Come with us as we explore the streamside habitat of New River. This preserve is home to a lush riparian habitat that contains many tree species unique to the desert including cottonwoods, sycamore, walnuts, and more! We'll search for the many bird species that call this place home. This hike is approximately 1 mile in [...]
Log your final miles of the 100 Miles in 100 Days Challenge with Ranger Nikki on a trek to explore San Tan’s trails and scenic views. You are welcome to join even if you are not participating in the yearly County Parks challenge and simply want to enjoy some time outdoor and learn about desert [...]
Enjoy a 1.8-mile one-way hike up the Yavapai Point Trail where we will be able to take in stunning views of the Sonoran Desert and Lake Pleasant, as well as talk about the local flora and fauna with Ranger Eric. The hike is rated as moderate, with some rocky and uneven surfaces. Please dress in [...]
Invasive species are among the biggest threats to our park’s ecosystem health. They outcompete native plants, decrease biodiversity, and increase wildfire occurrences and magnitude. Desert Defenders is a citizen science program focused on removing invasive species in parks. The Invasive plant species have severely impacted our park’s natural ecosystems and contributed to our most recent [...]
Ranger Nikki will lead you on a moderate to difficult hike to explore our beautiful desert and get in a great workout. The route is an out-and-back trek on a portion of Goat Camp Trail, out approximately two miles and turning back to make 4 miles total. The terrain is mostly uneven with rocky surfaces [...]
Come explore one of Arizona’s riparian corridors! These narrow riverside ecosystems are an interesting break from the surrounding desert and often a haven for wildlife like birds and insects. Ranger Shaun loves to talk about bugs! Let’s go bird watching and chat! This is a 3.2-mile, medium difficulty hike. There will be port-a-johns available near [...]
Join one of our local bird enthusiasts for a guided bird walk through the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area! These walks are for everyone: experts, novices, and people who have never gone birding in their entire life. Bring water, and wear sunscreen and shoes for walking. Loaner binoculars and field guides are available for those [...]
Explore the Birds of Estrella Mountain Regional Park on a bird walk. Meet at the park Nature Center. Explore the birds/bird life at Estrella Park with special guest Joe Ford. With the park's wide range of habitats, you will encounter some of the best birding in the valley! Beginner birders and long-time enthusiasts will enjoy [...]
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, and about the behavioral and ecological traits that make them unique. Some binoculars [...]
Interpretive walk led by docents of the Friends of the San Pedro River. The San Pedro House, a 1930’s-era converted ranch house operating as a gift and bookstore, leads guided interpretive walks/hikes along the river and throughout the adjacent area, presents educational programs to schools and community groups, and assists the BLM in a variety [...]
Invasive species are among the biggest threats to our park’s ecosystem health. They outcompete native plants, decrease biodiversity, and increase wildfire occurrences and magnitude. Desert Defenders is a citizen science program focused on removing invasive species in parks. The Invasive plant species have severely impacted our park’s natural ecosystems and contributed to our most recent [...]
Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society builds or redevelops five or six water holes under the direction of the state and federal agencies responsible for the management of desert bighorn sheep habitat. All volunteers wishing to participate in one of our projects will need to access the new AZGFD Volunteer Website located at https://volunteer.azgfd.gov/adbss/ to create a [...]
LEARN TO KAYAK!!! With a new fleet of kayaks on the way to start new programming we have an opportunity to get creative with our programming with the resources we currently possess. Participants will learn the basic of water safety and how to operate a kayak on the water.
Take a tour of Millville, an historic silver mill, and an adjacent Indian rock art site. The tour will focus on the history of mining and this mill, which was active during the Tombstone silver boom. This is about a 2 mile walk on an uneven dirt and gravel trail that crosses through a deep [...]
Bird Program talk and Power Point Presentation with Joe Ford in the Estrella Park Nature Center Classroom following the Bird Hikes. Topics cover bird images, habits, maps, details and bird life. Program will start approximately 10:00 AM (after the bird hike).
