From the top of the rock face, Arizona’s Sonoran Desert stretched out beneath me. I took a moment to soak in the view before rappelling down to where my guide, Rico Riley, waited. As we chatted between climbs, the sun sank lower on the horizon, gilding the desert in amber.

Rock climbing is just one of the many activities available on the property of the Boulders Resort and Spa in Carefree, Arizona, near Phoenix. The resort is set on 1,300 acres with chunks of 12-million-year-old rock (including the climbing wall) scattered amid the resort’s residences and golf course.

Accommodation options are divided among casitas, 550-square-foot units with plenty of luxury Southwest design touches; villas with one to three bedrooms and a bit more elbow room; and spacious two- to three-bedroom haciendas with designer kitchens and Isokern fireplaces.

In addition to climbing, guests can sample activities like hiking, stargazing and mountain biking right on the property. There’s a wonderful balance of wildness and luxury — scramble up a rock wall in the morning, for example, and then indulge in a spa treatment in the afternoon. Dine at one of the property’s five restaurants, then listen for coyotes as you cozy up next to a fire in your suite. Play a round of golf amid rabbits, quail and roadrunners.

Or, use the resort as a jumping-off point for adventures in the wider region, from hot air balloon flights to air tours of the Grand Canyon and Hummer rides through the desert.