Breakfast Trail Ride at Tanque Verde Ranch

Above photo is courtesy of Tanque Verde Resort

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm a big fan of the Southwestern-Western U.S. Here was a favorite experience, from the Tucson area.

Our breakfast trail ride began at Tanque Verde Ranch Resort, outside of Tucson, on a gorgeous, warm mid-October morning. I had slathered loads of sunscreen on my arms, shoulders, neck, and face and retrieved a baseball cap to shield against the desert sun. We met at the stables where the horse handlers paired me with a gentle white/gray horse named Dale.
 
Before long, our press group had entered a sea of saguaro cacti, which I thought of as a ‘transparent forest.’ We rode to a high hilltop, with Dale navigating rock, sand, cacti, narrow trails and steep inclines as I gently pulled him away from tasty bushes along the path. By the time we reached our breakfast site, everyone was hungry. And what a feast awaited us!
 
The staff had transported a huge cookstove and grill up the mountain, where regular and blueberry pancakes turned golden brown. Crispy hash browns, chile and cheese-spiked scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and fresh, flaky biscuits accompanied them. Coffee woke us up and lemonade cooled us off.

But, perhaps the most impressive part of this breakfast feast was how the staff served it – on gingham tablecloths atop picnic tables – with sturdy plastic plates and real silverware. 

​The temperature hovered near 90 degrees as we cleared the tables and looked down on miles of cacti. Then we headed back to the stables, ready for shade but happy for a great start to the day.

Note: As a travel writer, I received accommodations, entry fees, etc. while visiting this area, in advance of reviews and/or profiles. I do my best to remain impartial and offer full disclosure to avoid potential conflicts of interest.