Join experienced birder and Park Volunteer Tom Locascio—a proud member of the Audubon Society and Sun City Birding Club—for a guided bird walk through White Tank Mountain Regional Park. After the walk, gather in the Nature Center classroom for an engaging presentation on the park’s feathered residents, from desert dwellers to seasonal visitors. Please wear...
Trip difficulty: Easy. Walking distance: About 1.3 miles. Trip Duration: 2-2.5 hours. Elevation gain: None. Ground condition: Groomed gravel trails. Drinking water and restrooms available at the park’s entrance. Benches are available at periodic intervals around the wetlands. Are you new to birding and looking to learn some of the basics? Then this field workshop...
Join Ranger Shaun as he makes his way up and around the stunning vista of Scenic Trail’s ridgeline. This approximately 4-mile medium difficulty hike requires closed toe shoes and water bottles. Hiking poles are useful but not required. The exposed nature of the ridge makes sunglasses or hats extremely pleasant to have as well. Tie...
Join us for a relaxing morning at the Paton Center, featuring short, easy walks (less than a mile total) along trails like the Cuckoo Corridor and Gray Hawk Birding Trail. We’ll also spend some unhurried time enjoying the activity around the bird feeders. Trails on site are mostly packed dirt or gravel, with the possibility...
Join Ranger Eric for a guided bird walk to look and listen for resident and migrant species within the diverse desert riparian habitat of the Hassayampa River Preserve. Along the way we will discuss how to identify birds by sight and sound, about the behavioral and ecological traits that make them unique, and about citizen...
We've compiled everything we think every beginner gardener should know, and jam-packed it into an hour class. From setting up your growing space to harvesting the fruits of your labor, let us help you navigate organic gardening in the desert! This class is a great place to start your garden journey. Includes: 4 seasonal starts,...
Register for a FREE guided tour of one of seven different collections of trees and plants in the Campus Arboretum. Led by Pima County Master Gardeners, the tours provide in-depth education, information...
Join us for a Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz at the Riparian Preserve! A BioBlitz is a fun way for scientists and citizens to work together to document the plants and animals present at one time in a given area. Local experts will be on site all morning to teach you about the incredible pollinators, and pollinator friendly...
Worms reduce, reuse, recycle and you can too! This class will teach you everything you need to know about composting with worms in your garden or Raised Bed. What you’ll learn: -General understanding of worm related operations at the Arizona Worm Farm -The benefits of vermicomposting -How to set up a worm habitat You will...
Enjoy a family-friendly morning of art and nature! Explore the acequias and create dragonfly art to take home. All materials provided, no experience needed, all ages welcome. This event is...
Join us as we share tips for maintaining annual & perennial herbs and flowers in the low desert. We'll cover healthy soil makeup, plant spacing, light management, fertilizing, and companion planting. Plus! A focus on flowers and seed saving to attract pollinators season after season. Each registration includes: 4 seasonal plant starts, 1/2 gallon worm...
Join a walking tour of the Canoa Ranch headquarters. Visit the historic buildings and corrals and enjoy the special exhibits of the people of Canoa. DIRECTIONS: Historic Canoa Ranch, 5375 S. I-19 Frontage Rd., Green Valley 85622 From Tucson - Take 1-19 south to exit 56 - Canoa Road. Go around the traffic circle until...
Take a guided walk with High Country Humane! Meet adoptable dogs while learning about canine behavior, enrichment, and the many health benefits of spending time outdoors with our furry friends!...
Join Master Gardener Cathy Rymer and discover the secrets to planting, irrigating, and growing vegetables in our desert environment! You will also learn to identify garden-friendly bugs and safely manage the ones you’d rather not host. This FREE Water-Smart Workshop is open to all Town of Queen Creek water customers. Seating is limited and registration...
Experience the opportunity of a lifetime with our Capybara Encounter! Come meet Chewy or BB and their care team at Shipwreck Cove. This encounter will give you the opportunity to...
