Call Out to the Tucson Community

September 12, 2017

Do you live in Tucson, Arizona? Are you part of the Tucson Community? Are you passing through the area anytime soon? If so, you must make the stop at the heart of Mt Lemmon, Mica Mountain, and the Saguaro National Forest. Amongst this triangle of desert beauty sits Tanque Verde Ranch. A Ranch dedicated to providing you, the Tucson Community, with quality customer service, dining options, and numerous amounts of activities you and your family will remember and cherish for a lifetime.

We have always extended our services to the Tucson Community or those passing through, just not everyone knows about it. Just because you don’t have a key to one of our cabins, doesn’t mean you don’t get to hop on a horse and gallop throughout the Sonoran National Park. Come out for the day by taking up an activity or two, grab some lunch or dinner, and thoroughly enjoy the breathtaking landscapes and sunsets with a cold beverage at our Dog House Saloon.

Horseback Riding for Tucsonans

C’mon! Park the car, and let’s ride! You may not know, but Tanque Verde Ranch is the largest ranch in the U.S. With 171 horses in corrals, we have horses of every size for almost anyone. Below is a list of horseback riding excursions you can partake in:

Breakfast Rides
Sundays & Thursdays
Winter: 8:00am-10:15am | Summer: 7:00am-9:15am
$75/person plus tax

At the Ranch, the early riser gets the horse. Not to mention blueberry pancakes. Make sure you enjoy our Breakfast Ride while you’re visiting Tanque Verde. These unforgettable rides pass towering cactus and climb rolling hills, as you make your way to the Old Homestead.

Upon reaching your destination, indulge in a freshly cooked breakfast prepared right before your eyes. Our famous blueberry pancakes, ranch-style eggs, bacon, chocolate milk, orange juice, and more await your grumbling stomach. Take a seat fireside while you enjoy great company and the beautiful scenery. Then saddle up and head back with a short ride home.

Walking Rides
Call for schedule
$60/hour | $75/1.5 hours

The walk rides at Tanque Verde Ranch are an enjoyable activity for everyone regardless of skill level. This leisurely horseback riding adventure presents the perfect opportunity to experience desert vegetation and wildlife up-close and personal. Saguaro and prickly pear cactus line the mountain trails and blanket the rest of the natural desert landscape.

Sunset Rides
October- April | Time varies with Sunset
$75/person; 7-9 are allowed | $50 fee for kids

Take in the wonder of a Sonoran desert sunset on horseback. Climb the mountain trails as you take in an extraordinary view filled with endless blue sky, towering cacti, and glimpses of other wildlife. Each ride accommodates up to eight people and is an hour and a half in length.

Mountain Adventure Ride
Mondays & Wednesdays | 8:00am-Noon
$150/person

Starting at 8 a.m, you will set off with your favorite horse deep into the Rincon Mountains where you will be able to take in the beautiful scenery and broad wildlife of the Sonoran Desert. This walk ride is an adventure for all skill levels of horsemanship as long as you are involved in the riding program or have passed the lope check. With high elevation gains and losses and narrow trails, this is a unique way to explore the desert on horseback. Complete with a packed breakfast in the summer, it is an excellent opportunity to live like the cowboys and cowgirls of the old days. Perching next to your favorite Saguaro or in the shadows of one of the low lying trees, you can take in the beauty of the Saguaro National Forest.

All horseback rides have a basic introduction. Some examples include how to reign the horse, not letting the horse eat, and how to move your horse along the trail properly.

Additional Activities

We have a lot of activities and opportunities for those looking to enjoy themselves at the ranch. Here are just a few more.

La Sonora Spa
By Appointment Only
Prices vary on service | Spa Rates

You can also make reservations with our La Sonora Spa. Our spa is the ultimate spot to relax, find peace of mind, and wind down from an adventurous day. Our cozy and small is perfect for those looking for a couple of services and enjoying the ranch later. Surrender yourself to the soothing touch of our massage specialists or refresh yourself with a skin renewal treatment. Enjoy Eminence products during your treatments which are a 98% organic Hungarian line that uses all fresh fruits, vegetables, spices, and herbs.

See La Sonora Spa on our website for more information.

Kids Day Camp
Summer from 7:00am-3:00pm
Winter from 8:00am-3:30pm
Ages 7-12 | $75 plus tax

Tanque Verde Ranch also offers Kid’s Day Camp for the Tucson kids. The Kid’s Day Camp is well known for our Legacy guests who have all sent their kids through. From riding, tennis, swimming, nature programs, and more keep the kids busy the whole afternoon. Plus with a hearty lunch and making new friends, there’s a reason our Kids Club is so popular. From little Wranglers and Outlaws to Buckaroos, we make your children’s wildest dreams come true! See the Kid’s Day Camp schedule here.

