See Also:
Plein Air 'Paint Out' Events 
Ranger Cam 2009
Aldo Leopold Centennial Events
The Public meetings about the proposed Fee Schedule have passed. If approved, the proposed changes will start March 1, 2010. You may look at the Proposed Fee Schedule 2010 
or You may submit public comments about the proposed fee changes online
Experience unique adventures at Arizona State Parks! Click on a month above or read our complete listing below to learn about upcoming events and activities. To learn more about a park, including downloading park maps and getting step by step driving directions, follow the link to the park's web pages. Note that the “
” symbol means a link to an external site that opens in a new window. You can also listen to our podcasts to hear about upcoming events. To learn more, read our External Link Disclaimer.
Get our monthly Event Calendar delivered to your inbox. Timely updates include new events and activities. Plan your time wisely and stay connected to Arizona State Parks. Sign up for the monthly Parks Newsletter.
Calendar Symbol Key
= Brown Bag Lunch Lecture
= Plein Air "Paint Out"
= Evening Slide Presentation
7 – 9 pm. Join us for a guided 2.5 mile hike at the base of the mysterious Superstition Mountains, starting at sunset and returning by moonlight. Hikers should dress appropriately and wear trail shoes or boots. Some parts of the trail are rocky and uneven with occasional steep grades; participants should be in good health with no walking or night vision difficulties. After the hike gather round the campfire for a marshmallow roast (marshmallows and sticks provided). All ages welcome. No pets, please. Call (480) 982-4485 for more information. Large groups of 25 or more need to call in advance for special arrangements. $5 per vehicle. Pay at drive-up door. Public parking in the Cholla day use area.
2 pm in the park theater. John Westerlund, a retired U.S. Army field artillery officer, will present. When 8,000 workers were needed immediately for the army’s massive construction project ten miles west of Flagstaff, almost 4,000 Navajo and Hopi workers and their families signed on and left the reservations for good-paying jobs. Conditions were deplorable for the first Indian workers. Bootleggers lurked in the shadows. The commander faced a myriad of organizational and employee problems and quickly decided to invite the Navajo and Hopi laborers and families to build an “Indian Village” on the military base. Tribal representatives accepted the invitation and soon a community of about 3,750 Native Americans voluntarily settled onto a military installation behind barbed wire fences and guard stations. Working Indian women were part of this cultural experiment. This story illustrates how regular wages heightened expectations for both Navajo and Hopis, creating an image of Navajo Tribal leadership, yet contributed to unwanted social and cultural problems. For many Indian families, Navajo Depot was just a stopping point on their migration from the reservations into nearby Flagstaff. The war exposed thousands to a life beyond the reservation, and today the word “Bellemont” remains a part of Navajo and Hopi family history. Reservations are recommended, as seating is limited. Please call (928) 282-6907.
Evening Slide Presentation Series. 7 pm. Presented by Alan Petersen, Coconino Community College & MNA. The Santa Fe Railway introduced a great many visitors from around the world to the people and geography of the Southwest. They were also great patrons of the arts and used the art they commissioned as part of their marketing strategy and materials. The Santa Fe Railway marketing department hired well known artists and their prints and paintings have, in many ways, come to define the stereotypical image of the Southwest. Reservations recommended. Call (928) 779-4395.
November 7 & 8 - Kartchner Caverns State Park9 am - 5 pm. Please join us November 7 & 8, 2009, for a weekend full of insightful presentations, a large variety of interesting booths and fun kid's activities as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the park's Grand Opening. Check the Event Schedule and speaker list.
Reserve your cave tours in advance by calling (520) 586-2283 and plan to stay for a whole weekend of fun!
8:30 am. Join a guided birdwalk for the chance to see “El Catrin,” our one-of-a-kind Hybrid Hummingbird (one parents was a Broad-billed, the other a Violet-crowned).
2 pm. Park volunteers will escort visitors on a guided hike through the park, discussing the geology of the area. This hike includes the Eagles Nest trail for a great view of the park and the surrounding area. More than just a guided hike, this is an interpretive experience for the beginner as well as advanced geologist. The hike lasts for 2 to 2.5 hours and has a 250-foot elevation climb. Enjoy an afternoon with our knowledgeable volunteer guides as they explain the rock formations that create the scenic backdrop of Red Rock State Park. Bring water and wear suitable shoes or boots. Reservations may be required. For additional information please call (928) 282-6907.
