Discover Nature Play
Discover the world around you through play! Drop-in for a few minutes or for the whole two hours. Each weekend will be a different theme/activity. Family program for all ages. Free with Admission($19) or Membership.
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Discovery Station: Sonoran Desert Cacti
Stop by the Nature Center to see Ranger Nikki’s display of desert cacti specimens. Click on program title for more details. Stop by the Nature Center to see a display of desert cacti specimens, including saguaro, barrel, hedgehog, pincushion and varieties of cholla; learn about efforts to catalog plant species in the County Parks using [...]
Ancient Hohokam Walk and Talk
This Earth Day, join Ranger Steve to walk in the footsteps of the Ancient Hohokam and learn about their culture and their relationship with nature! Celebrate Earth Day and join Ranger Steve on a 3-mile easy-moderate hike on the Black Rock and Waterfall Trails as we search for signs of the ancient Hohokam Culture and [...]
SINISTER NIGHT RUNS
San Tan Mountain Regional Park 6533 W. Phillips Road Queen Creek, AZ 85142, ArizonaExperience the magic of night trail running in the Sonoran Desert at the Sinister Night Trail Runs held on a rolling and runnable 9 kilometer loop at San Tan Mountain Regional Park. This is a perfect beginner night trail race with distances for all. Run past towering saguaro cactus under the night stars. This race [...]
Welcome to the Sonoran Desert Hike (Registration Required, Limit 15 Participants)
Take a break from the lake and join Ranger Derik on a 4-mile hike through the less traveled parts of the park on the Beardsley Trail. During the hike you will have to opportunity to learn about amazing wildlife that call the Sonoran Desert home. The hike will start from the Frog Tanks Trailhead on [...]
Native Plants Fitness Hike ***Strenuous*** (Registration Required, Limit 12 Participants)
Join Ranger Derik on a strenuous hike through the rugged White Tank mountains and look for unique plant species. Click on program title for more details. Come on a strenuous 4.5-mile hike through the white tank mountains on the search for great views and the unique elephant trees that dot the hillsides. The trail is [...]
Geology Hike (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)
San Tan Mountain Regional Park 6533 W. Phillips Road Queen Creek, AZ 85142, ArizonaJoin Ranger Nikki on a 4.5-mile moderate hike to learn about the park’s geology and some of the earth processes the created our Phoenix Valley area. This hike includes portions of Goldmine, Dynamite and San Tan Trails. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring water, snacks, a hat and sunscreen. MEETING LOCATION: Main Entrance Trailhead map kiosk/picnic [...]
Discovery Table: Desert 101
Come to the Nature Center any time from 9am- 12 Pm and get up close and personal with several snake species native to the Sonoran Desert. Ranger Derik will be available to answer any questions about the snakes. There will be a hands-on display table with snake sheds, rattle snake rattles, snake skins and coloring [...]
Flowers, Foliage, and Frolicking (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)
Join Ranger Evan on this fantastic hike through the Sonoran Desert looking at wildflowers! Though we may only do a little frolicking ourselves; we hope to see some Sonoran Desert fauna frolicking their way into summer. Please enter the park through the NORTH ENTRANCE of Lake Pleasant (about 1.5 miles north of the main entrance). [...]
Blooms and Butterflies (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)
Estrella Mountain Regional Park 14805 W. Vineyard Ave. Goodyear, AZ 85338, ArizonaJoin Ranger Nikki on a 3-mile easy/moderate hike to look for cactus blooms and common spring pollinators – butterflies. You can learn about the MCPRD butterfly monitoring initiative and receive an identification handout to help with your own observations. The route includes Rainbow Valley, Quail, Saddle, Baseline and Toothaker Trails. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring [...]
Homeschool Happenings: Desert Hike (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)
Hike along the 2-mile Waddell trail and learn about the native plants and animals as well as see petroglyphs carved by the Native Americans that once called the White Tank Mountains home. The trail is labeled as easy, though it can be uneven and rocky in some places. Make sure your students wear sturdy shoes [...]
Flowers, Foliage, and Frolicking (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)
Join Ranger Evan on this fantastic hike through the Sonoran Desert looking at wildflowers! Though we may only do a little frolicking ourselves; we hope to see some Sonoran Desert fauna frolicking their way into summer. Please enter the park through the NORTH ENTRANCE of Lake Pleasant (about 1.5 miles north of the main entrance). [...]
Discovery Station: Medicinal Desert Plants
Estrella Mountain Regional Park 14805 W. Vineyard Ave. Goodyear, AZ 85338, ArizonaRanger Nikki shares a display of desert plants that have been used medicinally for hundreds of years. Click on program title for more details. Stop by the Nature Center to see a display of desert plants that have been used medicinally for hundreds of years. Learn about common plants such as brittlebush, bursage, creosote and [...]
Discovery Table: Amazing Arthropods
Join Ranger Evan for some fun with Arthropods! Click on program title for more details. Come learn all about arthropods...or as you might know them as spiders, mites, insects, centipedes, and millipedes. Stop by the Discovery Center at Lake Pleasant anytime between 12:30pm and 2:30pm. No registration is required. MEETING LOCATION: Discovery Center
Greater Phoenix City Nature Challenge
Do you like observing nature? Then make your observations count! The City Nature Challenge is a friendly worldwide competition among cities to see whose residents can spot and identify the most wildlife. Join the CNC and become a community scientist!
