Desert Defender volunteers needed! Join us in removing invasive species and reducing the wildfire risk in Maricopa County Regional Parks. Participants will learn to identify several invasive species, their phenology and characteristics, and how to remove these invasive plants effectively. Meet at the Nature Center. The goal is to remove invasive plants as a proactive...
Join our local bird enthusiasts for a guided bird walk through the Rio Salado habitat! These walks are for everyone: experts, novices, and people who have never gone birding in their entire life. What to Know Before You Go: Bring water and wear sunscreen and shoes for walking. Groups usually travel slowly, over varying...
Bird enthusiasts join a naturalist for a guided walk appropriate for beginner and advanced birders. Most year-round birds are found in the riparian area next to Oak Creek or along the field behind the Visitor Center. The Audubon Society has designated Red Rock State Park as part of the Lower Oak Creek Important Birding Area...
El Rio Vivo is back for the 3rd year, with even more fun, art, music and food! El Rio Vivo celebrates the restoration of the Rio Salado by bringing together nature, art, music and great food all in one day! And it all benefits the work of Liberty Wildlife in helping nurture the nature of...
Join docent Anne Leight for a walk around the preserve to look for and learn about birds. Look for and learn about birds of this desert oasis with seasoned birder, bird bander, and preserve docent Anne Leight on this guided, easy walk. Please bring your own binoculars if you have them, but some are available...
Join us on the first Saturday of the month for unstructured outdoor play! Kids can explore the Zoo’s “enchanted forest”, and caregivers can learn how to take nature play home. Nature play is child-directed play in nature and with nature. Nature play can happen in the smallest natural and wild areas, all ages of children can participate, it can...
First Saturday of the month, 9-10am At Mission Garden, meet inside the front gate of the garden Registration required. Register here: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E350876&id=118 Learn about some of the 50 medicinal plants in Mission Garden's Moore Medicinal Garden. The plants are native to the American Southwest deserts and in many cases have been used for millennia. Modern...
See the Surprise Xeriscape Garden in a new light by joining a guided tour with our Master Gardeners or Water Conservation staff. The tours are a great way to learn about the advantages of native or desert-adapted plants while seeing their beauty firsthand. All tours start at the Water Education Center at 9 a.m. Registration is not...
This walk provides a geological and ecological overview of what lives in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, and how the flora and fauna survive and thrive. Restrooms and water are available at the trailhead. Please bring water and snacks for the trail. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before start of walk.
Forest Bathing, also known as Shinrin-yoku, is the practice of spending time in nature for the purpose of enhancing health, wellness, and happiness. During this class, participants will be led on a 2-and-a-halfhour walk through the century-old trees of the Arboretum with a series of guided “invitations”, closing with a tea ceremony. Instructor: Judy Karnia...
This Very Difficult hike to visit these iconic rock formations will travel just over 9 miles with minimal elevation changes over 3½ to 4 hours. We will stop and enjoy each formation, returning on the Cholla Loop and the Granite Mountain Loop viewing many large Saguaro cacti. Due to the distance, this hike is suggested...
Using recyclables plus a dash of imagination, construct a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. You might even find some dino-themed items to build with for Dinosaur Month!
Step back in time for some dino-sized STEAM fun! In this hands-on activity, young paleontologists will explore the fascinating world of dinosaur facts and measurements, comparing their own height, stride, and even “tooth size” to prehistoric giants. Using tools of measurement and simple math, kids will practice estimation, observation, and data collection as they measure...
Step into the Jurassic Sandpit and dig into dino-sized adventures all month long! Young paleontologists can uncover hidden “fossils” using brushes, scoops, and magnifying glasses. This hands-on pretend play experience...
Keep your eyes peeled… we’ve had reports of dinosaur sightings all around the Museum! You never know where one might pop up – scaling the Climber, stacking blocks, or showing...
Design, decorate, and wear your very own dino hat! Slip it on and let your imagination roar to life as you become a dinosaur for the day.
Part art. Part engineering. Totally amazing! Add a pop of wonder and a pinch of nostalgia to your spring with Sean Kenney’s Nature Pop! Marvel at over 40 wildly creative sculptures made entirely of LEGO® bricks at this exhibition, included with Zoo admission and free for Zoo members from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily....
