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SCFH EVENTS
Spring Registration Is Open!
(April 29th is our last event of this season.)
All events are free and have a limited number of openings. Pre-registration with the Town of Fountain Hills is required. Click on the course number to register.
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Birding for Beginners
Monday, March 16, 2026
8:00am-9:30am
Location -
Red Yucca Ramada
Fountain Lake Park
Leader -
Lisa Miller
Pete Herstein
Course
Want to start birding but don't know where to begin? This introductory class will give you the foundation you need! You'll discover the five keys to bird identification: size, shape, behavior, habitat and sound. Plus, you'll learn how to use essential tools like binoculars and birding apps. The class culminates in a practical field session where you'll put your new skills to use!
Be prepared to walk in the grass along the lake and in areas near the Ramada. Close-toed shoes recommended and poles if needed if the grass is wet. Bring a hat, water and binoculars if you have them. There will be extra binoculars to share. No dogs please.
Early Morning Hike - Short Sonoran Loop
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
7:00am-9:00am
Location -
Adero Canyon Trailhead
14800 N Eagle Ridge Dr
Leader -
Cathy Pepperd
Course
Are you an early riser looking for an earlier hike that won't last all morning? This season Cathy Pepperd will lead monthly hikes at a moderate pace that have an earlier start.
This month she will follow the Promenade Trail to the Sonoran Trail to the first crossover to the Lower Sonoran Trail for a 3.3 mile lollipop loop at a moderate pace. Bring 2 liters of water and snacks; and wear a hat and sturdy hiking shoes or boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs, please.
Andrews-Kinsey to the Hitching Post ** UPDATE: THIS HIKE HAS BEEN CANCELED ! **
Friday, March 20, 2026
8:00am-12:00pm
Location -
Adero Canyon Trailhead
14800 N Eagle Ridge Dr
Leader -
John Thompson
Course
** UPDATE: DUE TO EXTREME HEAT WATCH. THIS HIKE BEEN CANCELED ! **
This is a very rewarding moderately difficult 5.9 mile, out and back hike starting from the Adero Canyon Trailhead. The trail climbs as it winds through the Adero Canyon to the Sunrise Trail with its hitching post. Those who want an extra challenge may opt to continue another 1/2 mile and climb to the top of Sunrise Peak.
Bring 2 liters of water and snacks; wear a hat and sturdy hiking boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs, please.
Desert Plants, Trees, Shrubs & Flowers ** UPDATE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED ! **
Friday, March 20, 2026
8:30am-10:30am
Location -
Adero Canyon Trailhead
14800 N Eagle Ridge Dr
Leader -
Jan Jensen
Tim Schoenfelder
Becky Collman
Course
** UPDATE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED - EFFECTIVE 12 MAR 2026 ! **
(EXTREME HEAT WATCH IN EFFECT & There Are Few Flowers. )
Join several experienced stewards who will introduce you to the many fascinating attributes of our amazing desert flora. The ability to adapt and flourish in the harshest environment is a tribute to nature and the natural world. If it is a good wildflower season, that will be a bonus.
Be prepared for a leisurely paced, two hour walk with multiple stops in the Preserve. We will show you how to use iNaturalist to identify plants. Please download the free app before leaving home.
Bring 1 liter of water and snacks; wear a hat and sturdy hiking shoes or boots. Hiking poles as needed. No dogs, please.
Birds - Sighting and Identification
Saturday, March 21, 2026
7:30am-9:00am
Location -
Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden
11300 N Fountain Hills Blvd
Leader -
Pete Herstein
Lisa Miller
Course
During this interpretive walk through the FH Desert Botanical Garden with birder Pete Herstein you will be searching for birds, not only by sight but by sound. March is an excellent time for birding here, with viewing of over 15 different species a distinct possibility. Highlights could include Rock Wren, Cactus Wren, Gilded Flicker, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Verdin, Anna's Hummingbird, White-crowned Sparrow and Black-throated Sparrow.
Pete will also demonstrate the use of the ebird, Merlin and birdNET apps. Bring water and binoculars if you have them. Wear a hat and sturdy hiking shoes or boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs, please.
Walk with a Naturalist in the FH Desert Botanical Garden ** UPDATE: START TIME IS NOW 7:30AM ! **
Monday, March 23, 2026
7:30am - 10:30am
Location -
FH Desert Botanical Garden
11300 N Fountain Hills Blvd
Leader -
Tim Schoenfelder
Becky Collman
Course
** UPDATE: DUE TO HEAT WARNINGS, THIS EVENT NOW STARTS AT 7:30AM ! **
Nature offers adventures with every step from changes in soil type and geology to birds and wildflowers that grace the experience of walking in our Sonoran Desert. Come with open eyes ready to exercise your mind on this leisurely paced walk with frequent stops in the FH Desert Botanical Garden.
