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Creatures of the Night Hike (Registration Required, Limit 10 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

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 [...]

Clay Mine Tour

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

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 [...]

Wildflowers and Butterflies Hike (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

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 [...]

Birding “Big Sit” (handicapped accessible) (Registration Required, Limit 15 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

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 [...]

Desert 101 Hike (Registration Required, Limit 15 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

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 [...]

Cave Creek – Invasive Species Removal

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

“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 [...]

Discovery Station: Venomous Creatures

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

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: Nature Center No registration required, [...]

Park to Park: Cave Creek to Spur Cross (Registration Required, Limit 12 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

It’s back! Join Rangers Derik and Kevin for a day of hiking from Cave Creek Regional Park to Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area. Trail is approximately 11 miles in length, and utilizes the Go John, Maricopa, and Spur Cross trails. Trail conditions are rated moderate to difficult, so expect a considerable amount of loose rock, [...]

Morning Fitness Hike (Registration Required, Limit 15 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Ranger Derik will lead you on moderate to difficult fitness hike on the 5.8 mile Go John Trail loop. The trail varies from even surfaces to those that are uneven and rocky. There is a 411-foot elevation difference from the lowest to the highest parts of the trail. Along the way we will talk about [...]

Bird Walk and “Bird Weirdness II” Presentation

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Come join us for a quiet walk along our easy to moderate scenic trails in search of local and migratory birds. "Bird Weirdness II" 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 8am. No dogs allowed.

Intro to Backpacking (Registration Required, Limit 25 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

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 [...]

Plant Hike (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Ranger Nikki will lead you on a moderate terrain hike to learn about common desert plants such as cacti, legume trees and shrubs and search for signs of seasonal wildflower growth. The route uses Slate, a portion of Flume, Quartz and Go John Trails for approximately 4.5 miles total. The terrain varies from even surfaces [...]

Clay Mine Hike and Tour (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

This is a great program for residents and visitors alike! 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. Hats and sunscreen are [...]

Welcome to the Sonoran Desert (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

This introduction to the Sonoran Desert is perfect for residents and visitors alike. Join Ranger Kevin for a 3.5-mile hike on the Overton and Go John trails. Trails are rated moderate, so expect stretches of loose rock, uneven terrain and elevation change. We’ll be talking about what makes our desert quite possibly the most biodiverse [...]

Bird Walk and “Famous Birds of History & Animation” Presentation

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Come join us for a quiet walk along our easy to moderate scenic trails in search of local and migratory birds. "Famous Birds of History and Animation" 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 8am. No dogs allowed.  

Family Friendly Stargazing (Registration required, limit 20 participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Join Ranger Steve for an evening of stargazing and astronomy education! 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. [...]

Intro to Desert Backpacking Class (Registration Required, Limit 25 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

With the temperatures cooling down and fall colors just around up north, it’s a great time to start planning a backpacking trip in our beautiful state. Click program title for more details. Join Ranger Derik for a beginner backpack course topics covered with include how to pick a trail, what to pack, what to eat, [...]

Creatures of the Night Walk (Registration Required, Limit 12 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Join Ranger Steve for an exciting ~2.5-mile easy night hike on the Slate Trail to look for nocturnal Sonoran Desert wildlife! Species seen on previous hikes include snakes, lizards, packrats, coyotes, bobcats, owls, spiders, and more! Please wear sturdy closed-toe shoes or boots. Make sure to bring plenty of water, as summer heat does continue [...]

Discovery Station: Venomous Creatures

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Stop by the lobby of the Cave Creek Nature Center from 12pm-2pm to chat with Ranger Steve about the venomous animals that inhabit the Sonoran Desert! Come with your curiosity and questions and learn some of the popular myths and misinformation that are often associated with animals like rattlesnakes and Gila Monsters. You might even [...]

Discovery Station: Sonoran Desert Geology

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Did you know that the Cave Creek area is rich in volcanic geology? Stop by the Nature Center from 12pm to 2pm to learn about the unique geological processes that shaped the Sonoran Desert and see some beautiful rock specimens up close. MEETING LOCATION: Nature Center No registration required. Stop by any time between 12:00 [...]

Discovery Station: Sonoran Desert Artifacts

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

The discovery theme is Sonoran Desert Artifacts, so bring your curiosity and your questions for Ranger Kevin to answer! A table full of interesting objects will be on hand for you to inspect. Come into the Nature Center anytime between 10:00am to 12:00pm. MEETING LOCATION: Nature Center classroom No registration required. Just stop by anytime [...]

Clay Mine Tour (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

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 plenty of water. Hats and sunscreen are highly recommended. Restrooms are available at the Nature [...]

Native Seed Deployment Hike (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Join Maricopa County Natural Resource Manager Juanita Armstrong-Ullberg for an approximately 4-5-mile hike on the Go John trail, as well as around the Nature Center and the Native Seed Garden. We will be talking about the importance of native plants in restoring desert habitat that has been degraded due to things like wildfire, human use [...]

Discovery Station: Cactus Curiosity

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Interested in learning more about cacti? Then come on by to chat with Ranger Eric and see examples of the cacti diversity of the Sonoran Desert. Come learn about cacti of the Sonoran Desert and Phoenix area! Ranger Eric will host this discovery station table at the Cave Creek Nature Center. Nearby there are live [...]

Creatures of the Night Walk (Registration Required, Limit 12)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Join Ranger Eric to look for and learn about the nocturnal animals on this guided hike. Wildlife we may see includes scorpions, spiders, insects, owls, nightjars, reptiles, and mammals! We will hike 1-2 miles roundtrip depending on heat and participant interest on the Slate and Flume Trails. The hike will be on easy, but occasionally [...]

Scorpion Hike (Registration Required, Limit 20 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Join Ranger Derik on a moderate 2.5-mile hike to learn about creatures that come out after dark in the desert. Bring plenty of water and wear closed toe shoes, a hat and sunscreen and of course a flashlight. Restrooms are available in the park and water is available at the Nature Center, where we start [...]

Discovery Station: Venomous Creatures

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Join Ranger Steve in the lobby of the Nature Center for a drop-in informational session about the venomous creatures that inhabit the Sonoran Desert! Learn about popular myths surrounding rattlesnakes, Gila Monsters, and even meet a few of our wildlife ambassadors! MEETING LOCATION: Nature Center No registration required. Just drop in anytime between 12pm and [...]

Creatures of the Night Walk (Registration Required, Limit 12 Participants)

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Join Ranger Steve for an exciting evening hike along the park trails. We’ll be hoping to see all sorts of critters of the night! The trail is rated easy-moderate with some rocky, uneven surfaces and some elevation change. Please bring water and wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes. Bring flashlights and black lights if you have them. [...]

All About Saguaros

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Ln, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Join Ranger Nikki for a talk about our desert’s majestic saguaro cacti. Learn about their life cycle from tiny seed to fallen skeleton and all of the beneficial things it provides in between. This program will take place inside the Nature Center and venture outside a short distance for firsthand observations. Wear closed-toe shoes and [...]

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