Blooms and Butterflies (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)
Join Ranger Nikki on a moderate hike to look for cactus blooms and look for common spring pollinators – butterflies. Click program title for more details. Join Ranger Nikki on a 3.5-mile easy moderate hike to look for cactus blooms and common spring pollinators – butterflies. You can learn about the MCPRD butterfly monitoring initiative [...]
Spur Cross – Invasive Species Removal
Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area 44000 N Spur Cross Rd, Cave Creek, United StatesInvasive species are one of 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 mapping, and removing invasive species within the parks. The Invasive plant species have severely impacted our park's natural ecosystems and contributed [...]
Desert Trees Discovery Table
Hassayampa River Preserve 49614 U.S. Hwy. 60 89 Wickenburg, AZ 85390, ArizonaVisit Ranger Derik at the visitor center to learn about the native trees that call the Sonoran Desert home. On display at the nature center will be tables with samples of native tree species, pictures, as well information on the benefits and services that these native plants provide us and the natural ecosystem.
: Flowers, Foliage, and Frolicking (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)
Join Ranger Evan on this climb up to Yavapai Point as we take in the view of the lake and flowers! Click on program title for more details. Join Ranger Evan on with this fantastic hike through the Sonoran Desert looking at wildflowers! Though we may only do a little frolicking ourselves; we hope to [...]
Discovery Station: Sonoran Desert Cacti
Stop by the Nature Center to see Ranger Nikki’s display of desert cacti specimens including saguaro, barrel, hedgehog, pincushion and varieties of cholla. Stop by the Nature Center to see a display of desert cacti specimens and learn about efforts to catalog plant species in the County Parks using the iNaturalist citizen science app. MEETING [...]
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Camp
Prescott, Friendly Pines CampAbout the Event For adult women in a fun, safe environment. Learn fishing, hunting, kayaking,hiking, rappelling and camping. Includes evening activities, meals and lodging. Fee required. Location: Prescott Area Hosted by: Arizona Wildlife Federation Register: www.azwildlife.org/bow/, (480) 201-7456, bow@azwildlife.org
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Camp
Prescott, Friendly Pines CampAbout the Event For adult women in a fun, safe environment. Learn fishing, hunting, kayaking, hiking, rappelling and camping. Includes evening activities, meals and lodging. Fee required. Location: Prescott Area Hosted by: Arizona Wildlife Federation Register: www.azwildlife.org/bow/, (480) 201-7456, bow@azwildlife.org
Flowers, Foliage, and Frolicking (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)
Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area 44000 N Spur Cross Rd, Cave Creek, United StatesJoin Ranger Evan on this joyous loop hike through the Sonoran Desert! Click on program title for more details. Join Ranger Evan on this fantastic 3-4-mile hike through the Sonoran Desert looking at wildflowers! Though we may only do a little frolicking ourselves; we hope to see some Sonoran Desert fauna frolicking their way into [...]
Morning Cactus Hike (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)
San Tan Mountain Regional Park 6533 W. Phillips Road Queen Creek, AZ 85142, ArizonaJoin Ranger Nikki on a moderate hike to learn all about cacti. Click on program title for more details. Join Ranger Nikki on a 3.5-mile moderate hike to learn all about cacti: saguaro, cholla, prickly pear, barrel and more. The route includes Moonlight, San Tan and Goldmine Trails. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring water, a [...]
Discover Nature Play
Discover the world around you through play! Drop-in for a few minutes or for the whole two hours. Each weekend will be a different theme/activity. Family program for all ages. Free with Admission($19) or Membership.
Flowers, Foliage, and Frolicking (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)
Join Ranger Evan on this easy hike around the serene south end of the park! Click on program title for more details. Join Ranger Evan on with this fantastic 3-4-mile hike through the desert looking at wildflowers! Though we may only do a little frolicking ourselves; we hope to see some Sonoran Desert fauna frolicking [...]
Lake Pleasant Monday Clean-Up Crew
Lake Pleasant is creating a Monday clean-up crew. If you are available on any Monday, please join us as we pick up litter along the shoreline. Date- Every Monday from 4/10/23-10/30/23 Time – April 7:00am-9:00am May-Oct 6:00am-8:00am Location – Park at Castle Hot Springs dirt lot near the entry station. Meet with Park Assistant Doug [...]
Guided Bird Hike (Registration Required, Limit 10 Participants)
Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area 44000 N Spur Cross Rd, Cave Creek, United StatesLearn about birds of Sonoran Desert riparian areas during this guided hike with Ranger Eric. Click on program title for more details. Join Ranger Eric for a guided hike along the Dragonfly Trail at Spur Cross and adjacent Jewel of the Creek Preserve to look for birds of the Sonoran Desert and riparian habitats. Along [...]
Guided Reptile Hike (Registration Required, Limit 10 Participants)
Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area 44000 N Spur Cross Rd, Cave Creek, United StatesJoin Ranger Eric for a guided hike along the Dragonfly Trail at Spur Cross and adjacent Jewel of the Creek Preserve to look for reptiles of the Sonoran Desert and riparian habitats. Along the way, we will discuss identification tips, as well as their ecological roles and safety around venomous animals. We will hike about [...]
Guided Plant Hike
Estrella Mountain Regional Park 14805 W. Vineyard Ave. Goodyear, AZ 85338, ArizonaJoin Ranger Nikki for a 3-mile hike on the easy to moderate terrain to learn about a variety of plant life, including brittlebush and bursage shrubs, cacti and legume trees. The route follows Butterfield, Dysart and Coldwater Trails. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water. Restrooms are available at the trailhead [...]
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