By Babs Harrison
As if a private slice of the Sonoran Desert with its wondrous skies, vast landscapes, and restorative nature were not enough to fill one’s creative well, Castle Hot Springs Resort in Arizona includes a host of activities during every guest’s stay. From active outdoor adventures, inspired farm and garden tours, well-being, and mindful practices to the star attraction of soaking in the natural mineral hot springs, there is an abundance of choice in this remote desert oasis. These are a few of our favorites…
Hiking the Sonoran Desert
Desert hiking is just one of the many activities included in a stay at Castle Hot Springs. With nine private hiking trails crisscrossing 1,100 protected acres of the Sonoran Desert, guests are given an extraordinary opportunity to hike the mountains and canyons of the lushest desert in the world. The Sonoran Desert is also the most biologically diverse desert and the only place where you’ll find the iconic saguaro cactus. It’s like walking through a botanical garden of desert plants, with breathtaking vistas and a captivating silence that eases the mind.
Choose from summit hikes, loop hikes, out-and-back hikes, and guided hikes with names like Chocolate Drop, Agave, Yavapai, Castle Peak, Overlook, and– the most challenging and longest trail at 2.5 miles roundtrip–Salvation Peak. That last one is identifiable by the U.S. flag flying from its peak, first planted by WWII servicemen who were recuperating at the resort.
The expert team at the Adventure Activities desk, located on the front porch of the Lodge, has everything you need: a map of the private trail system, backpacks, trekking poles, and advice on which trail is best suited to your skill level. There’s something for everyone to explore and enjoy.
Arizona Archery
Another way to soak up the desert zen is through the practice of archery. Like hiking, it can become a form of meditation. First-timers will learn the basics outdoors at the archery range in Castle Creek Canyon, trying their hand at shooting arrows using either a modern compound or a classic recurve bow.
Think of the bow as an extension of your body, synced to your breathing and concentration. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be to hit the target. After all, it’s really a mind game.
Inspired Gardening
One of the most popular resort activities is touring the farm, including a greenhouse where the best-tasting tomato is being bred. Three acres of the resort are planted with vegetables, fruits, and edible flowers, all sustainably grown following the practices of regenerative agriculture which goes one step beyond organic. The foundation is soil health, which increases the plants’ drought resilience and nutrient quality, boosts crop yield, and provides pollinator habitat.
As guests tour the farm, nibbling on tastes of glacier lettuce, Sonoran passionfruit, and sweet marjoram plucked from the neat rows, they learn how they too can begin a garden at home using a regenerative ecosystem to become good stewards of the land.
Sound Bathing
Next to floating in the hot springs, a sound bath might be the most relaxing activity you do. An orchestra of gongs, flutes, chimes, tuning forks, and Tibetan and crystal singing bowls, all played by a single practitioner, send gloriously healing vibrational sounds to wash over your body as you lay comfortably on the floor.
Musical frequencies help calm and stimulate alpha and theta brain waves, guiding you into a meditative state. You can actually feel the vibrational sound, which changes the vibration of cells in your body which in turn promotes healing and can positively shift a mood.
And So Much More
Paddleboard yoga, bocce ball, pickleball, guided meditation, and yoga, to name a few others. There are more inclusive activities than time allows, plus other adventures that can be booked at an additional fee like the Via Ferrata, horseback riding, UTV razor tours, spa treatments, and wine tasting.
As more studies point to immersion in nature as beneficial for health, more doctors are prescribing time outdoors. A UK study defined 120 minutes a week as the precise amount of time needed–no more, no less–for people to feel a strong sense of well-being.
With the wide choice of Arizona activities available at Castle Hot Springs, many of them inclusive, guests can design their own desert experience. It’s truly just what the doctor ordered.