Brown Bag Lunch Lecture. 12:15 pm. Presented by Kathy Farretta, Asst. Park Manager, Riordan Mansion State Historic Park. In celebration of Samuel Clemens’ birthday, we will explore the forces which caused him to make the trip to the newly established Territory of Nevada with his brother Orion, in 1861. From printer’s apprentice to steamboat pilot; prospector to newspaper correspondent, follow Sam Clemens’ journey to the American West. Location: Front veranda of the historic 1904 Riordan Mansion.
Join a celebration of the night sky and celebrate the International Year of Astronomy (IYA); it's been 400 years since Galileo first used his homemade telescope to discover never before seen celestial objects (including the Galilean moons)! The evening Star Party features astronomy clubs from around the state who set up their amazing star-gazing equipment which allows families and visitors to explore the night sky in stunning detail. Last year visitors saw comets, stars, constellations and more, all with great detail. Since the closest town is nearly 30 miles away, Alamo Lake provides the perfect setting for this event, and offers great fishing too.
See 2008 Night Under the Stars Photo Gallery
Open invitation to Arizonan astronomy clubs: Help us continue to grow this annual program. Free, primitive camping sites are offered to participating astronomy clubs who bring a telescope to the Star Party. To register, please contact Barbara Stevens by phone at (602) 542-2150 or by email at bstevens(at)azstateparks.gov.
Evening Slide Presentation Series. 7 pm. Presented by Wendell Duffield, USGS & NAU. Volcanoes are notorious for building dams across rivers that get in their way. Northern Arizona has been a hotbed of this kind of no-bid construction. Eruptions in the Toroweap area created about a dozen dams in the Grand Canyon during the past 700,000 years. The most recent attempt for yet another was only 1,000 years ago, but the volcano ran out of lava before the project could be carried out. The Little Colorado River has seen at least four lava dams created during the past two million years. The youngest of these is at Grand Falls and is only 20,000 years old. From a geological perspective, future eruptions are likely to occur in northern Arizona. It's interesting and a bit frightening to contemplate the consequences should such eruption create a new lava dam. Reservations are recommended due to limited availability. Call (928) 779-4395.
11 am to 4 pm. A Saturday of live music “both acoustic and eclectic” featuring different performances each hour in various gardens and collections around the Arboretum. Performers returning this year include “The Close Enough String Band” (with a 10 am morning set); also Alesa Gallian, the Mountain Rain trio, Celinda & John Levno, Russ Braman and more!
2-5 pm. By reservation. Meet at the Kannally Ranch House. $10 per person. (520) 896-2425.
1:30 pm. Learn ways that desert plants have fed, clothed and healed indigenous people for a thousand years. Saturday’s tour guide is usually Apache Junction author Jean Groen; stick around following Jean’s tour for homemade “desert edibles” such as mesquite crackers, nopalito soup or prickly pear BBQ sauce-braised meatballs. Ethnobotanist David Morris of the Choctaw Nation typically leads the Arboretum’s Sunday edible plants walk. This tour explores our Curandero Trail, which has moderately steep sections and is not accessible by wheelchair.
1:00 pm. Bring your flags to be retired and take a moment to pay tribute to those who gave their lives serving our country and for those who continue to serve. If you can't make it to the ceremony and have flags that need to be retired, drop them off at the park anytime before the event.
6-7 mile hike, with a 300'-500' elevation gain. 8 am start time. Destination: Catalina's "Medium Loop". Starts from the Equestrian Center parking lot at Catalina State Park. Registration is required no later than 3 pm the day before the hike. Call (520) 638-5404 to register for hikes.
8-10 am. Go birding before breakfast! Meet at 8am on the upper patio of the Kannally Ranch House for bird identification with Kathe around the ranch house, corrals and trails of the park. Binoculars help. Reservation required; please call (520) 896-2425. $10 per person includes a light breakfast following the bird walk.
7 pm. Learn about the night sky, constellations and planets with local astronomer Bill Dellinges. Parking and seating at campground amphitheatre. Free program.
1:30 pm. Learn about Arizona trees on this Guided tour through forested areas of the Arboretum with Terry Mikel. You’ll see sycamores, cottonwoods, native hackberry, ash and mesquite.
