Outriders NW

Outriders NW runs guided off-road tours through Central Oregon's high desert, where guests climb into a Polaris RZR and follow a professional guide over forest trails, volcanic terrain and old lava flows near Bend and Sunriver. The lineup includes the two-hour Lava Run Tour, the two-hour Oregon Outback and the four-hour Cascade Lakes Adventure, and the company also rents snowmobiles. The Lava Run and Cascade Lakes tours are off for the season, while the Oregon Outback runs in March and April.

Guests drive their own side-by-side while the guides lead the way, and tours start at trailheads in the Deschutes National Forest rather than at a storefront. The company sells gift certificates and posts a cancellation policy on its site. The office is in Sunriver, and phone lines are staffed daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., which is the best time to check availability before planning a trip.