast here

Oct. 14, 2021

Two-Wheeled Trail Angel

Laurel had been trying to get me to come out to Scottsdale for a long time, just to TRY IT AGAIN. She assured me that she would move at the pace that I wanted and needed, while pushing me a bit so that I could further hone any skills that I would learn.
Full story here

Salsa Cycles/The Mirnavator (Mirna Valerio), May 2021

Biking & Hiking: Adventure in the desert a sure thing with the Wild Bunch

With a dedication to customized details, customer service, and an unwavering commitment to delivering once-in-a-lifetime experiences to every guest, the Wild Bunch has become one of the premier adventure travel tour companies in the Southwest.
Read the whole article

AZFamily.com/JAIME’S LOCAL LOVE, April 2021

Get Lost: A Socially Distant 72 Hours In Scottsdale

Whether you want to bike or hike your own adventure, Wild Bunch Desert Guides offers an opportunity for exploring this special piece of land.
Read the story

Essence, Dec. 2020

Gratitude powers Wild Bunch Desert Guides

On the ‘Tips for Tour Operators’ podcast, guests often provide tactic marketing and business advice. Laurel Darren called me with a different perspective. Her tour has grown, not because of a fancy, new strategy, but because of an old one: Gratitude. She shares how she has learned to be grateful and give thanks whenever possible. Laurel has trained her guides to do the same and her business has seen huge growth because of it.
Watch

Tips for Tour Operators Podcast, Sept. 22, 2018

Meet Laurel Darren of Wild Bunch Desert Guides

"What sets us apart is we are genuine and true to ourselves when it comes to how we take care of the guests. All my guides are amazing in their own way and I would never want to take that from them. We do not charge extra for private trips and we provide excellent guest service. The communication is the biggest part of it for us–ensuring we give the guests what their vision is and keeping them safe and smiling." — Laurel Darren, Owner, Wild Bunch Desert Guides

Susan B. Barnes, Dec. 14, 2017

Women Involved Series: Laurel Darren of Wild Bunch

“For me personally, EVERY TOUR is my favorite guiding experience. I can honestly say -- even with the other companies I have had the honor of guiding for, EVERY tour has its own piece that I LOVE and have had some sort of fun connected to it." — Laurel Darren, owner, Wild Bunch Desert Guides

Josie Smith, March 11, 2019

Living proof a middle-aged defeatist can develop willpower

“’Trust me, honey,” says Laurel Darren from Wild Bunch Desert Guides, looking at my stumpy little legs.”

Xenia Taliotis, Sept. 2019

What’s open on Christmas Day in Scottsdale

“You can get your hike on 365 days a year in Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve and Pinnacle Peak Park. Parking is free, and trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset. If you want an expert-led outdoor adventure, Wild Bunch Desert Guides can take you on hiking and biking tours over the holidays, including Christmas Day.”

Emily Lawrence, Winter 2020

Desert Relaxation, Food & Fastballs: What to do on a Spring Training Trip

“A hike up Camelback Mountain is worth the early wake-up call. You will also benefit greatly from booking with a tour company like Wild Bunch Desert Guides -- you will not only learn more about the region but also enjoy the company of their cheery team. The desert heat can come on quickly and Camelback Mountain poses more of a challenge than you might initially think, so it’s helpful to have a guide along the journey.”

Theresa Christine, Feb. 25, 2020

12 Spring Training deals around The Valley

“Take a private 1.5-hour hike in the Sonoran Desert. Guides will provide you with snacks, water, and an Osprey backpack to use. For pricing and more information call 602-633-0842 or visit wildbunchdesertguides.com.”

Mallory Schnell, Feb. 23, 2020

Spring Training Travel Guide: What to do in Arizona between games

"If you want to explore the trails but are unsure of which route is best for you, sign up with Wild Bunch Desert Guides for a guided hike of Camelback."

Susan B. Barnes, March 12, 2019

Desert Dreaming: Here’s seven reasons to visit Arizona

“Join a sunrise hike up Camelback Mountain outside Scottsdale with Wild Bunch Desert Guides. As well as taking in the incredible vistas at the 2,700-foot summit, there’s an almost needle-less Saguaro cactus you can hug on the way down.”

