| Sunrise on the Baseline Hike - Estrella |
| Estrella Mountain Park |
| Get up with the sun and beat the heat! This 2.6 mile hike will take us around the Baseline Trail. Come prepared to hike with sturdy shoes, a big hat, more water than you think you’ll need and a smile. Ranger Mark will lead the hike from the Gila Trailhead(see map for details). This is a great way to start your day! |
| Date: 8/18/2012 |
| Time: 5:30 AM |
| Speaker: Ranger Mark |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6 per vehicle Park Entry Fee |
| |
| Contact: 623-932-3811 |
| Location: Estrella Mountain Regional Park |
| |
Address: 14805 W. Vineyard Ave. Goodyear, AZ 85338 |
|
| "Get Wet Beginner Kayaking" Program - Lake Pleasant |
| Lake Pleasant Regional Park |
| Have you ever wanted to give flat water lake kayaking a try? Well here is your chance. Lake Pleasant Regional Park, the Desert Outdoor Center, and Cabelas is once again presenting the "Get Wet Beginner Kayaking" program. A free one hour informational classroom session will be held at the Glendale Cabelas on Friday evening (you will not get wet). You do not need to register to attend the classroom session. Then if you would like to experience flat-water kayaking on Lake Plesant, you may sign up for an on-the-water session that will be held at the Desert Outdoor Center. The $35 registration fee for the on-the-water portion will be collected during the evening classroom session at Cabelas. Registration for on-the-water sessions begins at 6:00pm on a first come, first serve basis. Cash or check only please. Ages 12 & up, call 602-372-7470 for more information.
Dates of free 1-hour classroom introductory sessions are:
August 3, August 10, August 24, September 7
Dates for 3-hour on-the-water sessions are:
August 4, August 18, September 22 (pick a 7AM or 9AM arrival time; sign up and pay at any of the Friday classes, on-water sessions fill up fast, so first come, first served)
PLEASE NOTE: The Desert Outdoor Center is a gated facility, so you must be registered to attend. Gates will be open 30 minutes before each session begins.
***There is no boat ramp access to launch a kayak at this facility, so please do not bring your personal kayaks. The boat dock is about a 1/4 mi down from the facility, so please be prepared for a short hike. |
| Date: 8/18/2012 |
| Time: 7:00 AM Duration: 3 hrs, Pick either the 7 - 10 or 9 - 12 session |
| Registration Required: Yes |
| Fee: Classroom session-FREE; $35/person for on-water session (cash or check, please) |
| |
| More Info: http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/doc/pdf/GetWetKayakingFall2012.pdf |
| Contact: Desert Outdoor Center 602-372-7470 |
| Location: Desert Outdoor Center at Lake Pleasant |
| |
Address: 41402 N 87th Ave Peoria, AZ 85383 |
 |
|
| "Get Wet Beginner Kayaking" Program with Cabela's |
| Desert Outdoor Center |
| Have you ever wanted to give flat water lake kayaking a try? Well here is your chance. Lake Pleasant Regional Park, the Desert Outdoor Center, and Cabelas is once again presenting the "Get Wet Beginner Kayaking" program. A free one hour informational classroom session will be held at the Glendale Cabelas on Friday evening (you will not get wet). You do not need to register to attend the classroom session. Then if you would like to experience flat-water kayaking on Lake Plesant, you may sign up for an on-the-water session that will be held at the Desert Outdoor Center. The $35 registration fee for the on-the-water portion will be collected during the evening classroom session at Cabelas. Registration for on-the-water sessions begins at 6:00pm on a first come, first serve basis. Cash or check only please. Ages 12 & up, call 602-372-7470 for more information.
Dates of free 1-hour classroom introductory sessions are:
August 3, August 10, August 24, September 7
Dates for 3-hour on-the-water sessions are:
August 4, August 18, September 22 (pick a 7AM or 9AM arrival time; sign up and pay at any of the Friday classes, on-water sessions fill up fast, so first come, first served)
PLEASE NOTE: The Desert Outdoor Center is a gated facility, so you must be registered to attend. Gates will be open 30 minutes before each session begins.
