Ethnobotany Walk: Surviving and Thriving in the Sonoran Desert at Brown's Ranch Trailhead Location: Brown's Ranch Trailhead - 30301 N. Alma School Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85262 Skill level: Easy Distance: 0.5 mile Time: ~2 hours Discover how native Americans used plants to fulfill their basic needs. Pets are not permitted at our activities due to […]

Mountain Bike Skills Clinic at Pima Dynamite Trailhead Location: Pima Dynamite Trailhead – 28777 N Pima Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85262 Skill level: Beginner Distance: ~3-5 miles | Time ~3 hours New to mountain biking? Looking to refresh your skills, improve your technique, enhance safety awareness and increase your overall enjoyment on the trails? Then come […]

Marcus Landslide Hike at Tom's Thumb Trailhead Visit the Marcus Landslide geological site, second largest landslide in Arizona. The elevation gain is 400 ft. Location: Tom’s Thumb Trailhead - 23015 N 128th St, Scottsdale, AZ, 85255 Skill level: Moderate Distance: ~4 miles Time: ~2.5 hours Pets are not permitted at our activities due to safety […]

Walk with Natural Resources Coordinator at Gateway Trailhead Join us on an easy walk with a City of Scottsdale Natural Resources Coordinator as various desert topics are discussed. The material will depend on what we see in this wonderful environment. Location: Gateway Trailhead - 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy. Scottsdale, AZ 85255 Skill level: Easy […]

Desert Park to Gateway Loop Hike at Gateway Trailhead This hike will travel through the Silverleaf community, the Windgate Pass Trail and then a short, steep climb to the Gateway Saddle with its great views. Elevation gain of 700 ft. For experienced hikers. Location: Gateway Trailhead - 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy. Scottsdale, AZ 85255 […]

Boo-jada Adventure Walk at Gateway Trailhead When you think about Halloween, it's normal to think of the most well known symbols of Halloween – Spiders, Spider Webs and Bats as spooky and scary. But, if you look at their existence in the Sonoran Desert, you may discover that sometimes the things you fear the most […]

Ride Beginner + Skills Level at Brown's Ranch Trailhead Join us for a fun, moderate cardio, single-track, beginner + new intermediate skill level ride with some climbing and winding downhills. We will make stops to regroup if necessary. Location: Brown’s Ranch Trailhead - 30301 Alma School Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85262 Skill level: Beginner Distance: ~10 […]

Bird Walk at Granite Mountain Trailhead Join us on this walk for a good chance to see some of our year-round bird residents such as: cactus wren, gila woodpecker, ladder-backed woodpecker, Harris’s hawk, verdin or Say’s phoebe – as well as some seasonal arrivals. Bring your binoculars. Location: Granite Mountain trailhead - 31402 N 136th […]

Desert Origins and Adaptations Educational Hike at Brown's Ranch Trailhead Why is the Sonoran Desert here? Join us as we examine how climate and geomorphology interact to create a desert. The presenter will compare and contrast North American deserts, then focus on our Sonoran home and some adaptations necessary to survive this harsh environment. Location: […]

Arthropods Educational Walk at Gateway Trailhead Spiders, scorpions, bees, and wasps are just the beginning – there are more species of arthropods in the world than any other group of animals. Join us to discover the fascinating and diverse world of arthropods and their role in the ecology of the Sonoran Desert. Location: Gateway Trailhead […]

Ride from Granite Mountain Trailhead at Granite Mountain Trailhead Join us for a beautiful single-track ride of intermediate skill level with some climbing and fun, winding downhills. If there is a short technical section on a trail, you may walk it. We will make short stops to regroup. Rugged handcycles with a support rider are […]

Veterans Day Hike at Lost Dog Wash Trailhead To honor our veterans, an easy loop on gently rolling terrain is planned. We will hold a special ceremony at the trailhead at the end of the hike. Elevation gain of about 250 ft. Location: Lost Dog Wash Trailhead - 12601 N 124th St, Scottsdale, AZ 852 […]

Vaquero, Whiskey Bottle & Latigo Hike at Brown's Ranch Trailhead This hike on three picturesque trails will take you to a crested saguaro and then continue through a diverse landscape. Location: Brown’s Ranch Trailhead - 30301 Alma School Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85262 Skill level: Moderate Distance: ~5 miles Time: ~2.5 hours Pets are not permitted […]

Walk Like a Tortoise Educational Walk at Brown's Ranch Trailhead Join us as we learn about and look for signs of the Sonoran Desert tortoise. This leisurely walk on the Jane Rau Trail will give us plenty of time to tell stories about the tortoise. We will talk about their history, how they survive, how […]

