ATV Adventures

Sand rail and ATV tours out in the desert. (Photo by Christina Stymfal)

The only way to truly experience the border is to see it first hand. Instead of walking around trying to absorb your surroundings, why not turn sightseeing into a fast paced adventure?

When I visited Mexico I wanted to see the true culture of the country. Instead of shopping at the tourist traps, I decided to sign up for an extreme ATV tour. This involved going into the heart of Mexico and seeing the countryside.

There is nothing more exciting than riding around in a sand rail out in the desert. The bonus was that at the same time I got to see the local town as well as some beautiful farm land.

You walk away from the ride with an excellent sense of the Mexican culture and landscape, and of course a little bit of dirt on your face.

There are several all-terrain vehicle tours across the Arizona-Mexico border. The majority of the tours in Arizona are located in Yuma. Silver Bullet Motorsports, Inc. offers trail rides to several different places. There are tours going to locations such as Fortuna Mines, Picacho and even Martinez Lake. Besides the exciting ride, Silver Bullet Motorsports also takes its riders to many petroglyphs and mines.

For those that are more experienced with all-terrain vehicles, there are many different rental shops in Yuma. If you are interested in renting an ATV, Rhino or a Dune Buggy for the weekend to race around the dunes or see the border, then Dune Visitors is a great place to check out.

Jet Rent is another business that rents quality ATVs and Rhinos. Both of these businesses are located in Yuma near the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. This is the hotspot for all-terrain vehicle enthusiasts. From personal experience, Buttercup is the best place for having a great vacation at the dunes.

With an ATV or sand rail it’s not just a way to get around town. It’s a way to see the heart of the west. The border is full of interesting places once you get away from the tourist spots. The real culture is found where perfectly paved streets aren’t going to take you.

For a weekend, an ATV is a fun and exciting activity whether you are at the dunes or you want to scope out the local towns along the border. Why not have an adventure and see the heart and soul of the wild west at the same time?

View of Mexico from a sand rail. (Photo by Christina Stymfal)