News Release

Saguaro National Park September Program Schedule

Date: August 27, 2018
Contact: Melanie Florez-RMD, 520-733-5151
Contact: Richard Hill, 520-733-5158

 
Saguaro National Park September 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.

Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26 10:15 a.m.  Mountain Lions: Beyond the Myth    Talk: 45 minutes
Envision a puma stalking its prey, then uncover the true nature of this elusive but essential predator. Misunderstood, maligned, and nearly eradicated by settlers, the cougar remains threatened by human encroachment. Wheelchair accessible

Sept. 16, 23, 30 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

Sept. 1, 27, 29 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

Sept. 13, 26, 27    2:15 p.m. Creepy Crawlers: The Silent - Majority  Talk: 30 minutes
Sept. 18  3:15 p.m.
Learn about some of our most feared and misunderstood arthropods who call this park home. Come discover how essential they are for our desert community and why we shouldn’t fear these mostly harmless creatures. Wheelchair accessible

Sept. 10, 17, 24  10:15 a.m. Picture This… Life Through A Different Lens   Talk and Walk: 45 minutes.
Sept. 5 11:15 a.m.
Experience the desert from a whole new view with this interactive photography program; designed to present the basics of photography while invoking emotional connections with the desert.

Sept. 22  7:00 a.m.   I Hike for Health (West)   Hike: 2.5 hours, 3 miles
Join park staff as we kick off Saguaro National Park’s “I Hike for Health” Program in celebration of National Public Lands Day. Earn a free hiking medal as you hike 3 miles and discover the health benefits of hiking in our national parks. Water and sturdy hiking shoes are recommended. Space is limited and advance registration is
required. Call the Red Hills Visitor Center (West District) at [phone] to sign up.






Naturalist Programs at the Rincon Mountain District (East, 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail):   
September 1, 2, 6, 8              10:00 a.m.       Meet the Saguaro       Garden Walk
                  13, 16, 23, 27
Get to know the world’s most famous cactus – and learn its fascinating life story in this place where we “celebrate saguaros”! Accessible program

September 1, 4, 8, 11, 12          2:00 p.m.               Cattle & Cactus      1.5 Hour Auto Tour
                  18, 19, 25, 29                                                                    
Drive the Cactus Forest Loop with a ranger to discuss the changing ecosystem after cattle grazing, among other land abuse that occurred at Saguaro, as well as the current and future changes in the area. Accessible Program

September 2, 6, 7, 13, 14         2:00 p.m.         The Changing Cactus Forest  Presentation
                  16, 21, 22, 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

September 4, 7, 11                10:00 a.m.       Desert Botany 101      Garden Walk
                   14, 18, 21,                                                                         `
Join a park naturalist on a short stroll through the garden, discussing general and area specific plant adaptations. Accessible program
                      
September 14 & 28               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

September 21                      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 decisions that created the Park. Accessible program

September 22                      7:00 a.m.             I Hike for Health                      3-Mile Guided Hike
Join park staff as we kick off Saguaro National Park’s “I Hike for Health” Program in celebration of National Public Lands Day. Earn a free hiking medal as you hike 3 miles and discover the health benefits of hiking in our national parks. Water and sturdy hiking shoes are recommended. Space is limited and advance registration is
required. Call the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center at [phone] to sign up.

September 25                   6:15 p.m.              Full Moon Hike            2.5-hour, 2.5-Mile 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