Events calendar

Self-Guided Mission Tours

Tumacácori National Historical Park

Dec 21 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

9:00 am-5:00 pm daily, year-round. Available in multiple formats (audio, digital, or paper) a variety of routes can be explored through the mission grounds.

Fort Open to Plaza Access

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Dec 21 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

The public is invited inside the reconstruction of Bent’s Old Fort, entering through the zaguan gate and into the plaza. Park Rangers will be present to explain the features of the fort and its 20 th century reconstruction. Entry into the...

Garden Walk (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Dec 21 9:15 am – 10:00 am

Join us for a guided walk through the Cactus Garden where you’ll explore the fascinating natural history of the Sonoran Desert! Wheelchair accessible.

The GIANT Cactus (East District)

Saguaro National Park

Dec 21 9:30 am – 11:30 am

Saguaro National Park is famous for its gigantic saguaros. Still, you have to know where to look to find the real giants among giants. Join a ranger for a special off-trail walk to view some amazing examples of our saguaros. This program meets at the...

Ranger Talk

Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site

Dec 21 10:00 am – 11:00 am

The Sand Creek ranger talk explores the events of the mid 1800's and describes some of the social, economic, and political factors that contributed to the Sand Creek Massacre. Please not that this program is a stationary talk, not a walking tour.

Dec 21 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Get your holiday shopping done at our Mexican arts market, featuring hundreds of beautiful and unique handcrafted items from a wide variety of artists. Pieces available for purchase will include exquisite Mata Ortiz pottery, which re-creates the...

What is a Javelina? (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Dec 21 11:15 am – 12:00 pm

You may have seen one, you may have seen a picture of one and you may have even smelled one - STINKY! Join an Interpretive Volunteer in the theater for a short program that will answer all the questions you have about Javelina and why IT DOES NOT...

Dec 21 12:45 pm – 1:30 pm

Join us in the Red Hills Visitor Center to discover various plant species native to the Sonoran Desert and learn how indigenous peoples traditionally used them for food and medicine. Wheelchair accessible.

Garden Walk (East District)

Saguaro National Park

Dec 21 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Join a ranger for a short stroll through the cactus garden located outside of the visitor center to learn about the saguaro cactus and other plants of the Sonoran Desert.

Arizona's Wildcats! (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Dec 21 2:15 pm – 3:00 pm

This is not about the University of Arizona’s teams nor is it about your mom’s house cat! Join an Interpretive Ranger in the theater to learn about the four types of wild cats that roam not only Arizona’s mountains and deserts, but in some cases –...

Ranger Program

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Dec 21 2:30 pm – 3:15 pm

Visit the Visitor Center at Mission San José to explore a mission topic with a park ranger.

Ranger Talk (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Dec 21 3:15 pm – 4:00 pm

Join a park ranger at the Red Hills Visitor Center for a theater presentation about Saguaro National Park’s unique cultural, historical and natural resources. Presentations vary daily depending on the Ranger hosting, but a few popular ones go over...

Sunset Hike (East District)

Saguaro National Park

Dec 21 4:45 pm – 5:30 pm

Hike up the Tanque Verde Ridge trail to get fantastic views of the sunset in the park. This hike is 0.5 miles round-trip on rugged terrain. Water, hiking shoes, and trekking poles are recommended.