PHOENIX – Kartchner Caverns State Park in Benson, Ariz. is hosting two fun family events this October celebrating the park and all its amazing features. Start on October 5 with a Star Party, then come for Bat Fest on October 19.

As an International Dark Sky Park, Kartchner Caverns is the perfect spot to showcase planets, stars and star clusters, nebulae, and other wonders to be seen in the dark night sky. Volunteers from the Huachuca Astronomy Club will be setting up telescopes and sharing their vast knowledge with visitors, giving you the chance to see the sky like never before. The Star Party will be held from 1-9 p.m., with a guest speaker from 5-6 p.m. Another Star Party will be held on November 2, 2024. 

Head back to the park on Saturday, October 19 for Bat Fest! Kartchner Caverns is home to more than 1,000 female cave myotis bats, who birth and raise their young in the park's Big Room from April-October. Arizona is home to 28 species of bats, and Kartchner Caverns staff monitors and tracks the health of its colony. Bat Fest will provide bat-themed fun and education, including presentations by experts about gardening for bats, how bats hear the world, and White-Nose Syndrome, a disease affecting bats in 40 states. Live bat ambassadors will be on site, and there will be arts and crafts for the kids. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Kartchner Caverns State Park is one of the gems of Arizona's southern region, with a beautiful campground for tents and RVs, comfy camping cabins, cave tours and the Discovery Center, hiking at the base of the stunning Whetstone Mountains, the incredible dark sky, and information about the incredible and often misunderstood creatures that make the park home - bats!

Connecting people to the outdoors and history of Arizona to build a lifetime of memories.

For information about the more than 30 Arizona state parks and natural areas, the trails and Off-Highway Vehicle programs and State Historic Preservation Office, call 1-877-MY-PARKS or visit AZStateParks.com.

PRESS CONTACT: Michelle Thompson at (480) 589-8877 - Email: pio@azstateparks.gov