Explore the wonders of the past and learn how it’s all applied to the present at March’s Science Saturday! Willow Bend and community partners will host hands-on activities, lessons, crafts, and fun for all ages. No registration required—just come ready to learn, create, and have fun! Science Saturday is an event held on the first...
Unplug and Reconnect with Nature! Join us for Nature Play at the Children’s Garden, where families can escape the screens and dive into the wonders of the great outdoors. Every Saturday, from October to April, bring your kids to explore, play, and learn in a safe, engaging environment. Outdoor play isn’t just fun; it’s essential!...
Stop by to design a flying paper dinosaur, then send your creation gliding through the air as you imagine how prehistoric creatures might have moved!
The course is divided into two sections. The first half of the course is a classroom lecture portion where participants learn about misconceptions and discuss real rattlesnake behavior. The second half participants with learn how to safely relocate a rattlesnake using proper safety equipment. Each participant receives a certificate once they learn how to safely relocate a rattlesnake. If the participant...
Enjoy gardening? Do you have garden challenges you’d like to overcome? Need help with your landscape plants? Don't know what to plant or when? Want to start a vegetable garden, but don't know where to start? Join the Georgia Lord Library Master Gardener 2nd Saturdays from 10am-12pm for free home garden and landscape Q and...
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 geology, wildlife, history, archeology, and plant life. The naturalists welcome questions during the walk, enhancing the learning experience. Hikes are included with park entrance fees...
October through April we are open to the public from 10am until 1pm. Our admission is $10 per adult (18+) and $5 per student (under 18). Children 4 and under are free. We will have daily programs and presentations that will be advertised in the lobby upon your arrival for a different experience each visit.
How do you take raw wool or cotton and make yarn? How did the Native Americans do this? What about the pioneers? Come and see how weaving is done. Learn how to use a drop spindle. FREE, THANKS TO THE GENEROUS FUNDING OF THE KIWANIS CLUB OF CAREFREE. Registration is limited and required.
Forest Bathing, also known as Shinrin-yoku, is the practice of spending time in nature for the purpose of enhancing health, wellness, and happiness. During this class, participants will be led on a 2-and-a-halfhour walk through the century-old trees of the Arboretum with a series of guided “invitations”, closing with a tea ceremony. Instructor: Judy Karnia...
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, some of the considerations we must take into consideration when having these reptiles in Arizona, which reptiles are good pets for children or adults, adaptations...
See FarmBot in action as we demonstrate how it plants seeds with precision technology.
The Master Gardeners present a workshop on "How to Correctly Irrigate Your Landscape Plants To Survive Year Round". Also learn proper planting techniques and soil amendments
Join us to celebrate the importance of pollinators! From bats to butterflies and bugs, you'll have a chance to help tell a visual story of some of our most important ecological allies. Willow Bend Environmental Education Center is bringing art and ecology together through Nature Tales: Puppets and Pollinators, a creative collaboration with Red Herring...
Join Liberty Wildlife at the Verde Canyon Railroad Depot and meet their eagle/raptor ambassadors!
Learn the secrets of the “rainforests of the sea” as you embark on an oceanic safari of the world’s most vibrant— and endangered—marine ecosystems. Narrated by Tony Award® winner Lea Salonga, the all-digital Expedition Reef immerses you in the undersea adventure. Audience: General, all ages Style: Fulldome film + live Earth science talk ...
Join Mission Garden in collaboration with the American Philosophical Society for a conversation about the histories and legacies of botanical gardens throughout the continent. The program brings together examples from the Bartram family’s 18th-century garden in Philadelphia, the Jardín Etnobiológico in Oaxaca, and Mission Garden’s connections to the greater Tucson region to consider the importance...
POMPEII: THE EXHIBITION examines the lives of residents of Pompeii before and after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. through artifacts on loan from the Naples National Archeological Museum. Visitors to the exhibition will travel back in time to 79 A.D. when Pompeii bustled as a commercial port and strategic military and trading...
Explore the Wild after the sun goes down. Join us at Veterans Oasis Park for an enchanting evening hosted by Chandler Nature Center that promises to ignite your passion for the great outdoors! Great for all ages, join us for an evening of fun activities: Nature-related crafts and activities Guided night hikes Exciting exhibitors Raffle...