1:30 pm.
1:30 pm. Tourguide David Oberpriller interprets botany, history and scripture on this slow-paced, relaxing two-hour stroll down smooth, flat trails that are wheelchair-accessible. Ever seen a genuine fig leaf, and considered just how much anatomy it might conceal? Wondering what wood could have been used to build Noah’s Ark? Join Dave and learn more!
Sunday, November 22, 2009: 6-7 mile hike, with a 300'-500' elevation gain. 8 am start time. Destination: Alamo Canyon via Romero, Lilo/Arlyn and other trails/paths & West Ridges Loop. Registration is required no later than 3 pm the day before the hike. Call (520) 638-5404 to register for hikes.
1:30 pm. Learn ways that desert plants have fed, clothed and healed indigenous people for a thousand years. Saturday’s tour guide is usually Apache Junction author Jean Groen; stick around following Jean’s tour for homemade “desert edibles” such as mesquite crackers, nopalito soup or prickly pear BBQ sauce-braised meatballs. Ethnobotanist David Morris of the Choctaw Nation typically leads the Arboretum’s Sunday edible plants walk. This tour explores our Curandero Trail, which has moderately steep sections and is not accessible by wheelchair.
Park Closes at 2 pm. Park closes early for Thanksgiving Holiday.
November 28 - Sonoita Creek State Natural Area9 am – 3 pm. Kim Stone will be portraying Aldo Leopold at this event.* Join us for a unique canoe/kayak trip on Patagonia Lake. There will also be kids activities, a guided horseback ride with readings from Leopold (max limit), nature walks with readings from Leopold, plus, author David Brown will be on hand for a book signing. Call the park to reserve your spot for the backpack trip, canoe outing or the guided horse back ride. Please register in advance for all activities. (520) 287-2791. Learn more about the Aldo Leopold Centennial Celebration and Events.
Rod Villemaire's Feathered FriendsJoin park volunteer and bird expert Rod Villemaire for two special bird shows at the campgound amphitheater:
1-3 pm. “Birdie Bingo”. This lecture is geared for 5 to 12 year olds. Kids get to learn about birds as they play a fun “birdie bingo” game. Live birds 2:30-3 pm.
7 pm. Studying our Feathered Friends. Learn about working as an oologist/ornithologist, geared for ages 11 and up. Also, learn all about having and taking care of a pet bird. Live bird demonstrations, weather permitting.
Learn more about Rod at his website http://birdplanettv.com/
1:30 pm. Learn about the rocks and volcanic formations seen along our main trail – this tour compresses two billion years of geologic history into one educational hour! Learn about Pinal schist, the volcanic origins of nearby Picket Post Mountain and the Apache Leap tuff. Tour guides alternate between Miami, AZ, Geologist Ben Henderson and ASU Prof. Steve Semken. Join us for a chance to walk the trails and learn about the rocks that make this region one of the world's richest in copper and how an active geologic past shaped the landscape we enjoy today.
11 am to 3 pm. Arboretum members know Arizona’s true grand finale of autumn foliage is right here at BTA during November – culminating with peak color around Thanksgiving weekend. Celebrate the foliage in the Arboretum’s famous pistachio grove and enjoy the season with spiced apple cider and live music.
6-7 mile hike, with a 300'-500' elevation gain. 8 am start time. Destination: Stock tank & beyond loop. Registration is required no later than 3 pm the day before the hike. Call (520) 638-5404 to register for hikes.
8 am – Noon. Plein Air “paint outs” are an open invitation to all artists, amateur and professional, to paint the treasures of Arizona State Parks. These live outdoor painting competitions take place in 4 hour blocks. After the painting period, the artists gather to judge their peers' completed work.
Artists are welcome to bring their easels, brushes, drop cloth, canvas and capture scenes around the park. The park entrance fee is waived for participating artists. Learn more and see photos on the Plein Air Home Page.
December All Month - Riordan Mansion State Historic ParkThe Mansion is festively decorated in turn-of-the-century style with wreaths, garlands, greenery and a towering fir tree trimmed with old-fashioned ornaments. Guided tours include glimpses of folklore and traditions of Christmas, both past and present. Reservations are recommended. Adults $6.00 (14 years and up); youth $2.50 (7-13 years); 6 and under are free. Closed Christmas Day.