We have a lot more information on our Kids Day Camp on our website.

Biking, Hiking, and more Fun Activities
Rates and Times of Biking and Hiking activities vary. Please contact our team at 800-234-3833 for more information.

We offer several Mountain Biking activities at the Ranch throughout the week. We offer trail rides for every experience level to suit your comfort when it comes to Mountain Biking. Our guides are also experienced and determined to make sure your safety and comfort come first. With detailed instruction and basic training, you’ll be off on two wheels in the desert in no time! You can expect to see beautiful mountains, plentiful cactus, and learn the basics of Biking! You’ll want to come back time and time again!

We also offer plenty of Hiking excursions at the Tanque Verde Ranch throughout the week. On our activities schedule, you can see what kind of level of experience the hike will be so you know whether or not it is for you. On our hikes, you can enjoy the sounds of nature, see the beautiful scapes of the mountains, and cactus project, and find yourself among some of the most intriguing desert lands in the country! It is the perfect time to bring along your camera (hooked on with a neck strap as we do not stop a whole lot). We also encourage you to bring along plenty of water.

We have our activities schedule available for you to see on our website. or call 800-234-3833 with your questions and to book your spot.

Dining Options for the Tucson Community

If the breathtaking views don’t stop you and your horse in your tracks, the food and dining options will. From our delicious Cowboy Cookout hosted in our Mesquite forest to our vintage Dog House Saloon where you can indulge in our famous Prickly Pear Margarita’s and tasty appetizers, you’ll come back time and time again. Our chefs know what they are doing when it comes to food, while our bartenders know drinks! Be sure to visit them for some cocktails with southern flare at The Dog House Saloon.

Head down to our Cottonwood Grove for a down-home ranch BBQ experience. Fill your plate with mouth-watering ribs or steaks, homemade cornbread, fresh fruit and much more as you listen to live music. Take a seat fireside and join other guests as you take a moment to savor all the great food, authentic entertainment, good company, and incredible scenery. And just because you’re at a BBQ, doesn’t mean your sweet tooth won’t be satisfied—a large dessert table hosts a variety of freshly baked sweets to suit any craving. We also have a full bar available for something refreshing with your dinner.

Breakfast Buffet
Daily | 7:30am-9:30am

Start your day off right with a hearty southwestern breakfast. Dive into a lavish display of eggs, bacon, sausage, French toast, fresh berries and fruit, a variety of breakfast bread, cinnamon rolls, fresh granola, and much more! Don’t be shy – load up your plate because you’re going to need your energy for the day’s activities.

Lunch Buffet
Daily | 12:00pm-1:30pm

At Tanque Verde, you will eat lunch as you have never eaten lunch before. A gourmet buffet is spread out, complete with a generous display of mouthwatering desserts. Start off with a salad, move on to some fresh seasonal vegetables, and then indulge in entrees that are sure to fill you up and satisfy your taste buds. You’ll soon see why, in this region, Tanque Verde’s executive chef is held in such high esteem!

Dinner
Sunday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday | 6:00pm-8:00pm
Reservations Recommended. Call 800-234-3833

Come dinner time; our chefs get their knives ready. Five days a week (when we aren’t at the Cowboy Cookout) we have dinner in our Carillo Dining Room. Each evening we have a new and fresh menu based on what the chef’s inspiration is. All meals have a starter and finish with a dessert, but choices for dinner could be a Citrus Roasted Cornish Game Hen or Grilled Mexican Snapper. Oven-roasted Prime Rib of Beef is usually always on the menu which is perfect for the meat lover. A perfect to dine for a romantic evening or to bring a big family or group of friends.

The Dog House Saloon
Daily 4:00pm-Close

After a day of riding the trails in the warm Arizona sun, nothing beats a visit to our Dog House Saloon. Offering a full bar, local craft beers, and our famous prickly pear margaritas, The Dog House is sure to quench your Wrangler thirst. We have a specialty cocktail menu with fun and surprising flavors and our ‘Bar Bites’ menu as well for those looking for a light bite or something to share. Catch up on the latest news and sports on one of our satellite TVs, or reminisce with family and friends about your adventures of the day.

In conclusion, we want to extend our welcoming arms out further to the Tucson Community. The sites to be seen are remarkable, the food is divine, and the memories made will forever be cherished by you and your family. We have something for everyone. And by everyone, we mean you.