Join us for a really fun, eye-opening review of What’s in My Pack. Whether you're new to hiking or have had the same contents in your backpack for years, it's time to refresh. In addition, your introduction to desert safety will include an overview of CPR and hands-on use of an AED. This information can be life saving in the desert, at home, and in public spaces. You will also receive a link to a 20 minute video on our YouTube channel with basic first aid practices for hiking in desert conditions.

You'll learn from two professionals who have been managing first aid and saving lives in the Sonoran Desert - Yvonne Massman, Natural Resources Coordinator, McDowell Sonoran Preserve and Lori Stauffer, Public Information Officer, Community Relations, Scottsdale Fire Department.

Note: SCFH volunteers will find this useful, but not as in depth as the Desert First Aid classes offered exclusively for volunteers.

We have about a 1 hour drive to this trailhead where we will hike into the Superstition Mountains. This is a 3.5 mile round trip hike. Don't let the short distance fool you! It is a fairly steep and rocky trail and there will be a bit of scrambling at the end. The hike ends at a pool of water with walls lined with petroglyphs on the west side. Bring 2 liters of water and snacks. Wear sturdy boots. Hiking poles recommended. Please reimburse the driver for gas. No dogs, please. This hike is in an area that was temporarily closed by the Siphon Fire this summer. You will receive an email should this hike have to be changed or canceled.

The Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden presents a microcosm of the interesting geology of Fountain Hills. Dan Gruber will talk about the rocks in the garden, what they are, how they frame the stories they tell, and their importance to the ecosystem of Fountain Hills and the surrounding area. Wear shoes or boots with grippy soles. Hiking poles recommended. Bring a bottle of water and snacks. No dogs, please.

We will carpool to the Gateway Trailhead in the Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve for this 4.4 mile loop hike. This is a moderate hike that is similar in difficulty to the Dixie Mine hike. It is also a great introductory hike to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Bring 2 liters of water and snacks. Wear sturdy boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs, please.

Join Vicky Derksen on this first quarter moon evening to observe the night skies. You might see a planet or two and locate and identify constellations and their stars while Vicky recounts some myths and stories held by ancient cultures. After the hike, the Star Dudes will point their telescopes at deep space objects that can't be seen with the naked eye. Bring preregistered children age 8+, and wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe sturdy shoes. Bring water and hiking poles if needed. A red flashlight or headlamp is recommended to protect everyone's night vision. Be prepared to hike 2 miles on the Promenade Trail, a slightly rocky but relatively flat old jeep road. No dogs, please.

Vicky Derksen is the host of the Night Sky Tourist podcast and serves on the boards of the International Dark Sky Discovery Center and the Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association. You can find her online at nightskytourist.com.

Learn how to capture the unique beauty of water in the desert using your iPhone. Join Paul Stark and learn to work with light to capture what you see in the foreground and background to get better pictures with your phone. We will travel to a spot by Lake Saguaro. If you would like to experiment with taking time-lapse photographs, bring a tri-pod or small support for your phone. Bring a fully charged cell phone, water, and wear closed toed shoes and a hat. Parking on Tonto National Forest land requires each car have an America the Beautiful pass or day pass. For info contact www.FS.USDA.GOV. No dogs, please.

This moderate 5 mile hike will introduce you to some of the mountain bike trails near Usery Mountain Park. The trails are not usually busy with cyclists during the week so that's a perfect time to explore. The trails are mostly wide and sandy. We will, however, head off trail into a sandy wash for a short distance and then scramble up a steep hill to see an amazing double crested saguaro. If you are uncomfortable with scrambling, bring binoculars so you can view the crested saguaro from the wash. We will stop for a snack before returning the same way to the trailhead. Except for the scrambling, this hike is similar in difficulty to the Dixie Mine hike. Bring 2 liters of water and snacks. Wear sturdy boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs, please.

During this walk through the Fountain Hill Desert Botanical Garden, Bernie Finkel will introduce and explain how certain plants found in the Garden and elsewhere in the Sonoran Desert have been used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans. He will also touch on the history of medicinal plants and what makes a plant medicinal. Wear shoes or boots with grippy soles. Hiking poles recommended. Bring a bottle of water and snacks. No dogs please.

Join Nancy Whitton and Kaye Baumgartner for this 9 mile moderate paced but challenging hike in the Superstition Wilderness. We will have an early start since we have about an hour drive to the trailhead; the last portion is on a dirt road that can be rough. This is a very scenic loop hike which is roughly equivalent in difficulty to hiking round trip from the Golden Eagle Trailhead to the Adero Canyon Trailhead. Bring 3 liters of water, snacks and lunch. Wear sturdy boots. Hiking poles recommended. Please reimburse the driver for gas. No dogs, please. This hike is in an area that was temporarily closed by the Siphon Fire this summer. You will receive an email if this hike is changed or canceled.