Bring water, snacks, poles if needed, and wear a hat and sturdy hiking shoes. No dogs please.
Digitally Altered Artistic Photography
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
10:00am-11:30am
Location -
Chamber of Commerce
16837 E Palisades Blvd
Leader -
Jennifer Ramm
Course
Looking to stretch your creative horizons? Join Jennifer Ramm, 1st place winner in the 2024 FH photography contest for the category of Digitally Altered Artistic Photography, as we explore how to turn your desert landscape, vacation, and favorite photos into stunning works of art, worthy of hanging on the walls in your home. We will use the free Prisma app on our IPhones, IPads, or Android phones to explore tips and techniques in this hands-on workshop-format class.
Photographing Wild Horses at the Salt River ** UPDATE: 7AM START TIME ! **
Wednesday , March 25, 2026
7:00am-12:00pm
Location -
South Library Parking Lot to Carpool
12901 N La Montana Dr
Leader -
Paul Stark
Course
** UPDATE: 7AM START TIME ! **
Learn to capture the beauty of the Salt River wild horses in their natural desert habitat. Paul Stark will teach you to get better pictures with your cell phone by working with light to capture what you see in the foreground and background. We’ll walk along the Salt River passing a massive stone wall where swallows nest, and we’ll have another opportunity to learn helpful techniques to photograph nature in action.
Plan to walk 1.5 miles each way on a rocky but flat trail. Bring a fully charged cell phone, 2 liters of water, a hat, hiking poles if needed and a bag to change your close-toed shoes that may get dirty. Parking is on Tonto National Forest land that requires each car have a Tonto Pass. For info contact: www.fs.usda.gov. Car pooling possible. No dogs, please.
Horton Creek
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
8:00am-4:00pm
Location -
South Library Parking Lot to Carpool
12901 N La Montana Dr
Leader -
Pam Cissik
Larry Mills
Course
The Horton Creek Trail is a popular 6 mile hike off Hwy 260 northeast of Payson. The trail is in the Tonto National Forest, shady, and follows a pleasant flowing creek (subject to seasonal rains) to Horton Spring which feeds the creek. We rate it moderately difficult since there is a gradual climb the entire way and the hike begins at an elevation of over 5,000 feet. But this is an in/out hike so there is no need to rush. If you have difficulty with the elevation, you can find a cool spot - hopefully by the running creek - to wait for the rest of the group. We will stop at Horton Spring and will not do the more difficult climb up to the rim which would add 1500 feet of climbing to the hike.
Lunch afterwards in Payson before we head home. We will have a 1.5 hour (80 mile) drive to the trailhead. Bring 2-3 liters of water, snacks or lunch and wear a hat and sturdy boots. Hiking poles recommended as the trail can be rocky in places. No dogs, please. Please reimburse your driver for gas.
Dessert in the Desert Series: Twilight, Moonlight & Retrograde Planets
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
7:00pm-8:00pm
Location -
Adero Canyon Trailhead
14800 N Eagle Ridge Dr
Leader -
Vicky Derksen
Janice Holden
Course
Dessert in the Desert is a new series of hour-long, hands-on introductions to lesser known aspects of our unique Sonoran Desert. This program is being hosted at the Adero Canyon Trailhead so bring a chair, family, friends, your favorite dessert or snack, and join us for an unusual and fun experience. All ages welcome, and everyone must be registered. No pets or alcohol, please.
What does it mean when Mercury is in retrograde? Do other planets go retrograde? Join us as we explore this topic as we witness the three stages of twilight and the rising of the Full Pink Moon in the context of the Sonoran Desert. This sensory experience sharpens your awareness of the sounds of nocturnal wildlife stirring, the scents that emerge in the cooling air, and the subtle visual changes as shadows deepen around us. We'll end the evening with a close up view of the Full Pink Moon and Jupiter through the telescope once darkness fully arrives.
Red flashlights welcome; white lights and flash photography should stay tucked away to preserve everyone's night vision.
This experience is led by Vicky Derksen, the host of the Night Sky Tourist podcast and website and owner of a local stargazing business. You can find her online at nightskytourist.com.
Surviving with Plants in the Sonoran Desert
Saturday, April 4, 2026
9:00am-11:00am
Location -
Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden
11300 N Fountain Hills Blvd
Leader -
Bernie Finkel
Course
Join Bernie Finkel who 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.
