Twenty thousand acres of Sonoran Desert surround the Palo Verde Conference Center at Rancho de los Caballeros, a guest ranch founded in 1948. From mid-October to mid- May, the resort welcomes vacationers and groups with authentic Western hospitality on the outskirts of Wickenburg, Arizona.

Planners find the peaceful setting ideal for meetings. Attendees appreciate the productive atmosphere as well- along with the incentives of fine dining, 79 comfortable rooms and suites, golf, horseback riding, nature tours, and more.

The latest incentive to join the mix, a spa, opened in October 2006. With eight private rooms and couples suites, most adjoining courtyards for outdoor treatments, the spa and its meditation labyrinth specialize in rejuvenating weary minds and bodies, whether after a long day of desert activity-or meetings with colleagues.

The conference center occupies a quiet area of its own, about halfway between the riding corral and the main lodge's pool and tennis courts. The center’s largest room, The Sonoran, holds up to 275 people or easily divides into four separate spaces. The smaller room, the Palo Verde, features a built-in rear-screen projection screen and generous space for breakouts. A rambling porch and open patios invite breaks outdoors-even seated lunches or dinners catered by the on-site kitchen.

The golf clubhouse contributes yet another venue for receptions, dinners, and other events for up to 250.

Meeting support ranges from an experienced conference services director and specially trained staff to state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and wireless Internet access. Favorite group activities include team-building programs and the ranch’s famous cookouts, which feature mesquite-grilled chicken, steak, and ribs along with entertainment by Will Dudley, the “Cookout Cowboy.”

During the day, groups at leisure can ride the high desert on horseback. The more adventurous can try team penning, a timed event wherein three or four riders cut three yearling steers out of a dozen at one end of the arena, herd them to the other end, and drive them into a pen. Ranch hands carefully select the appropriate mount for each rider from a string of 100 horses.

Meanwhile, golfers can tee off at Los Caballeros Golf Club, listed as one of America’s top 75 resort courses by Golf Digest. Designed by Greg Nash and Jeff Hardin, its ribbon of green winds through dramatic terrain, showcasing views of the Bradshaw Mountains to the north and Vulture Peak to the south.

Off the course, participants can tour the desert by jeep, mountain bike, or hot-air balloon. They can shoot skeet and trap, play tennis, or shop for art and antiques in Wickenburg. Back at the resort, they can relax at the spa, take a dip in the pool, or stargaze under the infinite desert sky.