| Bird Hikes - Estrella Mountain Regional Park |
| Estrella Mountain Park |
| Join knowledgeable folks from the Sonoran Audubon Society for an easy hike along the Gila River discovering the bird life of Estrella Park. Between the river habitat, the mesquite bosque, nearby farm fields, and the turf area, over 150 different species have been observed. We are likely to see up to 40 species, including: Herons, Egrets, Kingfishers, Ospreys, Hawks, Ibis, and Stilts. When you think about it, everyone is a birdwatcher-you can do it wherever or whoever you are-but it's more fun if you know what they are. Meet Saturday at the Nature Center. Bring your own binoculars and books if you have them, a limited number will be available if you don't. This hike series will be ending in April. Helpful Information: Rain cancels event. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 8:00 AM |
| Registration Required: No |
| |
| Location: Estrella Mountain Regional Park |
| |
Address:
14805 West Vineyard Avenue
Goodyear, AZ 85338 |
|
| Competitive Track will be CLOSED |
| McDowell Mountain Regional Park |
| Due to a special event being held on the Competitive Track both Saturday and Sunday the track will be CLOSED non-participants. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Duration: 10 hours |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per vehicle to entry the County Regional Park |
| |
| Contact: Rand Hubbell, Park Supervisor |
| Location: McDowell Mountain Regional Park |
| |
Address:
16,300 N. McDowell Mountain Park Drive
Fountain Hills, AZ, AZ 85268 |
|
| Progressive Fitness Hike #2 - Usery Park |
| Usery Mountain Regional Park |
| Want to increase your fitness level and also enjoy the outdoors? Hit the trails with us for a fun way to get back in shape! During this hike series, each hike will increase in length and difficulty in order to help you prepare for the grand finale hike – the 7.5 mile loop trail around Pass Mountain! This is a great way to get in shape and to hike many different trails in Usery Park at the same time. This hike series will take place every Saturday at 8am through March 9. This second hike of the series will be approximately 3.5 miles on fairly level terrain. Please bring water, hats, and closed-toe shoes. Location: Trail Staging Area. Note: Participation in the 4th or 5th hike in this series is required to do the final hike. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 8:00 AM |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per car |
| |
| |
|
| Hohokam Houses - the Ruins of Spur Cross |
| Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area |
| February 9 Saturday 9:00 am Ruins of Spur Cross
(moderate) Join us for this 2.5 mile hike that will introduce you to the rich archaeological history of the area. See evidence of prehistoric Hohokam dwellings and learn about their culture as we trek on up to one of their mesa-top compounds. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Duration: 2 hours |
| Speaker: Kevin Smith, Interpretive ranger |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $3 per person |
| |
| Contact: Kevin Smith, Park Ranger at 480-488-6623 or e-mail kevinsmith@mail.maricopa.gov |
| |
 |
|
| Looking for Early Flowers Hike - Lake Pleasant |
| Lake Pleasant Regional Park |
| Come explore with Ranger Terry and Naturalist Frank Meyerholtz on this four mile hike. We will take about three hours and stop for a snack about halfway, so bring some snacks and water. This hike is moderate with a few hills. There are chances of seeing wildlife along the trail, and hopefully some flowers, so bring your binoculars and camera, too. Wear good hiking shoes and hiking sticks help on the rough spots. We will meet at the South Pipeline Canyon Trailhead inside the park. Once inside park, continue straight on North Park Road to the trailhead. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Duration: 3 hours (4 miles) |
| Speaker: Ranger Terry & 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 at S. Pipeline Canyon Trailhead |
| |
Address:
Take Hwy 74 to Castle Hot Springs Rd., turn right into park, follow "Hike" signs to program
Peoria, AZ |
|
| Animal Art - Cave Creek Regional Park |
| Cave Creek Regional Park |
| Join Ranger Mark in the Nature Center as we employ some basic art techniques to create "Animal Art". Activities may include live animal "models". Please dress appropriately for the activity (some mediums are messier than others). While this activity is geared for our younger nature/art enthusiasts, all ages are welcome! |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 10:00 AM |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per vehicle park entry fee |
| |
| Contact: Ranger Mark - markpaulat@mail.maricopa.gov |
| Location: Meet at the Nature Center |
| |
Address:
37900 N. Cave Creek Parkway
Cave Creek, AZ 85331 |
|
| Archery 202 - Usery Park |
| Usery Mountain Regional Park |
| For those who completed our “Archery 101” class, this class will take you to the next level! Participants will learn about field target archery, discover how to improve their accuracy, and enjoy some friendly competition. Equipment will be provided. Participants must be graduates of our “Archery 101” class. This class is open to ages 8 and up. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Advanced registration is required. Please call the park at 480-984-0032 to register. Limited to 20 participants. Please bring water, hats, and closed-toe shoes. Meet at the Archery Range. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
| Registration Required: Yes |
| Fee: $6.00 per car |
| |
| |
|
| Eco Tour - San Tan |
| San Tan Mountain Regional Park |
| Who ate all of the plants in my front yard? And what is that tall spiky thing shooting out of the ground? If it’s your first time to the desert, or you are curious about the creatures and plants that call this area home then join Ranger Adam as we explore the Sonoran Desert’s unique sights, sounds and smell on the Littleleaf Trail. The hike will be approximately 1.3-miles, round trip, at a relatively mild or slow pace. Please wear proper hiking attire and bring plenty of water. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM |
| 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 Road
Queen Creek, AZ 85242 |
|
| Saturday Bird Walk - Usery Park |
| Usery Mountain Regional Park |
| How do you tell one brown bird from the next, and what are the first three items to look for as the little rascal flits off? Are you already a novice but interested in keeping a yearly, state or country bird list? Bird expert, Sandy Hornbaker, will talk about bird habitat, behavior, range, etc. as we go in search of the native birds in this area. Please bring binoculars, water, and closed-toe shoes. Location: Nature Center. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 10:00 AM |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per car |
| |
| |
|
| Painting Desert Animals on Rocks and Hot Cocoa, too -McDowell Park Nature Center |
| McDowell Mountain Regional Park |
| Unleash your creativity and enjoy an afternoon of painting on rocks in our comfy Visitor Center. You may think that is just for kids...but wait until you see the art you can create with just a few tips and tricks.
