Andrea Huerta, 15, drives up a steep incline as Staci Gonzales, 16, hangs on. Both girls are from Phoenix and were enjoying their first ATV experience on a tour near Florence.

Mark Brunton / Arizona Daily Star

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Hot, dirty, fast and fun. No, we're not talking about a Saturday night at the club. Those four words best describe riding an ATV through lush desert, along mountain ridges, into a narrow slot canyon and on abandoned mining roads.

Located about 55 miles north of Tucson in Florence, Arizona ATV Adventures' 37-mile, four-hour Box Canyon tour provides riders a unique, up-close look at the Pinal Mountains and a glimpse into Arizona history.

The tour begins with guide Elray Kizzar briefing a group of 15 people on trail safety and how to operate the 350cc, auto-transmission four-wheelers. He covers everything from hand signals that are used on the trail to the proper way to pass a rattlesnake without getting bitten.

This group is a diverse mix of ages and sizes. No experience is necessary to drive, and young riders are welcome, which makes it a good tour for families.

"Our policy is that a driver must be 14 years old or weigh 100 pounds," says Kizzar, who has been a guide for five years. "That's one of our attractions. We do let younger people drive, but we like to evaluate each person's ability on the safety course before hitting the trail."

Once all riders have been given an OK, the convoy of ATVs makes its way via dirt roads to a large maze of trails within the area maintained by the Bureau of Land Management. The provided goggles are a welcome addition due to the amount of dust and rocks one eats on the way. After sliding the four-wheelers around gravel corners for a few miles we turn onto a more narrow trail.

The trail rises steadily through a desert teeming with vegetation and wildlife. It's not uncommon for snakes and mule deer to be seen on the trail, such as the small doe that crossed in front of the group as we negotiated a hill.

"That's what we like about this place," says Carol Williams, a guest from Tucson. This is her and husband Stew's fifth ride with Arizona ATV Adventures. "It's great to bring visitors from out of town so they can see how diverse the desert is."

After riding about 12 miles, we stop at an old mining camp for a break. Kizzar and fellow guide Brian Lutz carry enough water and candy to feed the small army of guests.

It's nice to get off the bike for a few minutes and take in the surroundings, but it's even more important to stay hydrated in the 100-plus-degree weather.

The next stop provides a look at ancient petroglyphs believed to have been carved in the rocks by the Anasazi more than 1,000 years ago.

From the petroglyph site we ascend a mountain ridge to about 3,400 feet and a breathtaking view. With clear skies, you can see the mountains as far south as Tucson. It's also evident how easy it would be to get lost on the plethora of zigzagging trails below.

From the ridge, we quickly descend 1,000 feet into the canyon. The landscape turns from wide-open spaces and a dirt trail to rock walls and small boulders that steadily grow in size. At this point we are traveling on an old stagecoach trail and brake at a dilapidated structure that was also a stop on the line before heading into the narrow Box Canyon.

The canyon is said to have gotten its name from stagecoach travelers due to its slim nature and the tendency of coaches to get attacked in the canyon.

The trail squeezes to 10 feet in places, and the walls climb hundreds of feet vertically as our ATVs crawl over rocks the size buried cars. I'd compare it to a coin being dropped slowly into a vending machine.

Once out of the canyon, the trail spills onto the same dirt roads we rode on our way in. Now we motor back to Florence. With everyone more comfortable handling the ATVs, the return trip is more brisk — and dustier.

It's hot, it's dirty and it's a lot of fun. But after bullying a 600-pound machine around for 37 miles, the prospect of a cold beverage makes for a welcome final stop.