Experience the best dressed encounter opportunity at Wildlife World Zoo! Meet one of our endangered African Penguins and their trainers in the Wild and Wonderful aquarium building in front of the penguin exhibit. This encounter will give you the opportunity to find out what it takes to care for these incredible animals. Learn fun facts...
Learn how to make your own exfoliating bar soap using dried luffa, herbs, and flowers straight from the garden! We will provide molds, multiple soap bases, plant materials, and essential oils for fragrance. Everyone in the class will make and take home two bars of luffa soap!
The Arizona Worm Farm growing staff will teach the basics of organic tomato growing and give you a gift package to get you started! Topics will include: The Best Time to Plant Choosing the Right Tomato Varieties Sun and Temperature Requirements Soil Preparation Planting Tomatoes Companion plantings Watering, Fertilizing, and Pruning Tomatoes Class includes a...
Learn from Chandler's Urban Forester how to plant your trees and shrubs for long-term success. The workshop will include a demonstration of the best planting practices, as well as tips for selecting plants, staking, and future care. Come, ask questions, and leave confidently knowing how to plant a tree or shrub. This program is supported...
Learn from Chandler’s Urban Forester how to plant your trees and shrubs for long-term success. The workshop will include a demonstration of the best planting practices, as well as tips...
If you've ever wanted to use paint to create something beautiful without overthinking the results, this is the workshop for you! In this class, we will explore using brushstrokes and color to create a vibrant "bouquet" of abstract flowers. There will be no need to be precise or to exactly render a particular flower; just...
In this 2-hour workshop instructor Chad Borseth will discuss the role fungi and mushrooms play in our ecology, and go over cultivation and propagation techniques. We also will discuss the...
The weather right now may feel like winter is a long time away but this is the best time to begin planning and preparing for your winter garden. This class will go over what vegetables you can grow successfully in our low desert environment when the temperatures drop. We will discuss plant selection, planting strategies,...
Interested in learning how to start and maintain a garden in Arizona? Join us for a presentation on Winter Herb Gardening and get personalized guidance from a Master Gardener. Herb gardening in Maricopa County can be tricky if you don’t know which seasons to grow which herbs. Master Gardener Peggie Crichton will show you...
Venture behind-the-scenes to meet one of the giant anteaters at Reid Park Zoo. Learn about their amazing adaptations, how we care for these unique animals at the Zoo, and how the Zoo supports conservation efforts in Brazil to protect this iconic species. Note: For animal safety, all participants must wear N-95 or KN-95 masks for...
Have you ever wanted to meet one of our Sea Lions up close and personal? Join us for a WILD encounter at Wildlife World Zoo! Learn what it takes to care for our amazing marine mammals, and see what goes in to training them. You will be able to get an individual or group photo,...
Have you ever wanted to meet a sloth? Come meet Luna and her care team. This encounter will give you the opportunity to feed Luna and learn from her care team what it takes to raise and care for such a unique animal. Feel the texture of her hair and take a selfie with our...
In this beginner level workshop, students will make (2) of their own 4×4″ Pressed Flower coasters using locally harvested flowers. The workshop will cover the following: • Flower Selection • Background color selection using pre-cut glass • Glass cleaning • Creating your design • Sanding corners of glass • Tacking down flowers • Wrapping projects...
Ranger Derik will have 2 story time slots with the first being at 11:30am and the second at 12:30pm in the Nature Center classroom. The program will have a 30-minute story followed by 30 minutes of show and tell with skulls and pelts from animals that can be found in the park. On way out...
Presented by the Flagstaff Festival of Science. Stop by for a humorously themed lecture about the natural and cultural history of coyotes in the Americas, their place in lore and...
This is a humorously themed lecture about the natural and cultural history of coyotes in the Americas, their place in lore and literature, and some of the exciting things that...
What makes a tree the BEST choice for your landscape? Consider what you want in a tree. Lifespan, shade, form, evergreen, flower...all characteristics to consider when choosing that perfect desert landscape tree. We will tell you about many under-appreciated gems, and how to choose, plant and care for that special tree. This is an in-person...
