Cliff Creek Outfitters
Cliff Creek Outfitters is a privately held Arizona outdoor recreation company offering guided rafting, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, and cycling tours plus equipment rentals across the Phoenix/Scottsdale metro area, serving tourists, resort guests, families, and corporate groups.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersTempe, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cliff Creek Outfitters does
Cliff Creek Outfitters is a privately held outdoor recreation company founded in 1984 and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. The company provides guided tours and equipment rentals across the Phoenix/Scottsdale metropolitan area and surrounding Sonoran Desert landscapes, encompassing rafting, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, road cycling, mountain biking, gravel biking, and e-bike tours. Its product portfolio spans guided group experiences priced per person (typically $76-$375), equipment rentals across a fleet of more than 300 bikes plus kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and comprehensive camping gear, trailhead and hotel delivery services, and used gear sales of retired rental inventory.
The business operates on a direct-to-consumer model with three primary distribution channels: an online booking platform powered by The FlyBook, phone reservations, and a walk-in retail showroom at 925 W 23rd St in Tempe. The company also maintains referral partnerships with more than twelve luxury resort properties in the Scottsdale/Phoenix market and an official tourism partnership with Experience Scottsdale. The company holds the regulatory permits necessary to operate guided tours on Tonto National Forest, Maricopa County Parks, and City of Scottsdale lands, giving it access to high-traffic recreation areas including Lower Salt River, Lower Verde River, and Saguaro Lake.
Cliff Creek Outfitters carries no proprietary technology and uses standard third-party software (The FlyBook for reservations, Ride with GPS for route mapping) alongside physical equipment inventory and human guides. The company has cycled through multiple brand identities over its forty-year history (Desert Voyagers Guided Raft Tours, Cimarron River Company, Arizona Outback Adventures, REI Co-op Experiences from 2019 to 2023, and now Cliff Creek Outfitters), and most recently executed an independent relaunch in 2023 followed by a relocation to a larger Tempe facility in 2024. Customer segments span families, tourists, cycling enthusiasts, self-guided paddlers, hikers, and corporate groups seeking team-building experiences.
Cliff Creek Outfitters firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cliff Creek Outfitters
- Legal name
- Cliff Creek Outfitters, Inc.
- Website
- https://aoa-adventures.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Cliff Creek Outfitters is a privately held Arizona outdoor recreation company offering guided rafting, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, and cycling tours plus equipment rentals across the Phoenix/Scottsdale metro area, serving tourists, resort guests, families, and corporate groups.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cliff Creek Outfitters industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Outdoor Recreation Services
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators (THAAADAA)
Keywords
Where Cliff Creek Outfitters is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tempe
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cliff Creek Outfitters business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Guided Tour Services: Revenue from guided outdoor tours including rafting, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, and cycling. Tours are priced per person with minimum group sizes. Premium pricing for specialty sunset tours and combination adventure packages.
- Equipment Rentals: Daily and multi-day rentals of bikes (road, mountain, gravel, e-bike, hybrid, kids), kayaks, SUPs, and camping equipment. Revenue generated through per-day rental rates with discounts for longer rental periods.
- Gear Sales: Sale of used rental bikes (road, mountain, e-bikes, hybrids, comfort, kids) and outdoor camping gear (tents, packs, sleeping pads, camp chairs, backpacks, hammocks, camp lighting, camp games).
- Delivery Services: Trailhead bike delivery ($75-$125 per group), hotel delivery ($45-$75), and vacation rental delivery ($75-$95 each way) fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided Rafting Tours - Lower Salt River |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided Kayak Tours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided Paddleboard Tours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided Mountain Bike Tours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided Road Bike Tours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided Gravel Bike Tours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided E-Bike Tours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Specialty Tours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Combination Tours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided Hiking Tours |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Road Bike Rentals |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Mountain Bike Rentals |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Gravel Bike Rentals |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | E-Bike & Hybrid Rentals |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Paddle Gear Rentals |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Camp Gear Rentals |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trailhead Bike Delivery |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cliff Creek Outfitters product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cliff Creek Outfitters provides guided outdoor tours in rafting, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, road cycling, mountain biking, gravel biking, and e-biking across the Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Arizona river and lake markets. It also rents bikes, paddle equipment, and camping gear, delivers rental equipment to trailheads and lodging properties, and sells used rental bikes and outdoor gear.
Product overview
Cliff Creek Outfitters is an outdoor recreation company offering a comprehensive portfolio of guided adventure tours and equipment rentals in Arizona's Sonoran Desert. The core offering consists of guided land tours (road cycling, mountain biking, gravel biking, e-bike tours, and hiking) and water tours (rafting, kayaking, and paddleboarding), supported by a large rental fleet of over 300 bikes including road, mountain, gravel, e-bike, hybrid, and children's models, plus paddle equipment (inflatable kayaks and SUPs) and camp gear (tents, sleeping bags, trekking poles, camp chairs, and stoves). Supplementary services include trailhead bike delivery, hotel/vacation rental delivery, combination multi-activity tours, specialty sunset tours, and used gear sales. The company operates under permits from Tonto National Forest, Maricopa County Parks, and City of Scottsdale, serving groups from 2 to over 200 participants.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- River Rafting Tours
- Kayaking Tours
- Paddleboarding Tours
- Road Cycling Tours
- Mountain Bike Tours
- Gravel Bike Tours
- E-Bike Tours
- Hiking Tours
- Desert Mountain Bike + Kayak Adventure
- Scottsdale E-Bike & Hike + BBQ Lunch Tour
- Pick Two Combination
- Sunset Raft Tour
- E-bikes & Evening Lights Tour
- Quartz Ridge Sunset Hiking
- Road Bike Rentals
- Mountain Bike Rentals
- Gravel Bike Rentals
- E-Bike & Hybrid Rentals
- Paddle Gear Rentals
- Camp Gear Rentals
- Trailhead Bike Delivery
- Hotel & Vacation Rental Delivery
- Used Rental Bikes & Outdoor Gear Sales
Companies that use Cliff Creek Outfitters
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Cliff Creek Outfitters technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cliff Creek Outfitters partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Tonto National Forest (U.S. Department of Agriculture)coreOfficial permit holder allowing guided tour operations on Tonto National Forest lands including Lower Salt River, Lower Verde River, and Saguaro Lake areas. Required regulatory relationship for river recreation operations.
