| Rocks and Streams Walk - Spur Cross |
| Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area |
| May 5 Saturday 8:00 am Rocks and Streams Walk
(moderate) Learn about the geology and streams of the Spur Cross region on a 2-hour walk with nationally-known earth science author, Thomas McGuire. Visit an abandoned gold mine, Nutcracker Rock and a Hohokam rock art site along Cottonwood Wash. Bring water and your natural curiosity. Meet in the Spur Cross parking area. |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM Duration: 2 hours |
| Speaker: Tom McGuire, Park Docent |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $3 per person |
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| Contact: Kevin Smith, Park Ranger at 480-488-6623 or e-mail kevinsmith@mail.maricopa.gov |
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| Yoga – Connect In Nature! – All Levels Class - Usery Park |
| Usery Mountain Regional Park |
| Connect with nature in Usery Park’s Nature Center by exploring your breath before a desert hike. Improve your balance for a bike ride through easy-to-learn, fundamental yoga postures. This all-levels class for both beginners and experienced yogis sets the tone for your day of hiking, riding or…yes, even your workday! Please join Inner Vision Yoga and their certified instructors for inspiring yoga every Monday night at 6pm, Tuesday and Thursday at 9am, and Saturday at 8:30am. Sign up for these fee-based classes at www.innervisionyoga.com or drop into the park. For more information see websites, or call 480-632-7899 or 480-984-0032. Location: Nature Center |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 8:30 AM - 9:45 AM |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: Fee-based program |
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| Location: Nature Center |
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Address:
3939 N. Usery Pass Rd.
Mesa, AZ 85207 |
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| “Cinco de Mayo” Bingo Hike - Estrella |
| Estrella Mountain Park |
| Everybody wins when we go for a Bingo Hike, especially on “Cinco de Mayo”!
Meet Ranger Mark at the Coldwater Trailhead for this informative and fun 2.5 mile hike. Bring a friend, plenty of water, sturdy close-toed shoes, a “sombrero” and sunscreen. |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 9:00 AM |
| Speaker: Ranger Mark |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: Park Entrance Fee is $6.00 per vehicle |
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| More Info: http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/estrella/ |
| Contact: 623-932-3811 |
| Location: Estrella Mountain Regional Park |
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Address:
14805 W. Vineyard Ave.
Goodyear, AZ 85338 |
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| Great Horned Owl Nest Viewing - McDowell - Trailhead Staging Area |
| McDowell Mountain Regional Park |
| Would you like to spy on a real owl’s nest? This is not a webcam—it’s the real deal, in our own Park! Take the first road after you pass the visitor center, onto Shallmo Drive, drive to the end of the road, and park in the parking lot. This is an ADA, drop-in style program that does not require walking. Donated spotting scopes and various hands-on items about owls will be on hand to view the young owlets and parents. |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Duration: 1 Hours |
| Speaker: Ranger Amy Ford |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6 per vehicle park entry fee |
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| Contact: amyford@mail.maricopa.gov 480-471-0173x201 |
| Location: McDowell Mountain Regional Park |
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Address:
16300 McDowell Mountain Park Dr.
Scottsdale, AZ 85255 |
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| Incredible Edibles - Cave Creek Regional Park |
| Cave Creek Regional Park |
| How have people survived off the land for thousands of years? Which desert plants are edible and when are they edible? If you would like to know the answers to these questions, or any questions you may have about desert edibles, then this walk is for you! Join us on a 1-mile hike as we talk about some useful facts about our edible desert plants. Meet at Nature Center. |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Duration: 1.5 hour |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per vehicle park entry fee |
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| Contact: Ranger Sarah sarahsteele@mail.maricopa.gov |
| Location: Meet at the Nature Center |
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Address:
37019 N. Lava Lane
Cave Creek, AZ 85331 |
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| The Desert Grocery Store – North Trail- McDowell Park |
| McDowell Mountain Regional Park |
| The Sonoran Desert is a virtual grocery store and pharmacy… if you know where to look. See (and sample) some of what people used to eat before grocery stores came to Phoenix, and find out which ones are still consumed. Try a chocolate chip cookie made with mesquite flour, or a cracker with prickly pear jelly, along this easy, 2 mile stroll. Meet at the North Trail Trailhead. |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM |
| Speaker: Ranger Amy Ford |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6 per vehicle park entry fee |
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| Contact: amyford@mail.maricopa.gov 480-471-0173x201 |
| Location: McDowell Mountain Regional Park |
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Address:
16300 McDowell Mountain Park Dr.
Scottsdale, AZ 85255 |
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| Rattles, Scales, and Fangs, oh my! - Estrella |
| Estrella Mountain Park |
| Slither in to the Nature Center and join Ranger Mark as he talks about his favorite critters, snakes! 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: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 1:00 PM |
| Speaker: Ranger Mark |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: Park Entrance Fee is $6.00 per vehicle |
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| More Info: http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/estrella/ |
| Contact: 623-932-3811 |
| Location: Estrella Mountain Regional Park |
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Address:
14805 W. Vineyard Ave.
Goodyear, AZ 85338 |
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| Feeding Frenzy! - Estrella |
| Estrella Mountain Park |
| It’s time to feed our critters! Watch and learn how these fascinating creatures eat their dinner. Join Ranger Mark at the Nature Center for this compelling consumption of calories! |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 2:00 PM |
| Speaker: Ranger Mark |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: Park Entrance Fee is $6.00 per vehicle |
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| More Info: http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/estrella/ |
| Contact: 623-932-3811 |
| Location: Estrella Mountain Regional Park |
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Address:
14805 W. Vineyard Ave.
Goodyear, AZ 85338 |
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| All About Coyotes- San Tan |
| San Tan Mountain Regional Park |
| Off in the distance a pack of coyotes cry into the night. But just what type of mischief are these clever coyotes up to? It just so happens our secret animal camera caught a few of the local canines up to no good at San Tan. Come see the pictures of what they were doing as we learn “All About Coyotes” |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 6:00 PM - 6:45 PM Duration: 45 minutes |
| Speaker: Ranger Adam |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6 vehicle park entry fee |
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| More Info: http://maricopa.gov/parks/santan |
| Contact: (480) 655-5554 ext.201 |
| Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park |
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Address:
6533 W. Phillips Road
Queen Creek, AZ 85142 |
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| History of the Spanish Caballero - Cave Creek Regional Park |
| Cave Creek Regional Park |
| We will take you through the history of the Spanish Caballero on this unforgettable journey. You will meet C.L. “Lee” Anderson, a living historian, and his horse Concho as he brings you through the history of the Spanish Cowboy as never seen before. He will take you back in time to relive their hardships and guide you through what it took for the horse to wear the Alamar as a badge of honor. Bring everything you ever wanted to know about the days of the Caballero and find out why they were a horse oriented society. Bring camping chairs or a comfortable blanket to sit on in our outdoor amphitheater. *****Join us for a campfire after this program right at the amphitheater! Bring your smores supplies and roasting sticks if you would like! Meet at the Nature Center Amphitheater. NOTE: This program is part of the “County Parks are getting Wet ‘n’ Wild this summer” series and we will be raffling off a family-four pack at the end of the program. |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Duration: 1.5 hours |
| Speaker: C.L. "Lee" Anderson & Concho |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per vehicle park entry fee |
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| More Info: http://historicaloldwest.org/index.html |
| Contact: Ranger Sarah sarahsteele@mail.maricopa.gov |
| Location: Meet at the Nature Center Amphitheater |
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Address:
37019 N. Lava Lane85331 |
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| Sunset and Full Moon Hike - San Tan |
| San Tan Mountain Regional Park |
| Say adios to the hot sun and hello to the full moon because on this cool desert hike we will be simultaneously enjoying a beautiful sunset to the west and a gorgeous moonrise to the east. Once that hot sun is gone, the full moon will illuminate our path through 2.2 miles of a stunning Sonoran Desert night scene. Bring your cameras and water for a spectacular night hike you won’t forget. |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Duration: 1.5 hours |
| Speaker: Ranger Adam |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6 vehicle park entry fee |
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| More Info: http://maricopa.gov/parks/santan |
| Contact: (480) 655-5554 ext.201 |
| Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park |
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Address:
6533 W. Phillips Road
Queen Creek, AZ 85142 |
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| Full Moon Hike - "Full Flower Moon" - Usery Park |
| Usery Mountain Regional Park |
| Join us for this 2-mile night hike under May’s “Full Flower Moon.” The full moon is a great time to experience new sights and sounds of the desert! Bring your sense of adventure for this interpretive hike with our park ranger, Ranger B. Please bring water, a flashlight, and closed-toe shoes. No pets, please. Location: Trail Staging Area. |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 7:30 PM |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per car |
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| Stargazing for Everyone - Cave Creek Regional Park |
| Cave Creek Regional Park |
| Come look through telescopes and enjoy a "stellar" presentation under the stars with the expert guidance of Tony and Carole La Conte! These well known professional stargazers will be here with their crew of amazing volunteers and their high powered telescopes. When visible, view the craters of the moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and the rings of Saturn. Learn the names of stars, see the constellations, and listen to stories of the night sky! Come alone or bring your entire family or group. We encourage you to bring your own binoculars or the family telescope but it is not necessary. Bring lawn chairs or blankets for your comfort. Special equipment is available for wheelchair access viewing. No pets, please. Meet at ramada parking lot, just east of Nature Center. |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM Duration: 2 hours |
| Speaker: Tony La Conte |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $6.00 per vehicle park entry fee |
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| More Info: http://www.stargazingforeveryone.com/ |
| Contact: Ranger Sarah sarahsteele@mail.maricopa.gov |
| Location: Meet at ramada parking lot, just east of Nature Center |
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Address:
37019 N. Lava Lane
Cave Creek, AZ 85331 |
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| Moonlight Hike - Spur Cross |
| Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area |
| May 5 Saturday 8:00 pm Moonlight Hike
(moderate) The Conservation Area is a different experience when seen softly illuminated by the silver moon. While we will attempt to minimize the use of flashlights, bring one in case you need it. |
| Date: 5/5/2012 |
| Time: 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM Duration: 2 hours |
| Speaker: Kevin Smith, Interpretive Ranger |
| Registration Required: No |
| Fee: $3 per person |
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| Contact: Kevin Smith, Park Ranger at 480-488--6623 or e-mail kevinsmith@mail.maricopa.gov |
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