The park is under Stage 2 fire restrictions. No wood or charcoal fires, propane stoves for cooking only, and smoking in an enclosed vehicle only.
Please see our Cave Tours page for information on how to prepare for your visit.
Desert Dialogues: Industrious Insects — Exploring Entomology of Southern Arizona
Kartchner Caverns State Park
Saturday, June 7, 2025 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Join Kartchner Caverns State Park for a talk on insects of southern Arizona. "Industrious Insects" Exploring Entomology" is the latest in Kartchner Caverns State Parks' Desert Dialogues educational series, presenting expert speakers on issues surrounding the park's ecosystem.
This presentation will be held in the Tenen–Tufts Theater. See the session topics and speakers below. The program is free but standard park entrance fees apply.
10 a.m. - Blasting Off: Exploring Gregarious Riparian Beetles with Explosive Defensive Chemistry, presented by Raine Ikagawa and Alex Lombard at the University of Arizona
11 a.m. - Cave Arthropods presented by Bob Pape, Research Associate at the University of Arizona, Department of Entomology
Noon - The Sonoran Desert: A Global Bee Diversity Hotspot, presented by Tanner Bland, MS Student at the University of Arizona, Department of Entomology
1-4 p.m. - More speakers to be announced
MORE EVENTS
-
Tuesdays, June 3, 10, 17, 24, 2025
Pollinators: Our Unsung Heroes
Kartchner Caverns State Park welcomes City of Benson Summer Camp kids for a weekly educational series on pollinators. Registration required.
-
June 16-22, 2025
Pollinator Week at Kartchner Caverns
Join Kartchner Caverns State Park to celebrate Pollinator Week, June 16-22! Each day, we'll have fun activities you can participate in that help you learn more, appreciate, and support our pollinators.
-
Monthly (April - September)
Bat Walk
Kartchner Caverns invites you to join us for a nighttime walk in the park to learn about bats! Guests will see and hear bats interacting within their natural environment while learning about the diversity of these awesome flying mammals. Registration required.
-
FULL - STAY TUNED FOR 2026 DATES
Lint Camp
Get involved with conservation work at Kartchner Caverns with this public volunteer opportunity held four times annually. The program involves gently brushing lint off of curbs and rocks near the trail system.
