Arizona Outdoor Adventure

Sure, Arizona doesn’t have traditional beaches, but who needs them when you’ve got endless desert horizons, towering mountains, and world-famous sunsets?

If you’re ready to trade sand-in-your-pants weekends for wide-open spaces, it’s time to take a cue from the great adventurers and head into the heart of the Wild West. Arizona is a place of solitude and beauty, a hugely diverse landscape blanketed largely by cactuses and home to a vast variety of desert critters. It’s the perfect place to get in touch with nature, and experience a bit of life on the wild side.

Here are a few of the best ways to get outdoors and experience Arizona at its finest.

Rock Climbing in Arizona

Climbing up in the alpine on Mount Lemmon in Tucson, AZ.

Did you know Arizona has more exposed rock than any other state? Granite domes, sandstone spires, huge banded cliffs of limestone; this place is a climber’s paradise.

Start your journey in Southern Arizona, home to some of the most iconic climbing destinations in the Southwest. Scale the massive pine-topped granite walls of Mount Lemmon, the highest peak in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Step back in time on routes overlooking Tombstone, the historic Wild West town famous for the shootout at the O.K. Corral.

Or head north to the red spires of Sedona and Red Rock State Park, where climbing routes weave up impressive sandstone towers and pinnacles with their famous flame-red patina.

Whether you’re a beginner learning to smear and edge or an experienced crusher chasing multi-pitch routes, Arizona offers rock for every style and skill level.

Canyoneering in Arizona

Pulling across the Tyrolean Traverse on a spring canyoneering trip.

Think Arizona is all dust and cacti? Think again. The desert hides countless canyons with waterfalls, pools, and streams that flow almost year-round. You just have to know where to look for them.

Canyoneering here means rappelling down waterfalls, scrambling across boulder fields, and exploring hidden oases carved over millennia by water and time. On many AMG canyon trips, you’ll encounter some of the lush pockets of life in the desert, home to creatures like Coati, bobcats, large birds of prey, and yes, sometimes snakes.

Our canyoneering routes range from half-day adventures to full-on overnight epics. When the desert heat hits, you can’t beat dunking your head in snowmelt and clipping into a rappel deep in a shaded canyon.

Hiking in Arizona

Hikers in the hills overlooking Tucson, AZ.

If climbing and canyoneering sound a bit intense, hiking in Arizona delivers a more meditative kind of adventure. If you crave solitude, scenic beauty, and a connection with nature, the trails here are endless.

In the cooler months, I recommend exploring Cochise Stronghold, a historic granite fortress once home to the legendary Apache Chief Cochise. Today, it’s a serene preserve filled with wildlife and surrounded by towering cliffs that are cherished by local rock climbers.

When the desert floor starts to heat up, head for higher elevations along the Mount Lemmon Highway. Hike a segment of the Arizona Trail, which runs 800 miles from Mexico to Utah, or stroll through aspen groves and mixed-conifer forests near the summit.

Before heading down, don’t skip the mountaintop town of Summerhaven, where you are get a fresh cookie or slice of pizza (it’s a local tradition).

With its diverse elevation and climate zones, Southern Arizona is one of the only places in the country that offers hiking opportunities year-round.

Sightseers watching the sunset over Tucson from atop Mount Lemmon.

Experience Arizona’s Wild Beauty

From desert climbing to canyon exploration to high-country hiking, Arizona offers endless ways to get outside and reconnect with the natural world.

At Altitude Mountain Guides, we don’t just take your outside, we help you experience the desert’s magic safely, confidently, and with a deeper appreciation for its unique landscapes. If you’d like to learn more about our rock climbing and canyoneering trips, or if you’d just like a recommendation for a good hiking trail, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Happy Trails!

Looking for more? We were featured on Redfin’s Things to Do article for new residents of Tucson, AZ. Check out the blog article here!