7 – 9 pm. Join us for a guided 2.5 mile hike at the base of the mysterious Superstition Mountains, starting at sunset and returning by moonlight. Hikers should dress appropriately and wear trail shoes or boots. Some parts of the trail are rocky and uneven with occasional steep grades; participants should be in good health with no walking or night vision difficulties. After the hike gather round the campfire for a marshmallow roast (marshmallows and sticks provided). All ages welcome. No pets, please. Call (480) 982-4485 for more information. Large groups of 25 or more need to call in advance for special arrangements. $5 per vehicle. Pay at drive-up door. Public parking in the Cholla day use area.
9 am to 3 pm both days. Just in time for holiday gift shopping we offer the chance to meet some of the famous ceramic artists in person when they visit this weekend from the village of Mata Ortiz, Mexico. Back by popular demand and for a third year in a row, Oscar Trevizo and friends will bring a variety of intricate, unique, artistic handmade pots. Unique, collectible ceramics will be available for purchase all weekend, and artists will demonstrate their craft with traditional outdoors firings at 11 am and 2 pm. Artisans to be represented should include Noe Quezada (son of legendary Mata Ortiz ceramic artist Juan) and his wife Betty Quezada. Come see some of the newest works, paints and styles of Mata Ortiz pottery art!
6-7 mile hike, with a 300'-500' elevation gain. 8:30 am start time. Destination: Both cliffs & north cycle trail. Starts at Equestrian Center parking lot at Catalina State Park. Registration is required no later than 3 pm the day before the hike. Call (520) 638-5404 to register for hikes.
2 pm in the theater. On Sunday, December 6, 2009, at 2:00 pm in the park theater, Richard and Sherry Mangum will present “The Grand Canyon-Flagstaff Stagecoach Line. Although we take the fame of the Grand Canyon for granted today, it was a little-known and seldom-visited attraction until 1892, when the Flagstaff Board of Trade and the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Company teamed together to advertise it and make it accessible. This illustrated presentation explores the exciting beginnings of the Grand Canyon-Flagstaff Stagecoach Line. Reservations are recommended, as seating is limited. Please call (928) 282-6907. Reservations are recommended, as seating is limited. Call 282-6907 for additional information or restrictions. Program is free with admission to the park.
“Lindbergh’s Trains & Planes: The First Transcontinental Flight Route” Brown Bag Lunch Lecture. 12:15 pm.
Presented by Jerry Snow, Historian.
To honor the Mexican “Los Posadas” tradition, and ring in the festive holiday season, about 225 small brown paper sacks filled with sand and a candle will be set out and lit on the portico, front and side walls, at the Courthouse. The Courthouse will close at 5 p.m. and reopen at 6 p.m. After-hours activities inside the Courthouse will include holiday music and refreshments.
1:30 pm. Learn ways that desert plants have fed, clothed and healed indigenous people for a thousand years. Saturday’s tour guide is usually Apache Junction author Jean Groen; stick around following Jean’s tour for homemade “desert edibles” such as mesquite crackers, nopalito soup or prickly pear BBQ sauce-braised meatballs. Ethnobotanist David Morris of the Choctaw Nation typically leads the Arboretum’s Sunday edible plants walk. This tour explores our Curandero Trail, which has moderately steep sections and is not accessible by wheelchair.
Come and see the homes decorated in a Victorian Christmas fashion and join in the festivities.
7 pm. Learn about the night sky, constellations and planets with local astronomer Bill Dellinges. Parking and seating at campground amphitheatre. Free program.
9 – 11 am. The community is invited to attend our annual Christmas Party which will be held in the Visitor Center. From 9– 11 am Santa will be on hand to give out candy and Mrs. Claus will read Christmas stories to the children. In addition, there will be crafts for the children to make and take home, as well as Christmas music and general good cheer. To help fend off the cold, hot cider and cake will be served.
7 mile hike hike, with 1,600' elevation gain. 8:30 am start time. Destination: Romero pools (upper). Registration is required no later than 3 pm the day before the hike. Call (520) 638-5404 to register for hikes.
