UPCOMING ACTIVITIES AT AGUA CALIENTE PARK

Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Activities Announcements for additional events and detail (includes other Natural Resources Parks/Events):

NATURAL WONDERS IN THE PARK (Agua Caliente Park Specific-includes a couple non-Agua Caliente Park)  - September 2009  (See Below for October 2009 Programs)

Wake Up with the Birds

What: Desert meets water at this unique crossroads for migratory and resident birds. Spot wetland birds, hummingbirds, songbirds and raptors nestled among the mesquites and palm trees. Binoculars are available for use or bring your own.
Date: Every Thursday (new day) in September
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, all ages welcome
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations not required.

Prickly Pear Workshop

What: Local ethnobotanist Martha Burgess will teach participants proper harvesting and processing methods for the tasty and abundant prickly pear fruit. Learn to make the juice and use it in a variety of recipes. Ages 12 and up. Reservations are required.
Date: Thursday, September 3
Time: 9:00 a.m. – noon
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: $20, ages 12 and up
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations required.

Star Party

What: Have you ever gazed up at the stars and wondered about the twinkling above or what mysterious heavenly bodies are hidden from view? Join us at a star party where we’ll have telescopes set up for celestial viewing. Bring your flashlight and a lawn chair. Reservations are required.            
Date: Friday, September 18
Time: 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Area, 1548 S. Kinney Road 1.5 miles south of Gates Pass Road or 3.8 miles north of Ajo Way.
Cost/Age: free, all ages welcome
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations required.

Being Neighbors With Monsters, Vipers and Toads

What: Herpetologist Ed Moll will discuss Arizona’s amazing reptiles and amphibians. Learn how to identify dangerous species and what to do if you or your pet encounters them. 
Date: Saturday, September 26
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, all ages welcome
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations not required.

NATURAL WONDERS IN THE PARK (Agua Caliente Park Specific-includes a couple non-Agua Caliente Park)  - October 2009  

Wake Up with the Birds

What: Desert meets water at this unique crossroads for migratory and resident birds. Spot wetland birds, hummingbirds, songbirds and raptors nestled among the mesquites and palm trees. Binoculars are available for use or bring your own.
Date: Every Thursday (new day) in October
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, all ages welcome
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations not required.

The Secret Lives of Bobcats and Mountain Lions

What: Wildlife ecologists Kathie Schroeder and Jessica Lamberton will give a digital slide presentation about Tucson area bobcats and mountain lions; how they affect our lives and how we affect theirs. Following the slide presentation there will be a chance to see a live bobcat.
Date: Saturday, October 3
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, all ages welcome
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations not required.

Sonoran Desert Kids Club: Nature Discovery Tools

What: Join us as we explore the diversity of wildlife at Agua Caliente Park through activities and tools included in our brand new nature packs. Each club member will receive a discovery guide with tips for more outdoor excursions in Pima County parks. Children ages 8-12. Reservations required.
Date: Saturday, October 10
Time: 9:30 a.m. – noon
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, children ages 8-12
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations required.

Nature Stories at Agua Caliente Park

What: Listening to stories is a wonderful way for children to learn about the natural world around them. Join us for a story reading at the park, followed by a craft activity. This program is a partnership between Pima County Natural Resources and Tucson Audubon Society.
When: Friday, October 9
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Ages: free, younger children and their parents
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations not required.

Historical Tour of Agua Caliente Park

What: Enjoy a guided tour of the historic buildings and landscape to understand how the year-round presence of water from the spring shaped the lives of people and how people shaped the land.
Date: Saturday, October 10
Time: 11:00 a.m. - noon
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, all ages welcome
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations not required.

Life in the Pond

What: The palm-lined ponds at Agua Caliente Park are more than just pretty sights. They are freshwater communities containing diverse life forms, from native ducks to exotic fish and turtles. Come and explore how the many pond species are interconnected, and how this desert oasis supports life that otherwise wouldn’t survive in the Sonoran Desert.
Date: Saturday, October 17
Time: 11:00 a.m. - noon
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, all ages welcome
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations not required.

Nature Stories at Agua Caliente Park

What: Listening to stories is a wonderful way for children to learn about the natural world around them. Join us for a story reading at the park, followed by a craft activity. This program is a partnership between Pima County Natural Resources and Tucson Audubon Society.
When: Friday, October 23
Time: 10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m.
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Ages: free, younger children and their parents
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations not required.

Outdoor Family Day: Go Batty!

What: Learn about the fascinating lives of bats while working as a team to net bat replicas, take measurements and look for other clues to identify the bats. Then the teams discuss the results and compare data from actual bat research in the Sonoran desert. Families with children ages 5-12. Reservations required.
Date: Saturday, October 24
Time: 10:00 a.m. - noon        
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, families with children ages 5-12
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]
Reservations required.

The Wonderful World of Bats

What: As the world’s only flying mammals, bats eat tons of mosquitoes, some prey on scorpions, and others drink nectar. Bats play very important roles in the environment, but their lives are shrouded in mystery and misunderstanding.
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, all ages
For more information contact: If you plan to attend, contact [email protected] or call 520-615-7855.
Reservations not required.

CULTURAL/HISTORIC LECTURE SERIES (Monthly):
The Lecture Series has concluded for the 2008-2009 season.  See you later this year for the next season (2009-2010). 

                                  

For information contact: Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation at (520) 615-7855, or email [email protected].  Volunteer-led activities are subject to change or cancellation.

Other Activities

Historic Ranch House Hours:  See below for Ranch House hours and Art Gallery Artists.  Phone:  749-3718 for actual hours or any questions. 

Audubon Nature Shop Hours:  Call for specific hours -- Phone: (520) 760-7881.

Ranch House Gallery Artists (2009)

Agua Caliente Park Ranch House Gallery

What: Abstractions and Landscapes, acrylic and oil paintings on canvas and paper by Joan Scott.
Date: August 7 – September 16
Agua Caliente Park Ranch House Hours: May – October: Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, all ages welcome
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]

Agua Caliente Park Ranch House Gallery

What: Out West with Michael Lundquist, includes wildlife, landscapes, skies, western scenes and more, both studio and plein air works in oils and watercolors.
Date:  September 18 – October 28, 2009
Agua Caliente Park Ranch House Hours: May – October: Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, all ages welcome
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]

Agua Caliente Park Ranch House Gallery

What: Visions of Abstraction and Realism, Vonda Watson-Bostick: Ceramics and photography and Gwen Sossong: Collage
Date: October 30 – December 9
Agua Caliente Park Ranch House Hours: November - April: Wednesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Where: Pima County Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Road
Cost/Age: free, all ages welcome
For more information contact: 520-615-7855 or [email protected]