McDowell Sonoran Conservancy

Lifecycle of the Saguaro - Educational Walk
2025-12-11 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Phoenix) | Brown’s Ranch Trailhead, 30301 N. Alma School Road, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, 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.
Restrooms and water available at the trailhead. Bring water and snacks for the trail. No dogs please. Arrive 15 minutes before start of walk.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Hunter/Gatherers - Educational Walk
2025-12-13 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Phoenix) | Lost Dog Wash Trailhead, 12601 N. 124th Street, Scottsdale, AZ, 85259, 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 Moderate hike covers 3 miles over about 2.5 hours with some elevation gain.
Restrooms and water available at the trailhead. Bring water and snacks for the trail. No dogs please. Arrive 15 minutes before start of hike.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Introduction To Mountain Biking: Session 2
2025-12-13 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Phoenix) | Pima Dynamite Trailhead, 28777 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, 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, shifting, and body positioning across varied terrain, and show increased confidence when tackling obstacles and technical features. Emphasizing trail etiquette and safe group riding, the program aspires to boost participants’ sense of accomplishment and encourage their continued enthusiasm for riding.
A bike with wide knobby tires is required. Please, no road bikes, hybrids, or folding bikes. Please check the working order of your bike before you leave home. Helmets required. Bring water and snacks for the trail. Restrooms available at the trailhead. Arrive 15 minutes before start of ride.
No electric assist bikes. To inquire about an accommodation from the City of Scottsdale, please call 480-312-4444.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Tom's Thumb Lookouts Hike
2025-12-13 09:00 - 12:30 (America/Phoenix) | Tom’s Thumb Trailhead, 23015 N 128th St., Scottsdale, AZ, 85255, 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 the west and south valley. We will head back up the trail and take the Lookout trail ½ mile to the Lookout at 3,858 feet elevation and view the east valley. From there we will head up to Tom’s Thumb with its views in many directions. Due to the elevation gains, this hike is suggested for Experienced hikers.
Restrooms are available at the trailhead but no water. Bring plenty of water and snacks for the trail. Arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the hike.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Desert Discovery Ride
2025-12-14 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Phoenix) | Fraesfield Trailhead, 13400 East Rio Verde Drive, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, 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 area, variations in the land, cacti and succulents you see, as well as other routes you could explore when you next venture out.
A bike with wide knobby tires is required. Please, no road bikes, hybrids, or folding bikes. Please check the working order of your bike before you leave home. Helmets required. Bring water and snacks. Restrooms available at the trailhead. Arrive 15 minutes before start of ride.
No electric assist bikes. To inquire about an accommodation from the City of Scottsdale, please call 480-312-4444.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Axle Grease, West Express, Hawknest Trails Hike
2025-12-16 10:00 - 14:30 (America/Phoenix) | Pima Dynamite Trailhead, 28777 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, United States
Axle Grease, West Express, Hawknest Hike at Pima Dynamite Trailhead.
This is a Very Difficult hike due to its 8.2 miles and 250 ft. elevation gain over about 4.5 hours and covers rolling terrain. Explore these impressive trails with nice saguaro views and granite formations. Experienced hikers suggested.
Plan to arrive 15 minutes before start of hike. Restrooms and water are available at the trailhead. Bring water, snacks and even a lunch for the trail. No dogs please.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Noteworthy & Notorious Arizonans - Educational Walk
2025-12-17 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Phoenix) | Fraesfield Trailhead, 13400 East Rio Verde Drive, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, United States
Noteworthy and Notorious Arizonans Educational Hike at Fraesfield Trailhead.
Join a former City of Scottsdale archeologist for an easy hike of discovery and hear tales – some taller than others – of some of our lesser known Arizona heroes, heroines and villains. Not so notables include a woman prospector (The Miner’s Angel), Arizona Rangers, a lady bandit, a local ranch foreman, a woman freed from Mohave captivity, and a southwestern-modern architect (think City Hall). 3 miles over about 2.5 hours.
Restrooms are available at the trailhead but no water. Bring water and snacks for the trail. No dogs please. Arrive 15 minutes before start of hike.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

A Meditation Walk
2025-12-18 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Phoenix) | Brown’s Ranch Trailhead, 30301 N. Alma School Road, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, United States
A Meditation Walk at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead.
Step away from the day to day and discover inner peace as you immerse yourself in the beauty and power of the Sonoran Desert on a mindful ½ mile journey on the gentle and beautiful Jane Rau Trail.
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to start of the walk. Restrooms and water at the trailhead. Please bring water and snacks for the trail. No dogs, please.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