Sonoran Sunday: Rattlesnakes! Fact & Fiction at Gateway Trailhead Location: Gateway Trailhead -  18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy. Scottsdale, AZ 85255 Few animals spawn mythology and fish stories like they do. In working with thousands of rattlesnakes and people in the valley, Bryan Hughes from Rattlesnake Solutions has heard it all. Learn to stay safe […]

Walk with Natural Resources Coordinator at Tom's Thumb Trailhead Join us on an easy walk with a City of Scottsdale Natural Resources Coordinator as various desert topics are discussed. The material will depend on what we see in this wonderful environment. Location: Tom’s Thumb Trailhead - 23015 N 128th St, Scottsdale, AZ, 85255 Skill level: […]

Lecture- Stories of Extreme Heat at Mustang Library How do socioeconomic factors impact the effect of Arizona’s extreme heat? Dr. Guardaro will share community stories of urban heat, climate equity and potential solutions to reduce heat risk. Presenter: Melissa Guardaro, PhD., Assistant Research Professor Arizona State University. Capacity is limited (75), first come first serve. […]

Trailside Naturalist – Rattling on About Rattlers at Gateway Trailhead Stop by anytime between 8:30 and 11:00 A.M. to learn about the five species of rattlesnakes that live in the Sonoran Desert. Did you know? - That a rattlesnake can strike a distance of up to two-thirds of their body length? That they like to […]

The Hidden Desert Educational Walk at Fraesfield Trailhead Walking through the desert gives you half the story. There is a hidden world of nocturnal critters. If you look carefully, you can see the evidence of their middens, burrows, and holes. What else is concealed around you? Let us unlock those mysteries on the Camino Campana […]

Sonoran Sunday: Up Close with Sonoran Desert Tortoise at Gateway Trailhead Location: Gateway Trailhead -  18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy. Scottsdale, AZ 85255 Come learn about one of the Sonoran Desert’s most fascinating denizens, the Sonoran desert tortoise. These little tanks of the desert can withstand scorching summers, cold winters, can go months in between […]

More Pie Please Hike at Lost Dog Wash Trailhead Join us for a hike to burn off some calories with family and friends. You won’t feel a bit guilty about having that second piece of pie! Location: Lost Dog Wash Trailhead - 12601 N 124th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85259 Skill level: Moderate Distance: ~2.5 miles […]

Ride/Hike the South at Quartz Trailhead Join us on this ride and hike from the Quartz Trailhead at 104th and McDowell Mountain Road. This is a low intermediate ride of moderate cardio and intermediate skills. We will ride the Quartz Trail west to the WestWorld Trail, go around the golf course and head uphill east […]

Desert 101 North Educational Walk at Brown's Ranch Trailhead The Conservancy has a mission to help sustain the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This walk provides a geological and ecological overview of what lives in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, and how the flora and fauna survive and thrive. Location: Brown’s Ranch Trailhead - 30301 Alma School Rd, […]

Women's Balanced Rock Hike at Granite Mountain Trailhead Join us and hike to one of the favorite destinations in the Preserve. This hike is perfect for  those who identify as women. Skill level: Moderate Distance: ~4.2 miles Time: ~2 hours Pets are not permitted at our activities due to safety concerns. If you would like to […]

Lecture - Inspiration: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Sonoran Desert at Mustang Library Location: Mustang Library - 10101 N 90th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85258 Presenter: Stuart Graff, President/COO, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Frank Lloyd Wright came to Arizona in the 1920s to assist with the design of the Arizona Biltmore, and stayed to work on […]

Return to Azatlan Educational Hike Azatlan is the contemporary archaeological name given to a large Hohokam community that existed north of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Reservation and east of Rio Verde. Join PastFinders experts for a hike through one of the largest archeological sites in central Arizona, which lies right next door to the Preserve […]

Ride Secrets of the Preserve Educational Ride at Brown's Ranch Trailhead Ready to discover more about what is in the Preserve, beside the excitement of a trail riding? This is the ride for you! Join our PastFinder stewards in exploring the Preserve's recent ranching history and the ancient way of life of the Native American […]

Women's Bike Ride at Fraesfield Trailhead This bike ride is a beginner skill level ride and moderate cardio. This ride is perfect for those who identify as women. Location: Fraesfield Trailhead - 13400 E Rio Verde Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85262 Skill Level: Intermediate Distance: ~9 miles Time: 3.5 hours Please, no road bikes, hybrids, folding […]

Desert 101 South Educational Walk at Gateway Trailhead The Conservancy has a mission to help sustain the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This walk provides a geological and ecological overview of what lives in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, and how the flora and fauna survive and thrive. Location: Gateway Trailhead - 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy. Scottsdale, […]