Annual Events
April 23–26, 2009: Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival
Field trips throughout the area during the Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival offer visitors a chance to spot rare and beautiful birds.
Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival celebrates nature with workshops and field trips where expert guides take visitors to the area's birding hot spots. The annual event is presented by Arizona State Parks and the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce. Birding is the fastest growing outdoor recreational hobby in the U.S. today. More than 70 field trips are offered throughout the 4-day event, many led by nationally recognized and local experts. From the basics to the expert, there are classes and trips that will fit anyone's skills. There are also geology trips, butterfly and plant walks, photography, an exhibit hall and an opportunity to shop at a variety of vendors during the event. Dead Horse Ranch State Park is the base camp for this event and offers camping facilities, fishing and other amenities for families and individuals.
The Mission of the Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival is to provide a unique recreational experience to anyone interested in the natural world and to foster awareness of the importance of habitat for the enrichment of all life in the Verde Valley. Registration for this event is required. Learn more at the official Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival website.
September 2009: Verde River Days
The activities during Verde River Days promote preservation and care of the environment by showcasing informative exhibits on the Verde's riparian habitat. Some of the day's events include environmental exhibits, hands-on-activities, fishing, canoeing, and live entertainment. The Verde River Days celebration begins at 10 am on Saturday and brings together 40-plus nature-based exhibits, sandcastle building, a menagerie of live animals, non-stop activities from canoe rides (with or without assistance), to nature hikes, as well as continuous entertainment and local food vendors. Guests of all ages are welcome to fish in the lagoon that is loaded with hundreds of pounds of catfish.
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- Alamo Lake
- Buckskin Mountain
- Cattail Cove
- Lake Havasu
- River Island
- Yuma Quartermaster Depot
- Yuma Territorial Prison
Northern Region
- Dead Horse Ranch
- Fort Verde
- Homolovi
- Jerome
- Red Rock
- Riordan Mansion
- Slide Rock
- Verde River Greenway
Eastern Region
- Boyce Thompson Arboretum
- Catalina
- Fool Hollow Lake
- Lost Dutchman
- Lyman Lake
- McFarland
- Oracle
- Tonto Natural Bridge
Southern Region
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