Although the rugged ranchlands of Scottsdale have long since morphed into manicured golf courses and five-star resorts, a remarkably pristine slice of the Old West lives on at the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, a 25,000-acre reservation bordering the eastern edge of town. And thanks to the efforts of Fort McDowell Adventures, a DMC based on the reservation, groups can experience some of the cultural and natural wonders associated with times past.
Among the many activities arranged for groups are kayaking and horseback rides along the Verde River, one of the few rivers in central Arizona where the water flows year-round.
“When you get to the river valley, everything is lush and green, which you don’t expect to find in Arizona,” says Rick Civik, general manager of Fort McDowell Adventures. “All kinds of wildlife have made a comeback there, so there are wild mustangs, bald eagles and blue herons swooping down and catching fish.”
Cattle drives on the reservation, which has a stable of 80 horses, are a popular option, providing a team-building experience for novices and experienced riders alike, according to Civik.
“Most people don’t have the time to go up to Montana like Billy Crystal did in City Slickers, so our cattle drive is something that groups can experience in a couple of hours,” he says. “Wranglers come along as the riders drive the cattle through the desert and back into the stables. People can be at the forefront at this or they can sit back and watch others move the doggies.”
While cowboy lore is a focus of many events and activities at Fort McDowell, the heritage of the Yavapai, a 900-member tribe—about half of whom live on the reservation—is celebrated in a two-hour cultural tour that includes a visit to a sweat lodge, a sauna-like structure, and a wickiup, a traditional dwelling.
“The tribal members talk about their history, and it’s a truly an authentic tour that is by and about the people and the land here,” Civik says. “A lot of the Yavapai culture has been lost, but this is a way they can preserve it.”
Fort McDowell is home to several popular off-site venues, including La Puesta del Sol, an indoor/outdoor venue on a desert mesa that can accommodate up to 1,600 people for Western cookouts with cowboy games and live entertainment. Another is The Ranch, a Spanish-style setting for fiesta-style receptions with margaritas and mariachi music.
