Saguaro National Park News Release 19-25
August 2019
Contacts: Saguaro West - Richard Hill (520) 733-5158, 2700 N. Kinney Rd.
Saguaro East - Melanie Florez (520) 733-5151, 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail
Saguaro National Park August Program Schedule
Saguaro National Park is offering a variety of walks and talks that explore the park’s wonderful natural and cultural histories. Program listings also are available on the park’s website, www.nps.gov/sagu, or visit us on Facebook. Interpretive programs are free, but park entrance fees apply. Program schedules are subject to change; visitors should call the visitor centers for updates or reservations.
Naturalist Programs at Tucson Mountain District (West District), 2700 N. Kinney Rd.:
Programs are offered on most days in the morning at 10:15 and/or 11:15, and in the afternoon at 2:15 and/or 3:15 and last 30 to 45 minutes. Topics include mountain lions, lizards, coyotes, javelinas, kangaroo rats, insects, birds, survival strategies, the saguaro cactus, and other topics related to the desert. All programs are subject to change. Call the visitor center at (520) 733-5158 for updates the day of the program.
August 4, 11, 18, 25 3:15 p.m. Cooking With Prickly Pear Talk: 30 minutes
Learn how you can incorporate prickly pear into your diet. This program will show you how to collect and prepare prickly pear. Prepare for a sweet treat! Wheelchair accessible
Aug. 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, 31 11:15 a.m. Living With Giants Talk: 45 minutes
The saguaro celebrates events and faces challenges throughout its life. A biologist explains how it provides shelter and substance for wildlife; when it flowers; its growth patterns; and how it fights for survival against drought, lightning, frost, and other dangers. Wheelchair accessible
Aug. 14, 21 11:15 a.m. Creepy Crawlers: The Silent - Majority Talk: 30 minutes
Aug. 3, 7, 10, 17, 24, 31 2:15 p.m.
August 28 3:15 p.m.
Learn about some of our most feared and misunderstood arthropods who call this park home. Come discover how essential they are for our desert community and why we shouldn’t fear these mostly harmless creatures. Wheelchair accessible
Aug. 13, 27 11:15 a.m. Life Cycle of the Saguaro: Seed to Giant Talk: 45 minutes
Hear some astonishing reasons about why so few Saguaro seeds make it to fruition. Wheelchair accessible.
Aug. 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26 2:15 p.m. Marvelous Mimicry Talk: 30 minutes
Not all is as it appears… Come learn all about the optical illusion that is mimicry and adaptation, of which has helped shape some of the life in the Sonoran Desert! Wheelchair accessible.
August 7, 14, 21, 28 10:15 a.m. Mountain Lions: Beyond the Myth Talk: 45 minutes
Envision a puma stalking its prey, then uncover the true nature of this elusive but essential predator. Misunderstood, maligned, and nearly eradicated by settlers, the cougar remains threatened by human encroachment. Wheelchair accessible
Aug. 14, 28 2:15 p.m. Raptors! Talk: 30 minutes
Southern Arizona and the Sonoran Desert Region are renowned for the large variety of animal and plant species, especially birds, that can be found in the area. Among the most fascinating of those are the raptors, top predators of the avian world, who either live here year-round, or migrate through the area. Wheelchair accessible
Naturalist Programs at the Rincon Mountain District (East, 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail):
August 6, 13, 24, 31 2:00 p.m. When It Rains, It Pours!) Presentation
Learn about the unpredictable and violent North American monsoon season. With some luck, we’ll experience it too! Accessible Program
August 7, 14, 21, 28 9:30 a.m. Showers of Saguaros Presentation
The majestic Saguaro depends on the billions of tiny raindrops shed by the mighty summer monsoon storms for its long-term survival. Accessible Program
Aug. 10, 20, 27 10:00 a.m. Desert Botany 101 Presentation
Join a park naturalist for a stroll through our Cactus Garden and learn the basics of desert botany. Accessible Program
Aug. 10, 24 11:00 a.m. Meet the Saguaro Garden Walk.
Get to know the world’s most famous cactus - and learn its fascinating life story in this place where we “celebrate saguaros"! Accessible Program
Aug. 10, 17, 24, 31 1:00 p.m. The Point of the Matter is Cactus Presentation
Cacti are uniquely equipped to thrive in the desert environment and every year bloom with spectacular flowers. We will look at the ones in Saguaro NP using a stunning photo gallery and learn a few of their uses for those living here and beyond. Accessible Program
Aug. 11, 25, 31 11:00 a.m. Touring Arizona’s Parks Presentation
August 25 2:00 p.m.
Take a 20-minute picture tour of Arizona’s other scenic national park areas - there’s more variety than you think! We know you are traveling, so bring along your questions about your next stop. Accessible Program
August 15 6150 p.m. Full Moon Hike Guided Hike
Join a ranger on this 2.8 mile, 2.5 hour hike to see the full moon rise over the Rincon Mountains. Comfortable walking shoes, water and a flashlight are recommended. Reservations are required. Call the Visitor Center at (520) 733-5153.
Aug. 18, 29 11:00 a.m. Yesterday, Today and Saguaro Presentation
Climate change is coming to the National Parks. See what’s happening today, and learn about a specific threat to our Sonoran Desert and the saguaro cactus. Accessible Program
Both visitor centers are open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, except Christmas Day.
Red Hills Visitor Center (Saguaro WEST)
2700 North Kinney Road
Tucson, AZ 85743
(520) 733-5158
Rincon Mountain Visitor Center (Saguaro EAST)
3693 South Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730
(520) 733-5153
For more information about Saguaro National Park and some of its partners, Friends of Saguaro National Park, Western National Parks Association, and the Rincon Institute, visit these websites:
www.nps.gov/sagu www.wnpa.org
www.friendsofsaguaro.org www.rinconinstitute.org
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
