Checkpoint: Taliesin West

Camelback summit shot

Hike Echo Canyon Trail to the summit of Camelback. The view at the top covers the entire Phoenix valley. Take a group photo with the team at the summit cairn, valley spread out behind.

Checkpoint: Camelback Mountain

Drive west to the Echo Canyon trailhead at Camelback Mountain and check in by the trail register.

Checkpoint: McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Drive north to the Gateway Trailhead of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and check in at the entrance plaza.

Checkpoint: Old Town Scottsdale

Navigate to Old Town Scottsdale and check in around the Civic Center fountain on Main Street and Brown Avenue.

Cowboy hat shop browse

Old Town has dozens of Western shops (Saba's Western Wear is the classic). Walk into a shop, try on a cowboy hat per teammate and take a group photo with everyone tipping their brim.

Desert wildlife spot

Spot any desert creature on your route (a Gambel's quail, a roadrunner, a hawk on a saguaro, a lizard on a wall) and take a group photo with the bride pointing the creature out for the camera.

Local Scottsdalian tip

Convince a local Scottsdale resident to share a tip about the city. Take a photo with your impromptu guide and remember the tip.

Old Town gallery hop

Scottsdale's Arts District has more than 100 galleries on Main Street and Marshall Way. Pop into one (Western art, contemporary, glassblowing) and take a group photo with the team posed by a striking piece (ask permission if it is inside).

Saguaro selfie

The Sonoran is the only desert in the world where saguaros grow. Find a tall saguaro (some are over 200 years old), take a group photo with the team standing under the arms.

Scottsdale finale

Final challenge. Find a beautiful Scottsdale spot (a saguaro in golden light, an Old Town bronze at dusk, Camelback under the stars) and take an amazing closing group photo. Cheers from the West's Most Western Town!

Scottsdale kick-off

The hunt begins! Find a classic Scottsdale backdrop (a saguaro, a turquoise storefront, a horse-drawn carriage in Old Town) and take a group photo with the whole team in shot.

Sonoran sunset shot

Sonoran sunsets light up the saguaros in orange and purple. Find a west-facing viewpoint (Pinnacle Peak Park has the best) and take a group photo with the silhouettes of cacti and the sunset behind the team.

Southwestern plate

Order a Southwest classic (a Sonoran hot dog wrapped in bacon, carne asada tacos, chile rellenos) and take a group photo with everyone taking the first bite at the same time.

Sunset margarita toast

Find a patio with a desert view (the Hyatt Regency Gainey Ranch, the Mission, El Chorro) and order a round of margaritas. Take a group photo with everyone toasting the saguaros, the prickly-pear margarita earns bonus points.

Taliesin West facade

Taliesin West was Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home, studio and school in the Sonoran desert. Find a flattering angle on the desert-stone walls and red square logo, and take a group photo with the architecture behind you.

Trivia: Camelback height

Camelback Mountain is the tallest peak in central Phoenix. How tall is the summit in feet (within 50)?

Trivia: Scottsdale incorporated

Scottsdale was incorporated as a town in what year (it was founded by Army chaplain Winfield Scott in 1888)?

Trivia: Taliesin West built

Frank Lloyd Wright began construction of Taliesin West in what year?

Western bronze pose

Old Town is dotted with bronze cowboy and cowgirl sculptures. Find one (Robert Glen's "Jack Knife" rearing horse is iconic) and take a group photo where the team mirrors the bronze's pose.