Stacey Halls, July 22, 2018

Things to do: Fall Journey to enjoy Seasonal Scottsdale

"If you like to cycle and you love the desert, this Scottsdale thing to do is for you. Ride mountain bikes through the desert, between the towering cacti, up and down dusty washes and rocky terrain, covering more ground than if you were simply hiking. The Wild Bunch Desert Guides will design your trip to fit your biking skills, so you will be able to enjoy the beautiful Sonoran Desert scenery as you roll through it."

Parsons Villas, April 29, 2019

Arizona: A small piece of Unforgettable Heaven

"Hike Camelback’s Echo Canyon trail with Wild Bunch Desert Guides."

Gemma Tipton, July 7, 2018

Scottsdale: The West's Most-Western Town a hub of Adventure

"Fortuitously, jet lag means the 5 a.m. set-off for a hike up Camelback Mountain with Wild Bunch Desert Guides isn’t so much a hindrance as a boon — my body clock thinks it’s nearing noon. Camelback is a local institution, an obligatory jaunt. The hike is classified as a 'double black diamond' — which is to say, 'extremely difficult, long, rocky segments with possible drops and exposure, loose uneven rock, more than 20 percent grade, obstacles and excessive heat.’ The guides make heavy weather of how tough the climb is, but if you’re experienced, it’ll take under an hour to summit."

Katrina Congalen, May 14, 2018

Sonoran Sojourns: Opt Outside with these Desert Exploration Experts

"Runner and cyclist Laurel Darren started the boutique company Wild Bunch Desert Guides three years ago. Guides take guests on private, custom tours that include hiking and mountain biking. 'I want them to talk about our guide for days post-tour, and how amazing they were,' Darren says. 'Or clink beers together because they rode 15 miles on mountain bikes.' Simmons recently added a full-day tour of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve that combines hiking and mountain biking. Call for availability."

Mike Meyer, Dec. 2018

Everywhere A to Z: North Phoenix Mountain Biking

“’The most important thing with mountain biking, your front wheel goes where you are looking, you have to know your brake systems and you have to have situational awareness, so you don’t hit a rock or a rattlesnake,’ says Tommy Collins, certified mountain biking instructor and trail guide with Wild Bunch Desert Guides.”

Brandon Hamilton, Sept. 18, 2018

Outdoor Activities to enjoy Dazzling Desert Beauty

"Camelback Mountain. This iconic mountain next to the resort offers two advanced trails and unparalleled views. Choose Cholla Trail for a gradual ascent or the challenging Echo Canyon Trail with large boulders and rails for gripping. Explore on your own or schedule a private hike with Wild Bunch Desert Guides."

Mountain Shadows

Scottsdale’s Wild Bunch Desert Guides

“This is a journey and I hope lots of you will join us!!! Before you head to Scottsdale, plan trip itinerary details with our user-friendly Scottsdale tour planner, to make sure you see all that Scottsdale has to offer, including Wild Bunch Desert Guides."

Inspirock Trip Planner

Look at Wild Bunch Desert Guides

"Wild Bunch Desert Guides was born in the imagination of a couple of people who love the desert and all it has to offer. What better way to share this with the countless visitors each year, than to take you ourselves and show you around! Our gang is made up of guides with years of experience here in the Sonoran Desert that have a passion for exploring and a genuine commitment to making adventures safe, fun, and unforgettable."

PinkBike

Dry Spell: The many charms of Arizona

"One of the most popular destinations in the area, Camelback Mountain, has a number of trails of varying difficulty that lead past wildflowers, Saguaro cacti and, let’s face it, at least a few rattlesnakes, but cliff tops overlooking magnificent 360-degree vistas make it well worth the trek. Wild Bunch Desert Guides will lead you up to the summit via the Cholla trail and then wind back down the Echo Canyon trail, pointing out wildlife and edible cactus fruit along the way. The quirky, highly entertaining guides also lead biking adventures and private hiking tours of other less-challenging trails."

Tate Gunnerson, Dec. 21, 2017

Groups of 10 or more? please call to schedule.

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