Come one, come all to the Usery Mountain Regional Park Open House! If you have questions about the trails, campgrounds, archery range, park history, or maybe even park programs, then this event is for you. Stop by anytime between 10:30am - 2:30pm to visit with our staff and volunteers who will be happy to answer [...]
Join Ranger Eric for a guided hike to learn about the resident and migratory birds of the Sonoran Desert. Along the way, we will talk about how to identify birds by sight and sound, as well as talk about their biogeography and ecological roles. We will hike 2.1 miles roundtrip on a loop of the [...]
Join us for San Tan Mountain Regional Park’s Open House! Stop by anytime between 10:00am – 2:00pm at our Main Trailhead where staff, volunteers and local affiliates will be available. Some of our affiliates include MD Ranch, San Tan Shredders, San Tan Runners, Master Gardner’s and Rural Metro Fire Department. In addition, Ranger Nikki will [...]
The walk with cover a 2-mile section of the Dragonfly Trail with Ranger Derik. Some of the topics covered during the hike will be native plants and animals found in the park as well as the history of the native peoples that called the park home. The trail is rocky and uneven in spots and [...]
Bring a lunch and get ready to learn all about backpacking! Ranger Derik will have a PowerPoint on the basics of backpacking and camping covering topics of gear, clothing, trip planning, picking a route, best food for trips, training, tips and tricks. After the presentation a full gear list of a single overnight trip will [...]
Enjoy a moderate to extremely difficult hike up ~3.3 miles of Ford Canyon Trail to the old dam site while learning about the Sonoran Desert ecosystem and the White Tank Mountains. We may see early wildflowers in places, depending on how much winter precipitation falls and how cold it is then. We will meet at [...]
Join our expert archaeologist as we explore the challenges of the Archaic hunter and gatherer to survive and thrive in the Sonoran Desert of 2,000 years ago. See important desert flora and fauna, hunting sites and their importance to the survival of an Archaic band. Skill level: Moderate Distance: ~3 miles Time: ~2.5 hours Pets [...]
Hike the scenic riparian forest of the Hassayampa River Preserve before scaling Lyke’s Lookout for a stunning view! This is a 1.15-mile, moderate difficulty hike featuring a steep 90-foot ascent at the end. Please dress appropriately with closed toed shoes and layers as temperatures can fluctuate near the river and in the sun at the mountain [...]
Desert Foothills Land Trust presents "Desert Dreams," a stunning documentary showcasing the beauty and biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert. This internationally award-winning film will transport you through five seasons of one of the world's most awe-inspiring landscapes. Educational, entertaining, and fun for all ages, you won't want to miss this special experience. There will also [...]
Join Ranger Eric to look for and learn about resident and migratory birds of the Sonoran Desert on this easy 1-1.5 mile walk (roundtrip). Along the way, we will learn how to identify birds by sight and sound. We will also discuss citizen science, including the eBird app. Today is also part of the Great Backyard Bird Count [...]
Participants will hike for 3 miles through rolling hills and sandy washes on the North Loop trail. The trail is rated as easy and only has a few spots that could be described as rocky. Ranger Derik will talk about the native edible plants as well as medicinal plants that are found along the trail. [...]
This will be an opportunity for beginner riders to review the skills learned in the Mountain Bike Skills Clinic and be exposed to new adventures. If you have not attended one of the clinics, you should have solid basic skills on single-track to benefit from this class. We will practice setting up for single-track short [...]
Join Ranger Eric for a guided hike to learn about the animals, plants, and ecology of the Sonoran Desert. Wildflowers may be out, depending on how much precipitation we get this winter. We will hike a 7.4-mile loop of the Coldwater, Butterfield, Gadsden, and Flycatcher trails. The trails are easy-moderate with occasional inclines, and rocky [...]
Come chat about the creatures of desert that might make you uncomfortable. Spiders, scorpions, and snakes OH MY! No need to worry, Ranger Shaun has some specimens under glass, a few animal ambassadors who’d love to meet you, and a whole collection of animal artifacts to discuss. Come learn about these animals and see if [...]
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