***There is no boat ramp access to launch a kayak at this facility, so please do not bring your personal kayaks. The boat dock is about a 1/4 mi down from the facility, so please be prepared for a short hike. |
| Date: 8/18/2012 |
| Time: 7:00 AM Duration: 3 hrs, Pick either the 7 - 10 or 9 - 12 session |
| Registration Required: Yes |
| Fee: Classroom session-FREE; $35/person for on-water session (cash or check, please) |
| |
| More Info: http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/doc/pdf/GetWetKayakingFall2012.pdf |
| Contact: Desert Outdoor Center 602-372-7470 |
| Location: Desert Outdoor Center at Lake Pleasant |
| |
Address: 41402 N 87th Ave Peoria, AZ 85383 |
 |
|
| Reptile and Live Animal Feeding at McDowell- McDowell Park |
| McDowell Mountain Regional Park |
| Have you ever seen a snake eat? Bring your questions for Ranger Amy to our toasty Visitor Center to watch our exhibit animals being fed. Meet our baby tortoises, desert blonde tarantula and giant desert hairy scorpion. One lucky family will win a four pack of Wet 'n' Wild Tickets! Feeding takes place at the Visitor Center. |
| Date: 8/18/2012 |
| Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Duration: 1 hour |
| Speaker: Ranger Amy Ford |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6 per vehicle park entry fee |
| |
| Contact: amyford@mail.maricopa.gov 480-471-0173x201 |
| Location: McDowell Mountain Regional Park |
| |
Address: 16300 McDowell Mountain Park Dr. Fountain Hills, AZ 85268 |
 |
|
| Venomous Creatures - Cave Creek Regional Park |
| Cave Creek Regional Park |
| Join us for a presentation about the venomous creatures you may find around the Valley! Enjoy the beauty of these wonderful and misunderstood animals while learning about fascinating facts and the important roles each creature plays in the desert ecosystem. As Marie Curie, French Physicist and two-time Nobel Prize recipient said “Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” Meet at Nature Center. |
| Date: 8/18/2012 |
| Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Duration: 1 hour |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per vehicle park entry fee |
| |
| Contact: Ranger Sarah sarahsteele@mail.maricopa.gov |
| Location: Meet at the Nature Center |
| |
Address: 37019 N. Lava Lane Cave Creek, AZ 85331 |
|
| Natural History of Lake Pleasant - Lake Pleasant |
| Lake Pleasant Regional Park |
| Stop by anytime between 11AM and 1PM and talk with naturalist Frank Meyerholtz about the many plants, animals, and landscapes of Lake Pleasant area. Frank has been learning about and exploring the deserts near Lake Pleasant for years and will share some fasinating stories and information. |
| Date: 8/18/2012 |
| Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Duration: 2 hours on going |
| Speaker: Naturalist Frank Meyerholtz |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6 per vehicle park entry fee |
| |
| Contact: Terry Gerber, Interpretive Ranger 602-372-7460 ext. 202 |
| Location: Lake Pleasant Regional Park Visitor Center 623-780-9857 |
| |
Address: Take Hwy 74 to Castle Hot Springs Rd., turn right into park, follow signs to visitor center. Peoria, AZ |
|
| Shake, Rattle, and Roll! -Estrella |
| Estrella Mountain Park |
| Slither in to the Nature Center and join Ranger Mark to discuss Rattlesnakes! Can you tell how old a Rattler is by the number of buttons on his tail? Are they slimy? Are they “poisonous”? Discover the truth about these seriously scaly serpents and learn how they benefit humans. |
| Date: 8/18/2012 |
| Time: 11:00 AM |
| Speaker: Ranger Mark |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: Park entry $6.00 per vehicle |
| |
| More Info: http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/estrella |
| Contact: Ranger Mark 623 932-3811 |
| Location: Estrella Mountain Regional Park - Nature Center |
| |
Address: 14805 W. Vineyard Ave Goodyear, AZ 85338 |
 |
|
| Venomous Creatures of the Desert (and your back yard) at White Tank Park |
| White Tank Mountains Regional Park |
| Come to the White Tank Nature Center for a talk about cold blooded creatures that inhabit our desert. This is not a hiking event but you are welcome to hike any one of our many trails after the talk. On display will be some venomous creatures and a few other creepy crawlies of the desert. |
| Date: 8/18/2012 |
| Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Duration: 1.5 hours |
| Speaker: Park Rangers |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $2.00 per person or $6.00 per vehicle if you are headed into the park later. |
| |
| Location: Nature Center |
| |
|
| All About Rattlesnakes - "Brown-Bag It" with Ranger B - Usery Park |
| Usery Mountain Regional Park |
| How dangerous are rattlesnakes? What should you do if you encounter one? How do they survive and thrive in our desert? If you would like to know the answers to these questions, or any questions you may have about rattlesnakes, then this one-hour presentation is for you! Bring your sandwich to the “Brown-Bag It” series inside our Nature Center as Ranger B shares some amazing facts about these misunderstood reptiles. Location: Nature Center. |
| Date: 8/18/2012 |
| Time: 12:00 PM |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per car |
| |
| |
|
| Summer Night Ride Series - Competitive Track |
| McDowell Mountain Regional Park |
| This summer night mountain bike series will be held on Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. All riders must have a helmet, a lighting system designed for mountain biking and battery power for 3 hours. Riders must sign-in and sign-out, two hours are allowed to ride the Pemberton Trail. It is highly recommended that you ride this trail in day light before coming out for a night ride. The sign sheets are available at 6:30 for riders who might need extra time. NO RIDERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO START AFTER 8:00 p.m. |
| Date: 8/18/2012 |
| Time: 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM Duration: 2 hours |
| Speaker: Rand Hubbell, Park Supervisor |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per vehicle to entry the County Regional Park |
| |
| Contact: Rand Hubbell, Park Supervisor |
| Location: Competitive Track |
| |
Address: 16,300 N. McDowell Mountain Park Drive Fountain Hills, AZ, AZ 85268 |
|
| Scorpion Scavenger Hunt - San Tan |
| San Tan Mountain Regional Park |
| What has 8 legs, 2 pincers, and glows under a black light? SCORPIONS! Set out on a desert exploration at night as we search for these fascinating creatures and find out just how cool these amazing arachnids really are. We will be hiking 1 mile, round trip, on the Goldmine Trail; bring plenty of water, proper hiking attire, and a flashlight (black lights also encouraged, but are optional). Black lights will be available to rent at the visitor center through the Friends of San Tan. |
| Date: 8/18/2012 |
| Time: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Duration: 1 hour |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6 vehicle park entry fee |
| |
| More Info: http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/santan/ |
| Contact: (480) 655-5554 |
| Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park - Visitor Center |
| |
Address: 6533 W. Phillips Rd. Queen Creek, AZ 85142 |
|