True Grit - Educational Walk
2025-12-20 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Phoenix) | Fraesfield Trailhead, 13400 East Rio Verde Drive, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, United States
True Grit at Fraesfield Trailhead.
Join us on a leisurely one mile, two hour walk and we will talk about what life was like for women who settled in the McDowells in the 19th and early 20th centuries making their lives with the military, working the land, ranching and in the office.
Restrooms are available at the trailhead but no water. Please bring water and plan to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the walk. No dogs please.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Introduction to Mountain Biking: Session 3 - Graduation Ride
2025-12-20 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Phoenix) | Pima Dynamite Trailhead, 28777 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, United States
Introduction to Mountain Biking: Session 3 – Graduation Ride at Pima Dynamite Trailhead.
This 10 to 12-mile ride from Pima Dynamite is for people who have completed the Introduction to Mountain Biking Sessions 1 & 2. This is an instructional ride to practice the skills taught with instruction at various points on the ride.
A bike with wide knobby tires is required. Please, no road bikes, hybrids, or folding bikes. Please check the working order of your bike before you leave home. Helmets required. Bring water and snacks for the trail. Restrooms available at the trailhead. Arrive 15 minutes before start of ride.
No electric assist bikes. To inquire about an accommodation from the City of Scottsdale, please call 480-312-4444.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Mistletoe and Holly - Educational Hike
2025-12-21 10:00 - 12:30 (America/Phoenix) | Brown’s Ranch Trailhead, 30301 N. Alma School Road, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, United States
Mistletoe and Holly Educational Hike at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead.
What do desert plants and animals have to do with the holidays? Join us on an easy hike and discover the hidden, festive desert connections. 3 miles over about 2.5 hours with minimal elevation gain.
Restrooms and water available at the trailhead. Bring water and snacks for the trail. No dogs please. Arrive 15 minutes before start of hike.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Cathedral Rock, Amphitheater, Cholla Mountain Hike
2025-12-21 10:00 - 13:30 (America/Phoenix) | Brown’s Ranch Trailhead, 30301 N. Alma School Road, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, United States
Cathedral Rock, Amphitheater, Cholla Loop Hike at Brown’s Ranch.
This Difficult hike will take us to several of the iconic granite formations in the preserve. 7.5 miles, 280 ft. elevation gain in about 3.5 hours. Experienced hikers suggested.
Restrooms and water available at the trailhead. Bring water and snacks for the trail. No dogs please. Arrive 15 minutes before start of hike.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Christmas Day Hike
2025-12-25 10:00 - 12:30 (America/Phoenix) | Gateway Trailhead, 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale, AZ, 85255, United States
Christmas Day Hike at Gateway Trailhead.
Embrace the spirit of the holiday on this picturesque hike on the Gateway Loop that will take you into the heart of the McDowells. This is a moderate hike of 4.5 miles in about 2.5 hours with significant elevation gain of 700 ft.
Restrooms and water available at the trailhead. Bring water and snacks for the trail. No dogs please. Arrive 15 minutes before start of hike.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Sonoran Desert 101 - Educational Walk
2025-12-27 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Phoenix) | Brown’s Ranch Trailhead, 30301 N. Alma School Road, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, United States
Sonoran Desert 101 at Brown’s Ranch 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 of walk.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Ride to the Crested Saguaros and Lifecycle of Saguaros
2025-12-28 09:00 - 11:30 (America/Phoenix) | Pima Dynamite Trailhead, 28777 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, United States
Ride to the Crested Saguaros and Lifecycle of the Saguaro (Int.) from Pima Dynamite Trailhead.
Ever noticed the Crested Saguaros in the preserve? Come ride with us to see a large number scattered throughout the north. This 2.5 hour ride will cover 10 miles and is rated Advanced Skill and Vigorous Cardio.
A bike with wide knobby tires is required. Please, no road bikes, hybrids, or folding bikes. Please check the working order of your bike before you leave home. Helmets required. Bring water and snacks. There are restrooms at the trailhead. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to start.
No electric assist bikes. To inquire about an accommodation from the City of Scottsdale, please call 480-312-4444.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Hawknest, Basalt Ridge, Cone Mountain, Latigo Hike
2025-12-30 10:00 - 14:30 (America/Phoenix) | Pima Dynamite Trailhead, 28777 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262, United States
Hawknest, Basalt Ridge, Cone Mt., Latigo Trails at Pima Dynamite Trailhead.
This Very Difficult hike due to its elevation gain of 322 feet and 9.7 miles over about 4.5 hours covers some rolling hills for Experienced hikers. Explore these impressive trails with nice views and granite formations.
Restrooms and water available at the trailhead. Bring water, snacks and even a lunch for the trail. No dogs please. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before start of hike.
Space is limited! Please save your spot with the RSVP below.

Conservancy Women Test
2026-01-01 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Phoenix) | AZ
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Lecture - Linking Plants, Pollinators and You (at Mustang Library)
2026-01-10 14:30 - 16:00 (America/Phoenix) | Scottsdale Public Library – Mustang Library, 10101 N. 90th Street, Scottsdale, AZ, 85260, United States
Linking Plants, Pollinators and You
Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 2:30 pm to 4 pm
Location: Mustang Library, 10101 N 90th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
We will explore the dynamic and varied world of Sonoran Desert Pollinators who coexist with us in every season and landscape. These pollinators, while offering our desert great beauty, also serve an important role in keeping the Sonoran Desert healthy. We will discuss the birds and the bees and cover other desert pollinators including butterflies, beetles, flies, and bats. Importantly, you will learn what you can do to improve and sustain pollinator habitats at home with native plants and seeds.
Dr. John Weser is the Life Sciences Department Chair and Executive Director and cofounder of the Center for Native & Urban Wildlife at Scottsdale Community College (SCC). He received his Ph.D. in Biology from Arizona State University with an emphasis in Behavioral Ecology. Dr. Weser is involved in desert habitat restoration including enhancing pollinator habitats in natural and urban environments. He has partnered with the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy since 1999 in a range of programs including restoration and bird and butterfly monitoring. Dr. Weser is also involved with the Southwest Monarch Study monarch tagging project along with studying SCC’s desert burrowing owls and native solitary bees.
RSVP below to let us know you are coming!

