Learn about desert wildflowers and other flowering plants with Ranger Nikki. We will start indoors in the Nature Center to discuss flowers and pollinators and then head outdoors to search for and observe them. We will take an easy 1-mile walk around the nature center and turf ramada areas to look for flowers such as [...]
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 [...]
Spend about 2 hours on an easy walk with a City of Scottsdale Natural Resources Coordinator as various desert topics are discussed. The material will depend on what we see in this wonderful environment. Location: Tom’s Thumb Trailhead – 23015 N 128th St, Scottsdale, AZ, 85255 Bathrooms are available at the trailhead. Bring water for [...]
Join Ranger Eric for a moderate to extremely difficult, but scenic 8.3-mile hike 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. The hike may take 5-6 hours. Hiking poles are definitely [...]
Join Ranger Eric for a moderate to extremely difficult, but scenic 8.3-mile hike 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. The hike may take 5-6 hours. Hiking poles are definitely [...]
If you’ve been looking for a challenging, but satisfying, 4-day backcountry trail maintenance event in the beautiful Mazatzal Wilderness, then please plan to join us March 22-25 on passage 23, segment 23a of the Mazatzal Divide Trail. Basic backpacking skills and fitness are required for this self-supported trip. Tools, PPE, and training will be provided [...]
Explore a 2-to-3-mile section of the Anza Trail during an easy, level interpretive hike. . Learn about the cultural and natural history of the Santa Cruz Valley. Travel on the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail to the area of La Canoa where the expedition to found San Francisco camped after leaving Tubac Presidio [...]
Watch and interact with fossil preparators as they prepare paleontological specimens found throughout Petrified Forest National Park. Open to the public every Thursday, everyone is invited to observe this fascinating and painstaking process, ask questions, and learn more about the fossils found here. All ages are welcome. Located on the northeast side of the Painted [...]
Meet Ranger Kevin from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. Bring your burning desert questions! Try to stump the Ranger! Impress your friends and enemies alike with your new-found knowledge! We’ll also have a table full of interesting objects like bones, feathers, snake sheds, cactus boots and much more for you to touch and inspect. No registration required, just [...]
Join Ranger Kevin for an exciting evening hike along the Spur Cross and Dragonfly Loop trails. We’ll be on the lookout for all kinds of evening-active critters, from skunks to scorpions, spiders, snakes, fox, coyote, deer, owls and more! The trail is rated easy-moderate with some rocky, uneven surfaces and some elevation change. Please bring [...]
Meet in the parking lot of the Las Sendas Community center. Join Friends of the Tonto NF in removing fountain and buffel grasses.
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 [...]
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 [...]
YTA in partnership with Bike Prescott will be completing the brushing of Trail #297 (Smith Ravine). Plan for the day: After a safety discussion at 08:00, we’ll hike out and get started building trail. We’ll have our break at 10:00, and then be back at the vehicles by 12:00. Directions to Smith Ravine Trailhead Parking [...]
Join FSPR and Sandy Heusman for a walk to the Clanton Ranch site. Here Old Man Clanton grazed (stolen) cattle in a large pasture along the San Pedro. This site was a key location in the Wyatt Earp vs. The Cowboys epic. The round trip to the site requires 1.5 miles of walking total. The [...]
Watch and interact with fossil preparators as they prepare paleontological specimens found throughout Petrified Forest National Park. Open to the public every Thursday, everyone is invited to observe this fascinating and painstaking process, ask questions, and learn more about the fossils found here. All ages are welcome. Located on the northeast side of the Painted [...]
About the Event The largest hands-on outdoor expo in Arizona is at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Outdoor Expo will feature everything from wildlife exhibits and family fishing tanks and trying out firearms in a safe, controlled environment on the range. March 23-24, Saturday 9 a.m. to [...]
Explore the ecological meaning of restoration of our desert lands, and encounter different approaches and perspectives. Soil Ecologist Edauri Navarro-Perez will present how science defines and practices restoration and how we can incorporate similar principles to establish our connection with the land, its history, and art. Event is held at the Chandler Downtown Library. Registration is [...]
Celebrate Earth Day early at Sunland Village's Early Earth Day celebration in Mesa. This event is targeted to trail lovers, nature enthusiasts, and conservationists. It will be a great space to engage with the community while promoting the AZT! ATA is excited to have a booth at this event and is looking for volunteers to [...]
Ready to discover more about what is in the Preserve? This is an experience for you! Join us to explore the Preserve’s hidden treasures, from the plants and animals to the recent and ancient history in a stunning geological setting. Pets are not permitted at our activities due to safety concerns. If you would like to [...]
The Sierra Vista Environmental Operations Park (EOP) is open to public bird watching tours on Sunday mornings year round. Group size is limited to 15 people, first come, first served. Arrive before the starting time (7:00am) to sign a waiver and secure a spot. The 2-2.5 hours walk is behind locked gates and you must [...]
Join us on this ride up Axle Grease to West Express, Hawknest, and Basalt Ridge, ending with an exciting flowy downhill on Hawknest back to the trailhead. This is an intermediate skills and moderate cardio ride. Please, no road bikes, hybrids, or folding bikes. All our rides are “no drop,” meaning we will not leave [...]
The Legacy Tour will introduce visitors to the rich 100-year history of Boyce Thompson Arboretum and further appreciation of this land and its legacy. Tour participants will receive a BTA Centennial commemorative pin as a gift at the end of the tour. This tour will follow the Main Trail and is on unpaved trails in [...]
Join a ranger on a ~1 mile, mostly paved, walk through some of the most biodiverse terrain in central Arizona. A combination of plant communities and habitats surrounding the world’s largest travertine bridge supports a wide variety of bird species that call the park home and we will be searching for. Meets between the Waterfall [...]
Take a gentle 2.5 mile walk with an interpretive guide through the Sonoita Creek riparian area Birding Trail. Visitors will learn about the park's history and ecology of this unique and fragile natural area.
In this tech-driven world, it's no surprise that kids see more screen than green. Wildlife Explorers makes it cool to be an outsider with educational outdoor play. Explorers learn to experience the natural world around them through creative group games and activities. From weather to insects to birds, a world of exploration awaits outdoors.
What better way to kick off the spring than a sunset and night hike down Slate trail with Ranger Shaun? Look for scorpions along the trail, watch for bats overhead, listen for owls and nighthawk! Who knows what you might encounter in the desert in the dark? This will be a guided hike down the [...]
Meet for a bird walk at Gilbert Riparian Preserve, at the west end of the parking lot at 6:00 a.m.; social time at Coffee Rush starts at 7:30 a.m..
This project has a history of 36 years -- the first Riparian Specialist hired by the Tonto National Forest knew the value of repeat photography in documenting resource conditions. He had the foresight to initiate a riparian photopoint program in 1988 -- finding important reaches of streamside vegetation and taking clear photographs of the [...]
Visit Historic Canoa Ranch, a birding hotspot in Pima County. Explore the pond, cienega, and desert at Historic Canoa Ranch, as we search for waterfowl, sparrows, finches, and many other birds.
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