Did you know that the horse's ancestors were as big as a fox? And that horses were extinct in North America 10,000 years ago? Participants will learn about how horses evolved over time, horse myths; watch a riding demonstration, and meet some horses up close. The event is outdoors, so wear shoes suitable for mud...
Biologists and transportation officials are working to reduce collisions between vehicles and wildlife. Find out how research is helping to make northern Arizona roadways safer while maintaining habitat connectivity. Ages 9+ Part of Flagstaff Festival of Science 2026. 10-Day Science Festival Our flagship September event featuring 100+ free science experiences for all ages.
Join Harmon Library to learn about what to plant in your home garden to attract monarch butterflies! Our expert from the Grant Park Community Garden will speak about his experience...
Deep beneath the earth's crust, hundreds of kilometres below the surface, with no light, no air, and very little water, in pores and fissures of hard rock, scientists have found an enormous biodiversity of micro-organisms that thrive in extreme conditions. The Dark Biosphere challenges everything we thought we knew and challenges us to rethink not...
A talk on wildlife drinkers and providing drinking water for wildlife in northern Arizona, and a visit to the new wildlife drinker installed at Fort Tuthill park. Reservation required. Ages 6+ Part of Flagstaff Festival of Science 2026. 10-Day Science Festival Our flagship September event featuring 100+ free science experiences for all ages.
Museum free all day, activities 2 pm-4:30 pm Join us for a Science Day at MNA and free Open House as part of the Flagstaff Festival of Science. Enjoy hands-...
Watercolor and the sea are natural partners, and in this class, we bring them together. We will explore a few sea creatures, like jellyfish and octopuses, and learn how to create these alien yet beautiful animals with our watercolors! The focus will be on looser techniques to just relax and have fun. All skill levels...
Enjoy the cool evening weather with a hike to Grandview outlook at Pinnacle Peak Park! This after-hours event will allow guests to hike at their own pace, with staff and volunteers stationed along the trail to answer questions and assist visitors. The hike is 1.5 miles long and rated moderately challenging. Full moon events run...
Join Ranger Kevin as we greet this year’s Harvest Moon. We’ll be setting out before sunset on an easy-moderate, 2.1 mile loop. We’ll stop somewhere near the middle of the hike to watch the full moon rise, and then make our way back under fading colors and twilight skies. All the while, we’ll keep our...
Explore NAU research through a special science art exhibit featuring the work of the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society. Meet our researchers to discuss the science of Arctic landscapes, wildfires, biocrusts, giant trees, the world of soil beneath our feet, and more. Ages 13+ Part of Flagstaff Festival of Science 2026. 10-Day Science...
Join Open Space for a September Full Moon Walk! We'll hike the Arizona Trail at Picture Canyon, starting from the trailhead at 3920 N El Paso Flagstaff Rd. From there, we'll head north to the tunnel at Route 89 before returning the same way. The hike begins about 30 minutes before moonrise, giving us time...
Join Ranger Eric for a full moon hike on the Cottonwood Trail while we also look for and learn about nocturnal wildlife of the Sonoran Desert, including scorpions, snakes, tarantulas, spiders, owls, nightjars,...
We’re setting up our version of the silver screen near the Nature Center tonight. Once it’s dark, we’ll turn on the spotlight and enjoy the show that unfolds, as all manner of arthropods are drawn to the light. We’ll even have a few “creepy-crawlies” on hand to look at. Plus, conditions permitting, we’ll take a...
Zoo By Moonlight is an evening event held at Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary from May through September. It provides a great opportunity to see the Sanctuary's nocturnal residents. Enjoy our Clouded...
Spend the night exploring Veterans Oasis Park after dark. You’ll discover the sights and sounds of nocturnal wildlife, observe the full moon, and talk astronomy as you hike the park. Bring your flashlight or UV light to hunt for fluorescent arachnids. Participants will meet at Red-tailed Hawk Pavilion. Parents will need to register and attend...