Gateway to Windgate Pass Fitness Hike at Gateway Trailhead Head up to Windgate Pass and visit Inspiration Viewpoint. Along the way, you may see some wildflowers that only grow at higher elevations such as the Mariposa Lily. Elevation gain of 1,300 ft. Experienced hikers suggested. Location: Gateway Trailhead - 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy. Scottsdale, […]

Intermediate Ride at Fraesfield Trailhead Join us for a beautiful single-track ride from Fraesfield Trailhead. This is an intermediate skill level ride with some climbing and fun winding downhills. If there is a short technical section on a trail, there will always be a by-pass or you may walk it. We will make short stops […]

Bird Walk at Fraesfield Trailhead Join the expert to see some of our area’s full-time resident birds. It also gives us a chance to see spring migrants, for example: Wilson’s, Lucy’s, Townsend’s, or yellow warbler, or early-arriving summer residents white-winged dove, turkey vulture, or ash-throated flycatcher. Location: Fraesfield Trailhead - 13400 East Rio Verde Dr. […]

Heart of the North Bike Ride at Granite Mountain Trailhead Head up toward the Divide Trail. This is an intermediate skills and moderate cardio ride. Location: Granite Mountain Trailhead - 31402 N. 136th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85262 Skill level: Intermediate Distance: ~15 miles Time: ~3 hours Please, no road bikes, hybrids, folding bikes, or electric […]

Secrets of the Preserve Educational Ride at Brown's Ranch Trailhead Ready to discover more about what is in the Preserve, beside the excitement of a trail riding? This is the ride for you! Join our PastFinders stewards in exploring the Preserve's recent ranching history and the ancient way of life of the Native American in […]

Wildflower Educational Hike at Granite Mountain Trailhead Come celebrate spring in the desert and experience the Preserve dressed in its most beautiful colors. Join our knowledgeable stewards on this hike and discover the incredible variety of flowers in this area of the Preserve. Location: Granite Mountain Trailhead - 31402 N. 136th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85262 […]

Wildflower Educational Walk at Tom's Thumb Trailhead Come celebrate spring in the desert and experience the Preserve dressed in its most beautiful colors. Join us on this easy walk to discover the incredible variety of flowers in the spectacular Marcus Landslide Trail. Location: Tom’s Thumb Trailhead - 23015 N 128th St, Scottsdale, AZ, 85255 Skill […]

Balanced Rock, Chuckwagon, Whiskey Bottle, Turpentine Trails at Granite Mountain Trailhead This hike will take you to Balanced Rock along the very scenic south side of Granite Mountain. We will then hike to the Whiskey Bottle Trail and return via the Turpentine Trail. Experienced hikers suggested. Location: Granite Mountain Trailhead - 31402 N. 136th St., […]

Women's Bike Ride at Granite Mountain Trailhead This all women’s bike ride is an intermediate skills and vigorous cardio ride around the Granite Mountain Loop and beyond. This is a step up in intensity from the previous women’s ride. Location: Granite Mountain Trailhead - 31402 N. 136th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85262 Skill level: Intermediate Distance: […]

Phenology: Taking the Pulse of our Planet Educational Walk at Brown Ranch Trailhead Take an up-close look at the different phases of life of several plant species, learn why monitoring the timing of these life cycles is important, and how you can be a part of local and national climate change research. Location: Brown’s Ranch […]

CANCELLED- Whiskey Bottle, Turpentine and Black Hill Fitness Hike at Fraesfield Trailhead This hike has a moderate uphill portion on the north side of Fraesfield Mountain with nice views of Granite Mountain and beyond, but the remainder of the hike covers relatively level terrain. Location: Fraesfield Trailhead - 13400 East Rio Verde Dr. Scottsdale, AZ […]

Walk with Natural Resources Coordinator at Tom’s Thumb Trailhead Join us on an easy walk with a City of Scottsdale Natural Resources Coordinator as various pertinent topics are discussed during the walk in the desert. The material will depend on the season, animals, plants, and will cover whatever is happening in this wonderful environment. Location: […]

Hunter/Gatherers Educational Hike at Lost Dog Wash Trailhead Join our expert archaeologist as we explore the challenges of the Archaic hunter and gatherer to survive and thrive in the Sonoran Desert of 2,000 years ago. See important desert flora and fauna, hunting sites and their importance to the survival of an Archaic band. Location: Lost […]

Easy Ride from Pima Dynamite Trailhead Join us for a beautiful single-track ride from Pima Dynamite. This is an intermediate skill level ride with some climbing and fun winding downhills. If there is a short technical section on a trail, there will always be a by-pass or you may walk it. We will make short […]

Desert 101 Educational Walk at Gateway Trailhead The Conservancy has a mission to help sustain the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This walk provides a geological and ecological overview of what lives in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, and how the flora and fauna survive and thrive. Location: Gateway Trailhead - 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy. Scottsdale, AZ […]

Hawknest/Axle Grease Ride at Pima Dynamite Trailhead Join us on this ride up Axle Grease to West Express, Hawknest, and Basalt Ridge, ending with an exciting flowy downhill on Hawknest back to the trailhead. This is an intermediate technical skills and moderate cardio ride. Location: Pima Dynamite Trailhead - 28777 N Pima Rd. Scottsdale, AZ […]

Lecture- Expelled: The Story of the Burning of the Annie White Homestead at Mustang Library or Virtual In August of 1880, troops from Fort McDowell destroyed the homestead of Annie and Patrick White. The homestead was located north of the Fort McDowell military reservation and directly east of Rio Verde. Neither Annie nor Patrick White, […]

Wildflower Educational Hike at Tom's Thumb Trailhead Come celebrate spring in the desert and experience the Preserve dressed in its most beautiful colors. Join our knowledgeable stewards on this hike and discover the incredible variety of flowers in this area of the Preserve. Location: Tom’s Thumb Trailhead - 23015 N 128th St, Scottsdale, AZ, 85255 […]

Geology Educational Ride at Brown's Ranch Trailhead When, how, and why did all those different rocks get into the Preserve? How about our own earthquake fault? This is an intermediate skills and moderate cardio ride that will take us through the various geological formations of the area. Get the big picture on a bike. Location: […]

The Hidden Desert Educational Walk at Fraesfield Trailhead Walking through the desert gives you half the story. There is a hidden world of nocturnal critters. If you look carefully, you can see the evidence of their middens, burrows, and holes. What else is concealed around you? Let us unlock those mysteries on the Camino Campana […]