- Maricopa County ParkscoreOfficial permit holder for operations within Maricopa County Parks jurisdiction, enabling hiking tours and access to county-managed trails and recreation areas.
- City of ScottsdalecoreOfficial permit holder for operations within City of Scottsdale jurisdiction, supporting tours in McDowell Sonoran Preserve and other city-managed lands.
- Experience ScottsdalesupportingOfficial tourism partner promoting outdoor recreation experiences in Scottsdale area, driving visitor referrals to Cliff Creek Outfitters tours and rentals.
- Multiple Scottsdale/Phoenix Resorts (Andaz, Biltmore, Boulders, Camelback Inn JW Marriott, Fairmont Princess, Grand Hyatt, Desert Ridge JW Marriott, Phoenician, Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs, Royal Palms, Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain, Westin Kierland)supportingPartnership providing road bike route maps and recommendations to resort guests. CCO serves as endorsed bike tour and rental provider for resort visitors seeking outdoor activities.
- Ride with GPSsupportingTechnology platform used to deliver free cycling route maps accessible via QR codes and links, integrated with resort partnerships and CCO's website for route navigation.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cliff Creek Outfitters competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- OARS: Long-established rafting, kayaking, and hiking outfitter with multi-region permits and a wider trip catalog. Direct overlap with CCO's guided rafting/kayaking/hiking offering; broader in geography and duration than CCO's day-tour focus.
- Backroads: Large established active-travel company offering guided biking, hiking, and multi-activity trips across dozens of destinations. Overlaps with CCO's guided cycling and hiking tours at a much larger scale and broader geographic reach.
- REI Co-op: National outdoor retailer that operated the REI Co-op Experiences program (formerly CCO's parent brand from 2019–2023) and still runs REI Adventures trips. Relevant as the former distribution/brand partner that CCO has now separated from.
Direct peers
- Sedona Adventure Tours: Arizona-based adventure outfitter offering guided hiking, jeep, kayak, and wine tours around Sedona. Closely comparable because it serves the same Phoenix/Scottsdale resort visitor flow with bundled guided outdoor experiences in the Sonoran/Red Rock landscape.
- Wild Lime Adventures: Sedona-area small-group adventure outfitter offering hiking, jeep, kayak, and e-bike tours to resort and tourist customers. Directly comparable to CCO across activity mix, customer profile, and Arizona regional setting.
- VBT Bicycling Vacations: Multi-day guided and self-guided bicycling vacation operator with a strong North American portfolio including Southwest road and gravel itineraries. Comparable to CCO's guided road, gravel, and mountain bike tour product and premium per-person pricing model.
- Trek Travel: Premium cycling tour operator running guided road, gravel, and mountain bike trips worldwide, often supplying Trek bikes similar to CCO's rental fleet. Comparable on guided bike-tour format, premium pricing, and destination-based experiential model.
- Wilderness River Adventures: Multi-day rafting outfitter operating the Colorado River through Grand Canyon and other Southwest waterways. Comparable to CCO's Salt and Verde river rafting tours on guided-water-experience product, permit-driven model, and resort/tourist customer base.
- Arizona River Runners: Salt and Verde River rafting outfitter operating in the same Arizona waterways as CCO. Directly comparable on guided rafting product, river-permit dependency, and Phoenix-metro tourist demand.
Regional players
- Moab Adventure Center: Multi-activity outdoor outfitter in Moab, Utah, offering guided rafting, 4x4, hiking, and Hummer tours with on-site retail and rentals. Highly comparable operating model to CCO but in a different Southwest geography with a different resort ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cliff Creek Outfitters social profiles
Digital presenceCliff Creek Outfitters financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cliff Creek Outfitters leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cliff Creek Outfitters funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cliff Creek Outfitters M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cliff Creek Outfitters
What does Cliff Creek Outfitters do?
Cliff Creek Outfitters provides guided outdoor tours in rafting, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, road cycling, mountain biking, gravel biking, and e-biking across the Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Arizona river and lake markets. It also rents bikes, paddle equipment, and camping gear, delivers rental equipment to trailheads and lodging properties, and sells used rental bikes and outdoor gear.
Is Cliff Creek Outfitters a public or private company?
Cliff Creek Outfitters is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Cliff Creek Outfitters founded?
Cliff Creek Outfitters was founded in 1984.
Where is Cliff Creek Outfitters based?
Cliff Creek Outfitters is headquartered in Tempe, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cliff Creek Outfitters make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Guided Tour Services are the primary driver. The others are equipment Rentals, gear Sales and delivery Services.
Who are Cliff Creek Outfitters's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are OARS, Backroads and REI Co-op. Direct peers are Sedona Adventure Tours, Wild Lime Adventures, VBT Bicycling Vacations, Trek Travel, Wilderness River Adventures and Arizona River Runners. Moab Adventure Center is listed as a regional player.
Does Cliff Creek Outfitters have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cliff Creek Outfitters.
What industry is Cliff Creek Outfitters in?
Cliff Creek Outfitters's product category is Outdoor Recreation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAALAB, Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing), with a secondary code of THAAADAA, Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators. Its NAICS code is 561520 and its SIC code is 7900.