Are you an early bird looking for an early morning hike that isn't too far, too fast, or too hard? Then this series of hikes is for you and perfect to introduce new hikers to the Preserve. Cathy Pepperd will again lead a nearby hike starting at sunrise. This hike will follow the Sonoran Trail to the first crossover to the Lower Sonoran for a 3.3 mile lollipop loop. Bring 2 liters of water and snacks. Wear sturdy boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs, please.

Looking to stretch your creative horizons? Join Jennifer Ramm, 1st place winner in this year's FH photography contest for the category of Digitally Altered Artistic Photography, as we explore how to turn your desert landscape photos into stunning works of art, worthy of hanging on your living room walls. We will use the free Prisma app on our iphones, ipads, or android phones to explore tips and techniques in this workshop format class.

Join Cheryl Piccirilli for a slower pace discovery hike of the Ridgeline trails in the Preserve. This loop hike is 4 miles and moderately difficult. Along the way we will be stopping as we see different types of plants and flowers for all to try to identify. Bring your phone and perhaps a small plant and flower book and we shall see what we can all learn. Bring 2 liters of water and snacks. Wear sturdy boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs, please.

While it’s uncommon to encounter a mule deer or bobcat on the trail, signs of these and other desert wildlife are all around us. You just need to know how and where to look! Join us as we search for signs left behind by animals and learn what the evidence reveals about their adaptations and behaviors. The short hike will be led by Lisa Miller, Naturalist and Master Steward, McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, and FH Dark Sky Association Board Member. Bring 1 liter of water, snacks and wear sturdy boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs please.

This is an 11 mile moderate-paced difficult hike. This challenging loop goes through both the McDowell Mountain Regional Park and the Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve. $2 entrance fee to the regional park. Bring 3 liters of water, snacks and lunch. Wear sturdy boots and hiking poles are recommended. No dogs, please.

Do you know we have a natural Desert Botanical Garden gem of an oasis in Fountain Hills? Established in 1975, the 8-acre site is located on Fountain Hills Blvd just north of Kingstree Blvd. Join us on this easy, 1-mile trail which winds through lichen-covered granite boulders to the historic P-Bar Ranch dam. With views of the McDowell Mountains, you’ll learn about the flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert. The introductory morning hike will also feature the history of the P-Bar ranch, up close sitings of unusual saguaros, and wildlife habitats. If you are interested in learning to identify plants and birds using iNaturalist and Merlin apps, download the free apps before coming to the Garden. Bring water, a snack, a hat, and binoculars if possible. Wear shoes or boots with grippy soles. Hiking poles recommended. Parking available on the westside of Fountain Hills Blvd as marked. No dogs, please.

This is a one-way 5 mile hike with considerable elevation gain from the Sunrise Trailhead to the Adero Canyon Trailhead. We will meet at the Adero Canyon Trailhead and carpool for a shuttle to the Sunrise Trailhead. The hike begins with a steady and strenuous climb to Sunrise Peak. The climb up to the peak is optional. There will be several scenic views to enjoy whether or not you climb to the peak. The hike then connects to the Andrews-Kinsey trail and, with some ups and downs along the way, gradually descends to the Adero Canyon Trailhead. Bring 2 liters of water and snacks. Wear sturdy boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs, please.

During this walk through the Desert Botanical Garden with birder Peter Herstein you will be searching for birds, not only by sight but by sound. November is an excellent time for birding here, with viewing of over 15 different species a distinct possibility. Highlights could include Rock Wren, Gilded Flicker, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-crowned Sparrow and Lincoln's Sparrow. Peter will also demonstrate the use of the ebird, Merlin and birdNET apps. Bring water, a hat, and binoculars if possible. Wear shoes or boots with grippy soles. Hiking poles recommended. Bring a bottle of water and snacks. No dogs, please.

Who knew that Phoenix has countless murals all for us to explore on a wonderful walking tour! We will carpool to Central Phoenix where Cathy Pepperd and Bev Fisher will lead us along this walk of about 3 miles with a stop for lunch afterwards. Check out these websites for more information: https://www.phoenixmurals.com/phoenix-mural-map and https://www.visitphoenix.com/stories/post/mural-walls-in-phoenix/. Bring water and snacks. Wear comfortable sturdy shoes. No dogs, please.

Pam Cissik and Larry Mills will lead this beautiful 8 mile hike exploring more of the horse trails in the Goldfields. The first half of the hike will be challenging with most of the elevation gain. Some climbs and descents will be steep and slippery. We will then descend into a wash, have snacks or lunch in a grotto, and follow less demanding trails back to the parked cars. We will have about an hour drive to the trailhead. Bring 3 liters of water, snacks and lunch. Wear sturdy boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs, please. Please reimburse driver for gas.

Hike with your children ages 5+ on this school holiday to spend time in nature. We will select a trail, such as the Promenade, a slightly rocky but relatively flat old jeep road, or the Overlook Trail; whichever is best suited to the participants (no strollers).

At 10:00am, at the end of the hike, a representative from the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center will be at the trailhead to talk about the work of the sanctuary and share a few animals for children to visit with while enjoying cookies and refreshments. Parents may also bring children directly to the trailhead for refreshments and to visit the animals at 10:00 am. Make sure everyone wears closed-toe shoes, hats and has plenty of water. No dogs, please.

