Join Ranger Kevin for a morning hike in search of seasonal beauty. Join Ranger Kevin for a 3-mile hike along the Gila, Baseline, Toothaker and Horseshoe Trails. We’ll be pausing to look at wildflowers and butterflies as well as a variety of desert plants and animals along the way. The trail is rated moderate with [...]
In this program/class we will recognize some common birds found in our desert and discuss some of the survival strategies used by these desert birds. Feel free to bring your lunch with you inside of our Nature Center as Jim Taylor (former biology teacher) and his wife, Judy, deepen our understanding of our feathered friends [...]
Homeschool Happenings: Amazing Arthropods! Join Ranger Kevin for the homeschool program “Amazing Arthropods!” We’ll be exploring spiders, scorpions, insects and more, looking at many ways these animals are both amazing and important members of the web of life! We will have animal ambassadors from the Desert Outdoor Center for this program. Meet at the Nature [...]
Invasive 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 [...]
Are you curious about the plants and animals you pass on your hikes through the park. Have you ever wondered how plants survive out in the desert? If you said yes to any of these questions, then please stop by a mobile table at the Moonlight Trailhead. A discovery table will be set up at [...]
Invasive 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 [...]
Snakes!! Scorpions!! Black Widows!! Are you scared yet? If you said yes, then this program is perfect for you to come learn the benefits of these critters, and why we would want to learn how to live with them. Limit 15 participants. To register, please call the Usery Nature Center at (602) 506-2930 ext. 4. [...]
Are you interested in hiking in the Sonoran Desert on your own? Have you ever looked at a trail and thought “I wish I could get out there?” If the answer to these questions is yes, then come join Ranger Derik on our Intro to Desert Hiking class. This intro to hiking class will give [...]
Join Ranger Kevin for a fun St. Patrick’s Day hike as we search for the legendary “desert shamrock.” Join Ranger Kevin for a 2.7-mile hike on the North Trail. We’ll be commemorating the holiday by seeking out the rare and legendary “desert shamrock.” The one who finds the special four-leafed clover will win St. Patrick’s [...]
Come join us for a quiet walk along our easy to moderate scenic trails in search of local and migratory birds. "Wonder of Wood Warblers" program will follow inside the Nature Center. Meet for the bird walk on the back patio of the Cave Creek Regional Park Nature Center at 7:30am. No dogs allowed. Registration is required for this [...]
Invasive 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 [...]
Invasive 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 [...]
Join Ranger Kevin for a morning hike in search of seasonal beauty. Join Ranger Kevin for a roughly 2-mile hike along various trails within the park. We’ll be pausing to look at wildflowers and butterflies as well as a variety of desert plants and animals along the way. The trail is rated easy-moderate with some [...]
Take your family on a hike through the desert on the search for petroglyphs with Ranger Derik. Join Ranger Derik on a 3-mile hike along the Black Rock Loop and Waterfall trails. Along the way to the “waterfall”, 1000-year-old petroglyphs will dot the landscape. We will also talk about the many native plant and animal [...]
Come join Ranger Evan for this splendid hike through the picturesque Pipeline Canyon! New to the Desert? Want to learn more about the desert environment? Want to go for a splendid hike? If the answer is yes, then this hike is perfect for you! Come join Ranger Evan for roughly two miles, while we explore [...]
Come join Ranger Evan for this splendid hike through the Westside of Spur Cross and Jewel of the creek preserve! Want to get a great workout in? Want to learn about wildlife while hiking? If the answer to those questions is yes, this is the perfect opportunity for you! Come hike through the desert with [...]
Join Ranger Kevin for an afternoon hike in search of seasonal beauty. Join Ranger Kevin for a roughly 2-mile hike along various trails within the park. We’ll be pausing to look at wildflowers and butterflies as well as a variety of desert plants and animals along the way. The trail is rated easy-moderate with some [...]
Invasive 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 [...]
Learn about the geology and streams of the Spur Cross region on an easy two-mile walk with nationally known earth science author and park docent Thomas McGuire. Visit an abandoned gold mine, Nutcracker Rock, and a Hohokam rock art site along Cottonwood Wash. Bring plenty of water and your natural curiosity. No dogs on this hike. [...]
Join Ranger Kevin for an afternoon hike on the Cottonwood Trail. Join Ranger Kevin for a 2.6-mile hike on the Cottonwood Trail. We’ll be pausing to look at wildflowers and butterflies as well as a variety of desert plants and animals along the way. The trail is rated easy, but with some moderately difficult stretches [...]
Join Ranger Kevin for an evening walk filled with myths and stories from around the world. Join Ranger Kevin for a fun, family-oriented program at the Lake Pleasant Amphitheater. We’ll be reading stories of the people of each continent as we “travel around the world” in celebration of World Storytelling Day! We will be walking [...]
Join us for our 4th biannual butterfly monitoring workshop and citizen science monitoring events. The participants can sign up for the monitoring events via spreadsheets at the virtual workshop, or since space for the monitoring is limited so if you are interested in a particular location send an email with your contact info and preferred [...]
Join Ranger Nikki on an easy/moderate 1.3-mile hike along Black Rock Trail loop to search for common wildflowers and flowering shrubs. Join Ranger Nikki on an easy/moderate 1.3-mile hike along Black Rock Trail loop to search for common wildflowers and flowering shrubs of the Sonoran Desert, such as fiddleneck, filaree, brittlebush and globemallow. Another potential [...]
Stop by this drop-in information session to chat with Ranger Nikki about Desert Defenders, a citizen science project focused on locating, mapping and removing invasive plant species within the County Parks system. Stop by to chat with Ranger Nikki about Desert Defenders, a citizen science project focused on locating, mapping and removing invasive plant species [...]
Stop by this drop-in information session to chat with Ranger Steve about invertebrates that are common to our County Parks and meet some live examples. Stop by this informal presentation inside the Visitor Center to chat with Ranger Steve about the many species of invertebrates common to the Sonoran Desert such as centipedes, scorpions, and [...]
Join Ranger Steve for an after-hours prowl of the Preserve trails to look for nocturnal wildlife, including scorpions! Click on this program title for more details. Join Ranger Steve for an after-hours trail walk to look for and learn about the nocturnal critters of the Preserve! Wildlife seen on past walks have included bats, ringtails, [...]
Invasive 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 [...]
Join us to start on the back patio of the Nature Center and observe and identify the various birds enjoying our bird feeders. Then we will venture on a short walk via a trail and see what else we can identify. Please bring water, binoculars and wear close-toed shoes. Please do not bring pets. Drop-in, [...]
Join Ranger Nikki for an easy 1-mile walk along areas near the Nature Center to search for spring blooms and butterflies. Join Ranger Nikki on an easy 1-mile walk along areas near the Nature Center to search for common wildflowers and flowering shrubs of the Sonoran Desert, such as fiddleneck, filaree, brittlebush and globemallow. We [...]
Stop by this drop-in information session to chat with Ranger Nikki about Desert Defenders, a citizen science project focused on locating, mapping and removing invasive plant species within the County Parks system. Stop by to chat with Ranger Nikki about Desert Defenders, a citizen science project focused on locating, mapping and removing invasive plant species [...]
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