Sonoran Sundays - Mammals of the Sonoran Desert (Guest Presenter: Maricopa Parks and Recreation)
2026-01-18 15:00 - 16:00 UTC | Gateway Trailhead, 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale, AZ, 85255, United States
Sonoran Sundays – Mammals of the Sonoran Desert (Guest Presenter: Maricopa Parks and Recreation)
Want to learn more about the Sonoran Desert’s amazing mammals? Would you like some tips to increase your chances of seeing wildlife while hiking? Then you’re going to want to join Ranger Kevin of Maricopa Parks and Recreation for a closer look at our native mammals. Whether it’s the diminutive Kangaroo Rat, the elusive Mountain Lion, or the majestic Desert Bighorn Sheep, we’ll look at some ways mammals manage not just to survive, but to thrive in the desert. We’ll also have a variety of skulls, bones, pelts and more to examine up close.

Lecture - Poisonous and Venomous Animals of Arizona
2026-02-14 14:30 - 16:00 (America/Phoenix) | Scottsdale Public Library – Mustang Library, 10101 N. 90th Street, Scottsdale, AZ, 85260, United States
Poisonous and Venomous Animals of Arizona
Saturday, February 14, 2026, 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Mustang Library, 10101 N 90th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Arizona is home to a diverse array of poisonous and venomous creatures. More species of venomous reptiles are found here than in any other U.S. state. Many of these are little more than a painful inconvenience while the bite or sting of others can be a life-threatening event. Learn about these misunderstood animals and the actual threat they present.
Randy Babb is a biologist and an Arizona native. He is currently employed by Arizona Game and Fish Department. He has worked on numerous studies and projects in Arizona, New Mexico, southeastern U.S., Mexico, Central America, Vietnam, and southern Africa on small mammals, fish, reptiles and amphibians. He was installed in the Arizona Wildlife Hall of Fame in 2021. Has over 31 publications including “Reptiles and Amphibians of the Sonoran Desert” and “Snakes of Southeast Arizona.”
RSVP below to let us know you are coming!

Sonoran Sundays - Arizona Birds (Guest Presenter: Arizona Game & Fish)
2026-02-22 15:00 - 16:00 UTC | Gateway Trailhead, 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale, AZ, 85255, United States
Arizona Birds (Guest Presenter: Arizona Game & Fish)
Arizona Birds is a program that educates the public about the various raptors that can be found here, whether as permanent residents or migrating through the state. The program focuses on their natural history and best places to find them in the wild. Nancy Kreuder, Wildlife Education Outreach Coordinator Arizona Game and Fish Department will be bring live raptors to help you learn more about some of the most commonly spotted birds.

Sonoran Sundays - The World of Arthropods
2026-03-08 15:00 - 16:00 UTC | Gateway Trailhead, 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale, AZ, 85255, United States
The World of Arthropods in the Sonoran Desert
Did you know that 84% of all animal species are Arthropods and they have a major role in maintaining ecosystems as pollinators, recyclers of nutrients, scavengers and food for other animals? Join Conservancy Steward Rich Cochran, an expert on arthropods, for an in-depth talk on some of the fascinating insects and arachnids that inhabit our Sonoran Desert. He will provide an up-close look at some fun and interesting species from his vast collection, including a Tarantula Wasp, a Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion, and more.

Lecture - Bird Migrations: Nature’s Intricately Timed Dance
2026-03-14 14:30 - 16:00 (America/Phoenix) | Scottsdale Public Library – Mustang Library, 10101 N. 90th Street, Scottsdale, AZ, 85260, United States
Bird Migrations – Nature’s Intricately Timed Dance
Saturday, March 14, 2026, 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Mustang Library, 10101 N 90th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
While we enjoy the cheerful presence of local birds at our feeders, each season brings surprise visitors—migratory birds that seem to arrive out of thin air. But their journeys are anything but
random. Discover how these incredible travelers time their arrivals and the places they call home.
Arizona is a birdwatcher’s paradise, with over 300 species recorded statewide, and nearly 190 documented in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve alone. Learn about our local and migratory birds, their unique habitats, and what they eat—straight from an expert in the field.
Join Rick Pearce, McDowell Sonoran Conservancy Steward, for an immersive exploration of our local birds. Rick is an avid birder with years of experience leading bird walks for the Conservancy, along with scientific surveys and bird counts in partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon. His passion and knowledge will bring the fascinating world of local birds to life.
RSVP below to let us know you are coming!