Bernie Finkel will lead an interpretive walk through the Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden demonstrating how the Native Americans of the Sonoran Desert used and related to their plants to survive. Wear shoes or boots with grippy soles. Hiking poles recommended. Bring a bottle of water and snacks. No dogs please.

The SCFH invites you to join Vicky Derksen on this moonless evening to observe the night skies with less moonlight interference. You might see a planet or two and locate and identify constellations and their stars while Vicky recounts some myths and stories held by ancient cultures. After the hike, the Star Dudes will point their telescopes at deep space objects that can't be seen with the naked eye. Bring preregistered children age 8+, and wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe sturdy shoes. Bring water and hiking poles if needed. A red flashlight or headlamp is recommended to protect everyone's night vision. Be prepared to hike 2 miles on the Promenade Trail, a slightly rocky but relatively flat old jeep road. No dogs, please.

Vicky Derksen is the host of the Night Sky Tourist podcast and serves on the boards of the International Dark Sky Discovery Center and the Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association. You can find her online at nightskytourist.com.

Are you an early bird looking for an early morning hike that isn't too far, too fast, or too hard? Then this series of hikes is for you and perfect to introduce new hikers to the Preserve. Cathy Pepperd will again lead a nearby hike starting at sunrise. This hike will follow the Andrew-Kinsey trail for about 2 miles, for an out and back hike of 3.5 to 4 miles. Bring 2 liters of water and snacks. Wear sturdy boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs please.

Join us for a fascinating, easy-paced hike with several stops in the Fountain Hills Preserve. Learn to identify the beautiful wildflowers our desert plants put out and to appreciate the pollination ecology, including tactics on the part of the flowers. And, of course, the important role the birds, the bees and the butterflies play in this amazing part of nature. Wear grippy soled shoes and a hat. Bring water and snacks; hiking poles if needed. No dogs, please!

Learn how to capture the beauty of the wild horses using your iPhone. Join Paul Stark and learn to work with light to capture what you see in the foreground and background to get better pictures with your phone. We will travel to a spot where horses may be by the Salt River or the Bush Highway. Bring a fully charged cell phone, water, and wear closed toed shoes and a hat. Parking on Tonto National Forest land requires each car have an America the Beautiful pass or day pass. For info contact www.FS.USDA.GOV. No dogs, please.

The Barnhardt is often thought of as a gateway to the Mazatzal Wilderness. The 7 mile moderately challenging trail is harder than Dixie Mine, rocky and steadily climbs along the edge of a canyon with a 1500ft elevation gain starting at an elevation of 4100ft. We will see incredible geologic folds on the canyon walls as we hike to a seasonal waterfall. The trail is narrow in spots and a long ways down if you slip. Sturdy boots and hiking poles recommended. Bring lunch and 2-3 liters of water. No dogs please.

Join Vicky Derksen on this first quarter moon evening to observe the night skies. You might see a planet or two and locate and identify constellations and their stars while Vicky recounts some myths and stories held by ancient cultures. After the hike, the Star Dudes will point their telescopes at deep space objects that can't be seen with the naked eye. Bring preregistered children age 8+, and wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe sturdy shoes. Bring water and hiking poles if needed. A red flashlight or headlamp is recommended to protect everyone's night vision. Be prepared to hike 2 miles on the Promenade Trail, a slightly rocky but relatively flat old jeep road. No dogs, please.

Vicky Derksen is the host of the Night Sky Tourist podcast and serves on the boards of the International Dark Sky Discovery Center and the Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association. You can find her online at nightskytourist.com.

The Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden should be in full bloom in early April and an excellent time to learn about the plants in the Garden. Bernie Finkel will discuss the strategies that plants have adopted in the harsh environment of the Sonoran Desert. We will look at some of the special properties of these plants and how they were utilized by the early people of the desert. Bring water and wear a hat. Wear shoes or boots with grippy soles. Hiking poles recommended. Bring a bottle of water and snacks. No dogs, please.

Looking to stretch your creative horizons? Join Jennifer Ramm, 1st place winner in this year's FH photography contest for the category of Digitally Altered Artistic Photography, as we explore how to turn your desert landscape photos into stunning works of art, worthy of hanging on your living room walls. We will use the free Prisma app on our iphones, ipads, or android phones to explore tips and techniques in this workshop format class.

During this walk through the Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden with Birder Peter Herstein, you will be looking for birds before they roost for the evening. The garden in the late afternoon at this time of year has quite a bit of shade. It is an excellent time for a late afternoon walk, with over 15 different species sightings is a distinct possibility. We will be specifically looking and listening for Lesser Nighthawks and Ash throated Flycatchers. We will be identifying birds both by sight and song. Peter will also demonstrate the use of ebird, Merlin and birdNET apps. Wear shoes or boots with grippy soles. Hiking poles recommended. Bring a bottle of water and snacks. No dogs please.