News Release

Saguaro National Park May Program Schedule

Date: April 25, 2018
Contact: Melanie Florez, 520-733-5153

Saguaro National Park May Program Schedule
Saguaro National Park is offering a variety of walks and talks that explore the park’s wonderful natural and cultural histories. Program listings also are available on the park’s website, www.nps.gov/sagu, or visit us on Facebook. Interpretive programs are free, but park entrance fees apply. Program schedules are subject to change; visitors should call the visitor centers for updates or reservations.


Naturalist Programs at Tucson Mountain District (West District), 2700 N. Kinney Rd.:
Programs are offered on most days in the morning at 10:15 and/or 11:15, and in the afternoon at 2:15 and/or 3:15 and last 30 to 45 minutes. Topics include mountain lions, lizards, coyotes, javelinas, kangaroo rats, insects, birds, survival strategies, the saguaro cactus, and other topics related to the desert. All programs are subject to change. Call the visitor center at [phone] for updates the day of the program.
In addition to the daily programs, the following longer special guided hikes are offered as listed below.

May. 6, 13, 20, 27 3:15 p.m. Cooking With Prickly Pear Talk: 30 minutes
Learn how you can incorporate prickly pear into your diet. This program will show you how to collect and prepare prickly pear. Prepare for a sweet treat! Wheelchair accessible

May. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 10:15 a.m. Living With Giants Talk: 45 minutes
The saguaro celebrates events and faces challenges throughout its life. A biologist explains how it provides shelter and substance for wildlife; when it flowers; its growth patterns; and how it fights for survival against drought, lightning, frost, and other dangers. Wheelchair accessible

May. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 2:15 p.m. Raptors! Talk: 30 minutes
Southern Arizona and the Sonoran Desert Region are renowned for the large variety of animal and plant species, especially birds, that can be found in the area. Among the most fascinating of those are the raptors, top predators of the avian world, who either live here year-round, or migrate through the area. Wheelchair accessible

May. 31 11:15 a.m. Javelina: Our Desert Neighbors Talk: 30 minutes
Sometimes referred to as the “desert pig,” the javelina is not a pig at all. Learn about this intriguing creature and how it survives in this arid environment. Wheelchair accessible.

May. 9, 23, 10:15 a.m.   Sonoran Secrets to Desert Survival Talk & Walk: 60 minutes, 200 yards
Take a short stroll and identify the most common hazards hidden in the desert, uncover survival strategies of native plants and animals, and acquire practical tips to ensure your safety, particularly in warmer temperatures. Wheelchair accessible.

May. 1, 5, 12, 19, 25, 26 10:15 a.m. Spiny, Shady, and COOL! Walk: 30 minutes, 100 yards
Come for a short walk and discover the great variety of cacti that inhabit this unique and fascinating desert.

May. 21 10:15 a.m. Picture This..Life Through A Different Lens Talk and Walk: 45 minutes.
May. 5 11:15 a.m.
Experience the desert from a whole new view with this interactive photography program; designed to present the basics of photoghaphy while envoking emotional connections with the desert.

May. 4, 25 2:15 p.m. Lizards are Hot, Lizards are Cool Talk: 30 minutes
Lizards are small denizens of the desert that are a critical component of our desert community. Find out what it means when they do pushups or exhibit other odd behaviors. Wheelchair accessible

Naturalist Programs at the Rincon Mountain District (East, 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail): 
May 1, 8, 19, 22, 26, 29         2:00 p.m.      When It Rains, It Pours        Presentation
The life-saving rains of the Sonoran Desert can be fickle. Join us to explore the how’s and why’s of our monsoon season. Accessible Program

May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 9:30 a.m.    Flash, Whoosh, Gush &Growth: Monsoons Presentation
The summer heat and humidity bring the mighty and sometimes destructive monsoon rain. Saguaros, toads, and others depend on these drenching afternoons to begin a new season of life in the dry desert. A fabulous video opens this theater presentation.  Accessible Program           

May 3, 10, 11, 13, 24, 27        10:00 a.m. Is it a Cactus or A … sparagus?       Garden Walk
We all know a cactus when we see it, right? Maybe not! Find out how our two families of spiny succulent plants are the same, but different. Accessible Program

May 3, 4, 10, 11, 13   2:00 p.n.       The Changing Cactus Forest Presentation
    , 18, 24, 25, 27
Change is constant – and accelerating – in the area of Saguaro National Park called the Cactus Forest. We’ll take a look at the forest then and now, and consider how the future will shape what your grandchildren see here. Accessible Program

May 4, 8, 17, 18, 22, 25         10:00 a.m.     Desert Botany 101    Garden Walk
Join a park naturalist on this easy stroll through the Cactus Garden. Sturdy hiking shoes, water and a trail snack are recommended. Accessible program

May 4, 18                  3:00 p.m.      Creating Saguaro National Park     Presentation
Saguaro National Park has a unique and interesting history. This theater presentation will highlight the commitment, compromise, and decision’s that created the Park. Accessible program

May 5, 12, 19, 26       1000 a.m.     Easy Being Green Garden Walk
In the desert, you’d think it’s not easy being green. But there are plants everywhere in the Sonoran desert! We’ll give you a model that shows how every plant survives in this land of little rain. Accessible program

May 5, 12, 19, 26       1:00 p.m.   The Point of the Matter is Cactus      Presentation
Cacti are uniquely equipped to thrive in the desert environment and every year bloom with spectacular flowers. We will look at the ones in Saguaro NP using a stunning photo gallery and learn a few of their uses for those living here and beyond. Accessible Program

May 7, 14, 21, 28       2:00 p.m.   The Adventures of Thelma the Tortoise        Preation
Go on a fantastic trip across the Sonoran Desert with one adventurous tortoise who called Saguaro National park her home – until she set her eye on farther horizons! Accessible Program

May 11, 25    3:00 p.m.      A Century of Tales                Presentation
Join us as we review a century of fun and interesting stories from those who lived and worked in what today is Saguaro National Park. Accessible Program

May 29           7:00p.m.        Full Moon Hike        3-mile, 2.5-hour Guided Hike
Explore the Sights and Sounds of the Sonoran Desert as it comes to life under the full moon. Sturdy walking shoes, water and a flashlight are recommended. Reservations are required. Call the Visitor Center at [phone].


Red Hills Visitor Center (Saguaro WEST)                    Rincon Mountain Visitor Center (Saguaro EAST)

2700 North Kinney Road                                                                                    3693 South Old Spanish Trail

Tucson, AZ 85743                                                                                    Tucson, AZ 85730
[phone]                                                                                           [phone]

For more information about Saguaro National Park and some of its partners, Friends of Saguaro National Park, Western National Parks Association, and the Rincon Institute, visit these websites:
        www.nps.gov/sagu                                                                        www.wnpa.org
        www.friendsofsaguaro.org                                                 www.rinconinstitute.org