Bring 1 liter of water and snacks; wear a hat and sturdy hiking shoes or boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs please.
Late Afternoon Hike - Mesquite Hollow Trail
Monday, April 6, 2026
4:45pm-6:45pm
Location -
Adero Canyon Trailhead
14800 N Eagle Ridge Dr
Leader -
Pam Cissik
Cathy Pepperd
Course
How about a late afternoon two hour hike ending at sunset to close out your day? Each month this season we plan to lead a moderate pace hike that starts two hours before sunset. We will go as far as we can in one hour and then turn back to the trailhead.
This month we will take the Promenade Trail then explore the Mesquite Hollow Trail, one of the newest trails in the Fountain Hills McDowell Mountain Preserve. Named for the nearly 80 year old Mesquite tree located on the trail just beyond the spur, this new trail is receiving rave reviews from hikers and is a fine example of trails hand built by Sonoran Conservancy of Fountain Hills Trailblazers. Bring 2 liters of water and snacks; wear a hat and sturdy hiking shoes or boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs, please.
Dessert in the Desert: Owls in the McDowells
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
6:00pm-7:00pm
Location -
Adero Canyon Trailhead
14800 N Eagle Ridge Dr
Leader -
Lisa Miller
Course
Dessert in the Desert is a new series of hour-long, hands-on introductions to lesser known aspects of our unique Sonoran Desert. This program is being hosted at the Adero Canyon Trailhead so bring a chair, family, friends, your favorite dessert or snack, and join us for an unusual and fun experience. All ages welcome, and everyone must be registered. No pets or alcohol, please.
Join Lisa Miller, Naturalist, SCFH Steward, Legacy Steward McDowell Sonoran Conservancy and FH Dark Sky Association Preservation Committee Member for this fun, interactive and entertaining presentation about owls. Learn more about the basic traits of what makes an owl an owl, and take a deep dive into the different owl species documented in the Preserve. Audience participation encouraged!!
Dessert in the Desert Series: Meet Desert Tortoises Up-Close
Saturday, April 11, 2026
4:00pm-5:00pm
Location -
Adero Canyon Trailhead
14800 N Eagle Ridge Dr
Leader -
Heidi Walton
Robyn Moul
Course
Dessert in the Desert is a new series of hour-long, hands-on introductions to lesser known aspects of our unique Sonoran Desert. This program is being hosted at the Adero Canyon Trailhead so bring a chair, family, friends, your favorite dessert or snack, and join us for an unusual and fun experience. All ages welcome, and everyone must be registered. No pets or alcohol, please.
The desert tortoise is a remarkable survivor of the harsh desert environment. Native to the Sonoran and Mohave deserts they spend up to 95% of their lives in underground burrows to escape the extreme heat. They can live 50 to 80 years and grow up to about 15 inches long.
Despite their tough shells, they are a threatened species, facing challenges from habitat loss, disease, and climate change.When you see a desert tortoise up close, you’re looking at one of the desert’s true survivors, a slow-moving symbol of patience, resilience, and adaptation.
Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, rescues and rehabilitates native wildlife that has been injured, displaced and orphaned. Once rehabilitated, they are returned to the wild. Sanctuary is also provided to animals that cannot be released back to the wild. Visit www.southwestwildlife.org for more information.
Early Morning Hike - North Leg Trail
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
7:00am-8:30am
Location -
Adero Canyon Trailhead
14800 N Eagle Ridge Dr
Leader -
Cathy Pepperd
Course
Are you an early riser looking for an earlier hike that won't last all morning? This season Cathy Pepperd will lead monthly hikes at a moderate pace that have an earlier start.
This month she will hike the North Leg Trail which will be a 2.7 mile moderate hike at a moderate pace. We will follow the Promenade Trail to the North Leg Trail and return to the trailhead the same way. The North Leg Trail, one of the newer trails in the Preserve, follows a ridge about 1 mile, descending almost the entire way. So even though this hike is short, be prepared for an uphill hike on the return! Bring 2 liters of water and snacks; wear a hat and sturdy hiking shoes or boots. Hiking poles recommended. No dogs, please.
Birds in the Early Evening in the Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
5:30pm-7:00pm
Location -
Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden
11300 N Fountain Hills Blvd
Leader -
Pete Herstein
Lisa Miller
Course
During this walk through the Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden with Birder Pete Herstein, you will be looking for birds before they roost for the evening by both sight and song. 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 are a distinct possibility. We will be specifically looking and listening for Lesser Nighthawks and Ash throated Flycatchers.
Pete 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, snacks and binoculars if you have them. No dogs please.