2 pm. A park volunteer will escort visitors on a guided hike through the park, discussing the geology of the area. This hike includes the Eagle’s Nest trail for a great view of the park and the surrounding area. More than just a guided hike, this is an interpretive experience for the beginner as well as advanced geologist. The hike lasts for 2-2 1/2 hours and has a 250-foot elevation climb. Enjoy an afternoon with our knowledgeable volunteer guide as he explains the rock formations that create the scenic backdrop of Red Rock State Park. Bring water and wear suitable shoes or boots. Reservations maybe required. Please call 928-282-6907 for additional information.
1:30 pm. Tourguide David Oberpriller interprets botany, history and scripture on this slow-paced, relaxing two-hour stroll down smooth, flat trails that are wheelchair-accessible. Ever seen a genuine fig leaf, and considered just how much anatomy it might conceal? Wondering what wood might have been used to build Noah’s Ark? Join Dave and learn more!
7-8 mile hike with 800' elevation gain. 8:30 am start time. Destination: Walter Cascade and Beyond. Registration is required no later than 3 pm the day before the hike. Call (520) 638-5404 to register for hikes.
Come join us as we host candlelight tours through the historic homes along Officer’s Row. Living history presentations with light refreshments to follow.
1:30 pm. Learn about Arizona trees on this Guided tour through forested areas of the Arboretum, with Terry Mikel. You’ll see sycamores, cottonwoods, native hackberry, ash and mesquite.
Park Closes at 2 pm. Park closes early for Christmas Eve. Kartchner Caverns is closed on December 25 for Christmas.
1:30 pm. Learn about the rocks and volcanic formations seen along our main trail. This tour compresses two billion years of geologic history into one educational hour! Learn about Pinal schist, the volcanic origins of nearby Picket Post Mountain and the Apache Leap tuff. Tour guides alternate between Miami, AZ, Geologist Ben Henderson and ASU Prof. Steve Semken. Join us for a chance to walk the trails and learn about the rocks that make this region one of the world's richest in copper and how an active geologic past shaped the landscape we enjoy today.
6-7 mile hike with a 300'-400' elevation gain. 8:30 am start time. Destination: Little Sand Wash, Palo Verde & Briddle Loop. Starts from the Equestrian Center parking lot at Catalina State Park. Registration is required no later than 3 pm the day before the hike. Call (520) 638-5404 to register for hikes.
1:30 pm. Learn ways that desert plants have fed, clothed and healed indigenous people for a thousand years. Saturday’s tour guide is usually Apache Junction author Jean Groen; stick around following Jean’s tour for homemade “desert edibles” such as mesquite crackers, nopalito soup or prickly pear BBQ sauce-braised meatballs. Ethnobotanist David Morris of the Choctaw Nation typically leads the Arboretum’s Sunday edible plants walk. This tour explores our Curandero Trail, which has moderately steep sections and is not accessible by wheelchair.
.
Fort Verde State Historic Park will hold held its annual Buffalo Soldiers event on February 13th & 14th, 2010. Last year over 600 people attended this event with living history presentations, riding demonstrations, and 1870s period equipment & uniforms. Learn more about Buffalo Soldiers in our Feature Story and photo gallery.
Mark your calendars! The annual Civil War in the Southwest will be held March 13 & 14, 2010 at Picacho Peak State Park! Each year hundreds of spectators descend on Picacho Peak State Park to watch re-enactments of an Arizona Civil War skirmish and the New Mexico battles of Glorieta and Val Verde.
Visitors travel from around the country to experience the three fascinating historic re-enactment's complete with lifestyles of the soldiers in the southwest during the 1860s. More than 200 re-enactors come in from many states and will camp at the park with their authentic Civil War camping gear. Food and beverage concessions are also available, including the popular Kettle corn vendor.
Check out the photo gallery from the 2008 event. Read special information for Historical Re-Enactors.
Learn more on the Plein Air Home Page. Arizona State Parks and and Arizona Plein Air Painters sponsor live outdoor painting competitions. After the painting period, the artists gather to judge their peers completed work. Artists are welcome to bring their easels, brushes drop cloth canvas and capture scenes around the park. This is a series of “paint outs” planned throughout the year at Arizona State Parks. 2009 Event Dates & Parks.
Note* = Portrayal of Aldo Leopold at these events is subject to change.
[Skip] Home Find a Park Arizona Map
PDF Documents Require Adobe Reader