Come walk beautiful Yavapai trail in the hour before sunrise in a vainglorious attempt to make the top before the 7:01 sunrise. While we may not make it, it’ll be fun to try! The view will be stunning either way and we’ll most like see some cool stuff along the way. Join Ranger Shaun for...
Join Ranger Eric for a guided bird walk to look and listen for resident and migrant species of the Sonoran Desert. Along the way we will discuss how to identify...
Join a Pima County Naturalist for a guided nature trek at Maeveen Behan Desert Sanctuary to explore a patch of Sonoran Desert habitat within urban NW Tucson. Trails are smooth, largely level with some areas with gentle grades. Designed for ages 12 and up. Please remember to wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water;...
We encourage our guests to visit the Children’s Garden every Tuesday and Thursday morning to water the garden, and enjoy the flowers, insects, veggies, herbs, and more! Free with Museum Admission
Chat with paleontologists at work in the Museum Demonstration Lab and peek in the windows to view the fossils they are cleaning and conserving from Petrified Forest National Park. The lab is closed on all federal holidays. From the Painted Desert Visitor Center parking lot at the north end of the park, walk through the central courtyard, through the...
Saguaro National Park is famous for its gigantic saguaros. Still, you have to know where to look to find a real giant among giants. Join a ranger for a walk along a tree-lined desert wash, and view an awesome example of the Giant Cactus. Hike will be 3/4 mile round trip walk along a flat, sandy...
Every morning, a volunteer naturalist leads a guided nature walk informing visitors about the different life zones of Red Rock State Park. The subjects discussed on this walk may include...
Learn about Grand Canyon's natural world on a 1 hour guided walk on a paved pathway along the canyon rim. Topics vary and may include: animals and plants adapting to changing seasons, man's impact on nature, how nature inspires writers and poets, rare and endangered species, or American Indian use of plants and animals. Program...
Dinosaur theme all throughout November!
This month's class will give you science-based information on incorporating citrus trees into your landscape. These may be a decorative element, for the purpose of adding shade, and of course giving you and your family/neighbors delicious fruit! Learn about the types of citrus trees suited to our low desert environment, selecting the proper tree and...
Ranger Nikki will introduce youngsters to the Jr. Ranger program offered by Maricopa County Parks and Recreation. We will start indoors by reviewing the topics in the booklet and then walk around the Nature Center and nearby areas to start on your activities that can earn you your Jr. Ranger Badge. We will cover subjects...
Join us for our free docent-led tour in the lobby of the Bryant Bannister Tree-Ring Building (1215 E. Lowell St.). Visitors will be introduced to the basic tenets of dendrochronology and have a chance to examine specimens. During your 1.5 hour tour, you will be introduced to the basic tenets of dendrochronology, have a chance to...
Join Ranger Eric for a guided hike to learn about the animals, plants, and ecology of the Sonoran Desert. We will hike 1.2 miles roundtrip on the Lousely Hill Trail. It will be on moderate grade, with some sandy, rocky, or uneven ground. The hike will take about an hour, but it may go a...
Join a ranger for a 15 minute talk at the Coronado National Memorial Visitor Center and learn about a variety of park topics including the Coronado Expedition, wildlife, and more! Ask a ranger at the visitor center desk for the topic of the day. Free with Park Fee
Patrick Maurice is a birder and nature photographer from Atlanta, Georgia. Patrick has been birding for as long as he can remember and carrying a camera with him for over a decade. While he is primarily a bird photographer, he also enjoys photographing nature and landscapes. Join us as he talks about his travels and...
Come for a short walk and discover the great variety of cacti that inhabit this unique and fascinating desert. 45 minute walk, totaling a distance of roughly 100 yards. Wheelchair accessible Free with Park Fee
Join us for a surprise program. Topics change daily. Come curious, leave inspired! Program may include a walk to Mather Point or along the Canyon Rim Trail. Program duration: 30 minutes. Presented daily. We all have our favorites - favorite restaurants, favorite music, favorite parks. Join a ranger, or a park volunteer, for a program...
Join the Maricopa County Master Gardener speakers at the Georgia Lord library on 3rd Thursdays in odd months, noon-1pm. Presentations will be timely for the season covering topics from vegetable gardens, to landscape watering, to desert adapted plantings and everything in between... This session's topic: Garden Pollinators. Master Gardeners are active volunteers for the University...
Interact with some of our special animals, which for many people is a once in a lifetime experience. Guests will get to learn about endangered species, how we contribute to conservation of those animals,...
Ranger Shaun has found some microscopes and is sampling the Lake! Come have a look at what sort of things might be swimming around in there. Learn about aquatic life cycles, indicator species, and ecosystems. Find out where mosquitos come from! Stop in for this drop in drop out session. MEETING LOCATION: Ringtail day use...
Enhance your afternoon with quick insights into the geologic story of Grand Canyon at our "Geo Glimpse" ranger program - presented daily at 2 pm. Meet in front of Yavapai Geology Museum. Learn how this immense canyon formed and the science behind the landscape. The program is 30 minutes long and is accessible. Grand Canyon is one-mile deep, up to...
Come join us for a stroll through our ethnobotanical garden where we will discuss some of the fascinating plants found in the Sonoran Desert! From the mighty saguaro cactus to the smallest wildflower, come let your curiosity blossom! Accessible program. Free with Park Fee
Hedgehogs raised domestically make interesting pets, but require close attention to their health needs. Get the information and advice you need to take good care of your hedgehog. Presented by Yusuke Banno.
Help us pick, prune, and take care of the El Mirage Library garden! With a little luck our arugula plants will be ready to be cultivated and their leaves taken home. We'll also talk briefly about recipes that use arugula and carrots, both of which grow in our garden.
Join us at MACH1 for Thursday Maker Hour: This month our Maker Focus is Plants Plants grow in a dazzling array of shapes and sizes! Join us this week to explore the basics of 3D modeling while learning about connections between form and function in the plant kingdom! For this week's class we'll be using Tinkercad, an online...