Gateway Trailhead

Why are Lost Dog and Granite Mountain Trails So Different? Learn why Lost Dog Trails are so rocky and Granite Mountain trails are so much easier to walk on. Ever wonder how the rocks underfoot got there or why you see north to south mountain ranges in the Valley like Camelback, the McDowells, or South […]

Rattling on about Rattlers Learn about the species of rattlesnakes that live in the Sonoran Desert. Did you know? - That a rattlesnake can strike a distance of up to two-thirds of their body length? That they like to hide under bushes, rocks and debris that offer protection from predators? That they are an important […]

A Desert Time Machine Learn about the Pack Rats and their desert time machines. Ever wondered who lives in those piles of debris with cholla balls on top? The white-throated wood rat, aka the pack rat. This industrious little rodent has been collecting stuff and taking it home to nests for thousands of years. Join […]

Wildflower Season Find out about the many species of winter and spring wildflowers that grow in the Preserve. The old maxim “April showers bring May flowers” does not apply to the Sonoran Desert. In fact, April marks the beginning of our dry season, and by May, most of our wildflowers have already flowered and set […]

Big Cats in the Preserve Mountain Lions, also known in North America as the puma, cougar, catamount or panther live in the Preserve. They are almost never observed because they mainly roam from dusk to dawn. During the day these apex predators are masters of camouflage doing their very best to avoid humans. The Conservancy’s […]