Ranger Amy will show you some surprisingly easy techniques that even children can use to create keepsakes out of river rocks, using the popular book series, "Painting Animals on Rocks" by Lin Wellford. http://www.linwellford.com/
Hot chocolate will be provided, free of charge. This program is suitable for ages 4 through adult. Painting smocks will be provided, or you can wear a shirt that can get permanent paint on it. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Duration: 1 hour |
| Speaker: Ranger Amy |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6 per vehicle park entry fee |
| |
| Contact: amyburnett@mail.maricopa.gov 480-471-0173x201 |
| Location: McDowell Mountain Regional Park Nature Center |
| |
Address:
16300 McDowell Mountain Park Dr.
Scottsdale, AZ 85255 |
 |
|
| Reptile Feeding - San Tan |
| San Tan Mountain Regional Park |
| What has no legs, 2 fangs and launches a strike in less than half a second? Come find out as we feed our venomous creatures and snakes in a jaw dropping display of predator meets prey. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM |
| 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 |
|
| "Just for Kids" - PEAK - Usery Park |
| Usery Mountain Regional Park |
| Calling all kids ages 7 and up! REI, the outdoor store, is coming to Usery Park to do a program just for you! PEAK stands for “Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids”. This fun program offers hands-on activities to show you how to have fun outdoors while at the same time respecting nature, wildlife, and each other. Location: Group Picnic C. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 1:30 PM |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per car |
| |
| |
|
| Mesquite Tree Edibles - Usery Park |
| Usery Mountain Regional Park |
| Join Judi Irons from the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy as she talks about the many uses of the mesquite tree in both ancient and modern times. You will even get to sample some foods of the mesquite tree for yourself! Location: Nature Center. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 1:30 PM |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per car |
| |
| |
|
| Animal "Signs" - Cave Creek Regional Park |
| Cave Creek Regional Park |
| Animal "Signs" are everywhere, if you know what to look for. Have you ever been curious to know who made those "tracks" in the dirt? Or have you ever wondered who dug that "hole"? Join Ranger Mark as we investigate Animal "Signs". We will begin our adventure inside the Nature Center learning about the different clues they leave behind. Then we will take a hike to apply what we have learned. As a fun activity you can make a plaster cast of animal tracks to take home. Please bring water, wear sturdy shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. No dogs please. Meet at the Nature Center. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM |
| Speaker: Ranger Mark |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per vehicle park entry fee |
| |
| Contact: Ranger Mark - markpaulat@mail.maricopa.gov |
| Location: Meet at the Nature Center |
| |
Address:
37900 N. Cave Creek Parkway
Cave Creek, AZ 85331 |
|
| Mammals of Arizona, Live! - Lake Pleasant |
| Lake Pleasant Regional Park |
| Stop on by the visitor center between 2PM and 4PM and see and learn about live Arizona Wildlife. The volunteers at
Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center will provide interesting information about these critters. They will have several live mammals on display, so watch out for that skunk! |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Duration: 2 hours |
| Speaker: Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center Volunteers |
| 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 |
|
| Campground Nature Walk - Usery Park |
| Usery Mountain Regional Park |
| Join park host, Sandy Hornbaker, for a late afternoon sojourn through our campground and nature trail on a quest to spot desert wildlife and plants. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed, but bring binoculars, your afternoon tea, and a little patience. Be prepared to walk one to two miles. Please bring water, hats, and closed-toe shoes. Location: Campsite 21 in the Buckhorn Campground. |
| Date: 2/9/2013 |
| Time: 4:00 PM |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per car |
| |
| |
|