Mountain Bike Skills Clinic at Fraesfield Trailhead  New to mountain biking? Looking to refresh your skills, improve your technique, enhance safety awareness and increase your overall enjoyment on the trails? Then come prepared with a mountain bike with knobby tires, helmet, water, and snacks. We begin with a demonstration and presentation by experienced riders covering […]

Desert Park to Gateway Loop Fitness Hike at Gateway Trailhead. This Difficult hike will travel through the Silverleaf community, the Windgate Trail and then a short, steep climb to the Gateway Saddle with its great views. 6.8 miles with elevation gain of 700 ft over about 3.5 hours. For experienced hikers. Bathrooms available at the […]

Stop by the Trailside Naturalist station at the Gateway Trailhead between 9-11 A.M. to learn about the various reptiles of the Sonoran Desert, their unique behavior, eating habits, and benefit to the ecosystem.

Veterans Day Hike at Lost Dog Trailhead To honor our Veterans, a Moderate loop on gently rolling terrain is planned. We will hold a special ceremony at the trailhead at the end of the hike. Join Len Marcisz for 3 miles over about 2.5 hours with elevation gain of about 250 ft. Bathrooms are available […]

Vaquero, Whiskey Bottle & Latigo Fitness Hike at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead  This hike on three picturesque trails will take you to a crested saguaro and then continue through a diverse landscape. Moderate hike of 5 miles for about 2.5 hours. Bathrooms available at the trailhead. Bring water and snacks for the trail. No dogs please. […]

Ride from Granite Mountain Trailhead  Come on out and join a ride with us from Granite Mountain . We’ll ride through Coyote Canyon with beautiful swooping terrain and views you may never have known were there.   See how you can connect these trails and others together to enjoy a completely awesome ride!  We will […]

Lost Dog to Andrews-Kinsey Trail Fitness Hike at Lost Dog Trailhead  This is a Very Difficult Hike for experienced hikers because it will climb 1,200 ft. to a saddle and then continue on the Andrews-Kinsey Trail to a spectacular view overlooking the Fountain Hills Preserve. Distance: 7.8 miles. Duration: about 5 hours. Bathrooms available at […]

Join us in the celebration of the Grand Opening of the new Pima/Dynamite Trailhead by enjoying a hike to see the nearby majestic crested saguaro "up close and personal."  This short 2.5 mile, 1 hour hike will also afford opportunities for other scenic views this trailhead has in abundance:  stately saguaros, majestic boulder formations and […]

Bird Walk at Granite Mountain Trailhead Join Kathe Anderson and Rick Pearce on this 2 hour walk for a good chance to see some of our year-round bird residents such as: cactus wren, gila woodpecker, ladder-backed woodpecker, Harris’s hawk, Verdin or Say’s Phoebe - as well as some seasonal arrivals. Bathrooms at trailhead. Bring water […]

Nature as Therapy Walk at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead  Lost your mojo?  Not as creative as you used to be?  Do you have a feeling of malaise?  Join Toni Vallee and Katy Lindberg on a 1.5 hour easy walk where we provide tools and a prescription to help you use nature to improve your happiness, creativity […]

Come join Yvonne Massman for a fun and informative presentation as she gives us “the scoop on poop” and an exploration of animal skulls found in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. You’ll learn to identify various types of scat and discover key differences in the skulls of predators versus prey.

Hike with Natural Resources Coordinator at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead  Spend about 2 hours on an easy hike with John Loleit, the Natural Resources Coordinator, as he discusses various pertinent topics while hiking in the desert.  The material will depend on the season, animals, plants, and will cover whatever is happening in this wonderful environment.  Bathrooms […]

Granite Mountain Trailhead to Hawknest Trail Fitness This Very Difficult hike will travel 11 miles over about 5-6 hours from the trailhead to the Preserve’s border with the Tonto National Forest and back. Bring plenty of water and snacks or even a trail-appropriate lunch. Experienced hikers suggested. Bathrooms available at the trailhead. No dogs please.  […]

Women’s Bike Ride from Granite Mountain Trailhead.  This all woman’s bike ride is a Intermediate Skill level ride and Vigorous Cardio around the Granite mountain loop and beyond.   This is again a step up in intensity from the previous Woman’s Ride.   It is a “No Drop” ride meaning no one will be left behind.  Plan […]

Arthropod Educational Walk at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead  Spiders, scorpions, bugs!  6 legged, 8 legged, and many legged!  About 84% of all animal species are arthropods. Join Dr. Rich Cochran on an easy 2 hour walk to discover the fascinating and diverse world of Arthropods and their role in the ecology of the Sonoran Desert.  Bathrooms […]

Bike Ride with Natural Resources Coordinator at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead.  Ride to some great places with John Loleit as he discusses the wonders of the desert preserve. This Beginner+ Skills and Moderate Cardio ride will have numerous stops but still cover 6 miles in 2 hours.  Seeing it from a bike gives you a bigger […]

Missions, Massacres & Plagues Educational Hike at Fraesfield Trailhead. Moderate level hike. Revisit three hundred years of European-Native American contacts and conflicts, from Coronado to the Alamo (1540-1850). Join Don Meserve, expert Archaeologist and Historic Preservationist for about 3 hours covering 4 miles. Bathrooms available at the trailhead. Bring water and snacks for the trail. […]

Tom’s Thumb Trailhead to Lookout Mt. Fitness Hike This Very Difficult hike has a steep trail with amazing rock formations. For Experienced hikers.  5.8 miles including a 1,200 ft. elevation gain over about 3.5 hours. Bathrooms available at the trailhead. Bring water and snacks for the trail. No dogs please.  Arrive 15 minutes before start […]

Sensing the Desert Family Educational Hike at Gateway Trailhead  What do you see?  Can you smell that?  Did you hear something?  Use your senses to make the desert come alive on this fun and active Family Hike.  Be ready to really experience so much of what the desert has to offer.  Allow 1 1/2 to […]

Quartz Trail from Lost Dog Trailhead Fitness Hike  This Very Difficult hike will visit the quartz formation that can be seen for miles all over Scottsdale. The hike covers 9 miles in about 5 hours with significant elevation gains on rocky trails. Experienced hikers suggested. Bathrooms available at the trailhead. Bring water, snacks and even […]

More Pie Please Fitness Hike at Lost Dog Trailhead  Join Steve Dodd on this Moderate hike to burn off some calories with family and friends and you won’t feel a bit guilty about having that second piece of pie!  2.5 miles over about 1.5 hours and some ups and downs. Bathrooms available at the trailhead. […]

Bike the South from Lost Dog Wash Trailhead Come ride the southern preserve trails.  This is an Advanced Skill and Vigorous Cardio level ride of about 15 miles in 2.5 – 3 hours. We will ride over Taliesin Overlook to the Levee loop and possibly up the Quartz trail.  This is a good ride to […]