Name: Desert Discovery Ride
Start: 2025-12-14T09:00:00-07:00
End: 2025-12-14T12:00:00-07:00
Location: Fraesfield Trailhead

December 2025
December 6 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Sonoran Desert 101 – Educational Walk

Tom's Thumb Trailhead 23015 N 128th St., Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Sonoran Desert 101 at Tom's Thumb Trailhead. 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. Restrooms and water are available at the trailhead. Please bring water and snacks for the trail. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before start […]

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December 6 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Secrets of the Preserve – Educational Walk

Fraesfield Trailhead 13400 East Rio Verde Drive, Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Secrets of the Preserve Educational Walk at Fraesfield Trailhead. Ready to discover more about what is in the Preserve? Join us to explore the Preserve’s hidden treasures, from the plants and animals to the recent and ancient history in a stunning geological setting. There are restrooms available at the trailhead but no water. Bring water, […]

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December 6 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Introduction To Mountain Biking: Session 1

Pima Dynamite Trailhead 28777 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Introduction to Mountain Biking: Session 1 (Beg.) at Pima Dynamite Trailhead. This program is designed to introduce participants to mountain biking by building foundational riding skills and confidence in a safe, supportive setting. It emphasizes the importance of proper bike setup, safety checks, and trail etiquette, while fostering an appreciation for outdoor activity and responsible […]

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December 7 @ 9:00 am - 12:30 pm

Secrets of the Preserve – Educational Ride

Brown's Ranch Trailhead 30301 N. Alma School Road, Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Secrets of the Preserve Educational Ride (Int.) from Brown’s Ranch Trailhead. Ready to discover more about what is in the Preserve, besides the excitement of trail riding? This is the ride for you! Join our archeological stewards in exploring the Preserve's recent ranching history and the ancient way of life of the Native American in […]

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December 7 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Sonoran Sundays – Sonoran Sparing: Desert Birds of Prey (Guest Presenter: Wild at Heart)

Gateway Trailhead 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Sonoran Sparing: Desert Birds of Prey (Guest Presenter: Wild at Heart) Enjoy an up-close meeting with native birds of prey by Wild at Heart, a local raptor rescue, rehabilitation and release center for these kinds of bird. Learn why these remarkable birds are rescued, how they can be rehabilitated and released back into the wild, […]
December 9 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Gateway to Inspiration Point Hike

Gateway Trailhead 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Gateway to Inspiration Point at Gateway Trailhead. This Moderate hike has above average elevation gains and will be geared for those that do not frequently do elevation hikes. For this 6-mile hike with about 750 feet of elevation gain up to the Point, we plan on taking 2.5 to 3 hours with frequent stops and […]

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December 10 @ 9:00 am - 11:30 am

Brown’s Ranch Homestead – Educational Hike

Brown's Ranch Trailhead 30301 N. Alma School Road, Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Brown’s Ranch Interpretative Trail Hike at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead. Before the Preserve was a reality, part of this land was a ranch, the historic Brown’s Ranch. Join us to explore this historical place, full of memories of a different way of life and hear the stories of the people who lived here not long ago. […]

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December 11 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Lifecycle of the Saguaro – Educational Walk

Brown's Ranch Trailhead 30301 N. Alma School Road, Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Lifecycle of the Saguaro Educational Walk at Brown's Ranch Trailhead. Native only to the Sonoran Desert, these giant cacti are a sight to see! Join us to follow the growth of a saguaro from seed to skeleton and view multi-armed, old Saguaros. This easy walk covers 0.5 miles in about 2 hours over easy paths. […]

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December 13 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Hunter/Gatherers – Educational Walk

Lost Dog Wash Trailhead 12601 N. 124th Street, Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Hunters and Gatherers Educational Hike from Lost Dog 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. This […]

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December 13 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Introduction To Mountain Biking: Session 2

Pima Dynamite Trailhead 28777 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Introduction to Mountain Biking: Session 2 at Pima Dynamite Trailhead. This program is aimed at helping riders build confidence and control across beginner-level terrain, reinforcing foundational skills while introducing essential techniques for handling small obstacles, climbs, descents, and corners. By the end, riders are expected to demonstrate improved balance, control, and maneuverability, effectively apply braking, […]

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December 13 @ 9:00 am - 12:30 pm

Tom’s Thumb Lookouts Hike

Tom's Thumb Trailhead 23015 N 128th St., Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Tom's Thumb Lookouts Hike at Tom's Thumb Trailhead. This Very Difficult hike starts at the Tom Thumb Trailhead and travels 6.6 miles with a net elevation gain of around 1,600 feet over 3 to 3½ hours. We will initially head up the Tom's Thumb Trail to the TT9 location and have a great view of […]

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December 14 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Desert Discovery Ride

Fraesfield Trailhead 13400 East Rio Verde Drive, Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Desert Discovery Ride at Fraesfield Trailhead. This intermediate ride gives access to the splendid sights behind Granite and Cholla Mountains - over 3 hours, we'll take in four distinctly different, yet spectacular views of the Preserve, with accompanying variations in flora and fauna. At times, we'll be stopping to talk about the history of the […]

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Sonoran Desert 101 – Educational Walk

Secrets of the Preserve – Educational Walk

Introduction To Mountain Biking: Session 1

Sonoran Sundays – Sonoran Sparing: Desert Birds of Prey (Guest Presenter: Wild at Heart)

Brown’s Ranch Homestead – Educational Hike

Lifecycle of the Saguaro – Educational Walk

Hunter/Gatherers – Educational Walk

Introduction To Mountain Biking: Session 2

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