Journey through the striking landscapes of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert. Punctuated by the towering peaks of the Bradshaw Mountains above and rugged canyons below, the wild beauty of Castle Hot Springs’ sprawling 1,100 acres is ripe for adventure. During their stay, guests can explore the rocky hillsides in a variety of ways, including guided hikes, e-bike tours, and horseback rides past statuesque saguaro cactus and palm trees. Those looking for an adrenaline rush can up the adventure even further by off-roading during a UTV tour, canyoneering through a remote slot canyon, or strapping in for one of the only via ferrata climbing routes in the United States.

Dig deep into sustainable growing practices at Castle Hot Springs’ on-site farm. Watered by the mineral-rich springs and stewarded by a team of skilled agronomists, this three-acre farm has everything it needs to thrive. Throughout the year, the farm team partners with the resort’s culinarians to cultivate and harvest more than 150 crops each season, giving guests an incredibly local farm-to-table (and even garden-to-spa) experience. Best of all, as almost all of the resort’s green waste is composted and returned to the soil, guests not only savor the farm’s bounty but help to nurture the next crop as well. To truly appreciate this little agricultural oasis, take advantage of one of the daily guided farm tours, participate in a seasonal homegrown gardening workshop, or simply stop and smell the roses during a stroll through the flower garden.

Turn to the heavens for a star-studded exploration of the night sky. Thanks to the resort’s remote location, far from the buzz of the Phoenix metropolitan area, Castle Hot Springs is blissfully free of light pollution. With the rocky veil of the Bradshaw Mountains lending an extra dose of darkness, the glittering spectacle that is the Milky Way Galaxy unfolds overhead after nightfall. Guests can take in the rings of Saturn or the starry nursery that is the Orion Nebula during an astronomer-guided stargazing session or even when floating in the resort’s warm, spring-fed pools. Alternatively, guests staying in one of the Sky View Cabins can also get a closer look at Earth’s heavenly neighbors through the telescope on their private deck.