Join Ranger Eric for a guided hike to learn about the animals, plants, and ecology of the Sonoran Desert. We will hike 3.5 miles roundtrip on a loop of Slate, Jasper, Go John, Quartz Trails. It will be on moderate grade, with frequently rocky or uneven ground. Please dress in layers, wear protective clothing and/or [...]
Join Ranger Eric at the Cave Creek Nature Center to watch birds around the feeders and learn bird identification basics, field guides and apps, and citizen science. Chairs will be available to use and the area we will be is also handicapped accessible. The back windows of the Nature Center give a great view of common [...]
Join Ranger Steve at the Discovery Center for an interactive display of venomous animals and a discussion of their vital role in our ecosystem, “busting” myths about their behaviors, and have all your questions answered! Get hands on and hold items like snake skins, rattles, and even skeletons! MEETING LOCATION: Discovery Center No registration required, [...]
Enjoy an evening of stargazing with astronomy enthusiast Ranger Steve! We’ll be viewing a selection of objects through a small telescope. Possibilities include plants, galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters! We’ll also look at constellations with a laser pointer. Bring your questions! Family friendly program. Restrooms are available nearby, but please bring your own water/beverages. Please [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 the way, we will discuss identification tips by sight and sound for birds, as well as their ecological roles. We will hike [...]
Join Ranger Eric for a guided hike to learn about the animals, plants, and ecology of the Sonoran Desert. We will hike 7.2 miles roundtrip on the Elephant Mountain loop, including segments of Spur Cross, Tortuga, and Elephant Mountain Trails. It will be on moderate to difficult grade, with frequently rocky or uneven ground. Please [...]
Join Ranger Steve at the Nature Center for an interactive display of venomous animals and a discussion of their vital role in our ecosystem, “busting” myths about their behaviors, and have all your questions answered! Get hands on and hold items like snake skins, rattles, and even skeletons! MEETING LOCATION: Visitor Center No registration required, [...]
Enjoy an evening of stargazing with astronomy enthusiast Ranger Steve! We’ll be viewing a selection of objects through a small telescope. Possibilities include plants, galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters! We’ll also look at constellations with a laser pointer. Bring your questions! Family friendly program. Restrooms are available nearby, but please bring your own water/beverages. Please [...]
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 [...]
Are you looking to do a very challenging hike, but don’t want to go alone? Join Ranger Kevin for a 6-mile hike on the scenic Ford Canyon trail. We’ll keep an eye out for wildlife and springtime wildflowers as we go. Trail conditions are rated difficult to extremely difficult, so expect loose rock, uneven terrain, [...]
Join the San Tan Valley Master Gardeners for this outdoor drop-in program that investigates farming and gardening practices of the early native people of the desert Southwest. Adults and kids can learn about ancient technologies that were used to harvest and utilize the small (and occasionally immense) amount of rainfall that occurs in our desert [...]
Join Ranger Eric for a guided hike to learn about the animals, plants, and ecology of the Sonoran Desert. We will hike 2.9 miles on the North Trail loop. It is rated as easy, but has some uneven or sandy surfaces. Please dress in layers, wear protective clothing and/or sunscreen, wear sturdy footwear, and carry [...]
Come Explore Lake Pleasant Regional Park! ABOUT US: Come explore Lake Pleasant Regional Park! Join us in the Discovery Center, where you’ll learn about the: Park’s history, Trails, Services, amenities, and much more! ACTIVITIES: Our friendly rangers and park volunteers can’t wait to talk to you about the park programs and volunteer opportunities. Park partners [...]
Enjoy an evening of stargazing with astronomy enthusiast Ranger Steve! We’ll be viewing a selection of objects through a small telescope. Possibilities include planets, galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters! We’ll also look at constellations with a laser pointer. Bring your questions! Family friendly program. Restrooms are available nearby, but please bring your own water/beverages. Please [...]
Learn about the plants, animals, and ecosystem of the Sonoran Desert on this guided hike with Ranger Eric. Click on program title for details. Join Ranger Eric on a 2.4-mile roundtrip hike on the Cottonwood Trail, as we learn about the Sonoran Desert ecosystem and its unique flora and fauna. The hike is rated as [...]
Learn about the Sonoran Desert ecosystem and its unique plants and animals during this guided hike with Ranger Eric. Click on program title for details. Join Ranger Eric for a guided hike to learn about the flora, fauna, and ecology of the Sonoran Desert on this 3.4-mile loop hike of Blevins, Meridian, and Amigos Wash [...]
Join Ranger Nikki to search for and learn about wildflowers and flowering shrubs. Click program title for more details. Ranger Nikki will lead you on an easy to moderate terrain 2-mile walk to learn about common spring wildflowers and flowering shrubs. Possible sightings include fiddleneck, poppies, lupine, scorpionweed, brittlebush, globemallow and more! You can [...]
Ranger Nikki will lead you on an easy to moderate terrain 2-mile walk to learn about common spring wildflowers and flowering shrubs. Possible sightings include fiddleneck, poppies, lupine, scorpionweed, brittlebush, globemallow and more! You can also learn how to document your findings on the citizen science app, iNaturalist. The route will be an out-and-back walk [...]
Learn how to identify common desert and backyard birds with Ranger Eric at this stationary program at the Nature Center. Click on program title for more details. Join Ranger Eric at the Usery Nature Center to watch birds around the feeders and learn bird identification basics, field guides and apps, and citizen science. Chairs will [...]
Join Ranger Kevin on a moderate hike to look for late-season wildflowers and other blooming plants, as well as butterflies. Join Ranger Kevin for a 3.5-mile hike along parts of the Overton and Go John Trails as we set off in search of wildflowers, blooming trees, shrubs and cacti as well as the butterflies that [...]
Hike and mine tour which features a fascinating glimpse into Arizona’s past. Join Ranger Kevin for a roughly 1.8-mile round-trip hike to the Clay Mine, site of a fortune made not of gold, but of snake oil. Program features a tour of the mine itself. Please wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and bring water. We’ll meet [...]
Learn about the resident and migrant birds of desert riparian areas on this guided walk with Ranger Eric. 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 [...]
Join Ranger Eric for a 6.2-mile loop of the southern part of San Tan Trail and Moonlight Trail, which gives scenic views of the southern part of the park including the Malpais Hills Cliffs in the distance. Along the way, we will look for spring wildflowers and learn about the flora, fauna, and ecology of [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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