Events calendar

Sensory Friendly Sundays

Fort Union National Monument

Mar 29 8:00 am – 11:00 am

For those visitors who enjoy a more relaxed experience, these hours allow for a quieter museum visit. Display lighting will be dimmed, and a break space and touch table are included. Park film unavailable during these hours.

Fort Open to Plaza Access

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Mar 29 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...

Gila Bird and Nature Walk

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Mar 29 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Grab your binoculars (if you have them) and join us on a walk through the wild Gila on a search for birds, wildlife and flowers. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring water. We will be walking around on trails and sometimes on pavement.

Geology Hike

Bandelier National Monument

Mar 29 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Join 2 geologists on a fascinating hike down the Falls Trail and learn all about the geology of Bandelier National Monument and the Pajarito Plateau. This hike starts at the Visitor Center at 9:30am and will return at 12:00pm. Please wear comfortable...

Nature Walk: Carnivorous Plants

Big Thicket National Preserve

Mar 29 10:00 am – 11:00 am

It's a trap! Big Thicket's carnivorous plants use deception to trick and trap insects in order to get the nutrients they need. Explore a natural garden of carnivorous plants with a ranger. This 1-mile, hour-long walk on the Pitcher Plant Trail will...

Critter Chat

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Mar 29 10:00 am – 10:30 am

Join a ranger for a talk about the unique animals that call this deserrt home!

Mar 29 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Shop work from Sonoran Laser Creation , Rusted Desert Metal Art , Crooked Finger Digital Art and Storyteller , and Christine Jarus Painted Drawings of Nature. Talks at 11 AM and 1 PM both days. No registration required. Free.

Mar 29 10:15 am – 11:00 am

Join a Volunteer Interpretive Ranger to learn about the people who it is believed made petroglyphs here in Saguaro National Park. Who were they, where did they come from, and where are they now?

Guided Tour

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Mar 29 11:00 am – 11:45 am

Take a tour with a Park Ranger to learn more about Bent's Old Fort. Each tour lasts approximately forty-five minutes and begins in the plaza. Tours are limited to fifteen participants and will explore the historic use of the site and the...

Guided Walk of Dwellings

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Mar 29 11:00 am – 11:45 am

Allow at least 30 minutes to hike up to the cliff dwellings. The trail leading to the dwellings is about 1/2 mile over rocky and uneven terrain with 180-foot elevation gain. Join a ranger on a 45-minute guided walk of the cliff dwellings to learn...

Don't Get Rattled (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Mar 29 11:45 am – 12:30 pm

Join an Interpretive Ranger in the theater to learn about many of the snakes that are in Saguaro National Park and why they are important to our environment and learn a little bit about their social life. Wheelchair accessible.

Mar 29 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.

The Anza Expedition: A 250th Commemoration Exhibit

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail

Mar 29 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Almost 250 years ago, as the Declaration of Independence was signed on the East Coast, the Anza expedition arrived at its destination on the West Coast. Both of these events would dramatically shape the cultural and political landscapes of the United...

Guided Walk of Dwellings

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Mar 29 1:00 pm – 1:45 pm

Allow at least 30 minutes to hike up to the cliff dwellings. The trail leading to the dwellings is about 1/2 mile over rocky and uneven terrain with 180-foot elevation gain. Join a ranger on a 45-minute guided walk of the cliff dwellings to learn...

Solar Viewing at the Visitor Center

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Mar 29 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Join us for a safe and fascinating look at the sun! Stop by the Visitor Center anytime between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM to view the sun through a specially equipped telescope and learn more about our closest star. All ages welcome. No registration...

Environmental Ethics in the Gila: Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Mar 29 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

This interactive program introduces Aldo Leopold’s connection to the Gila and his influential Land Ethic. Visitors will explore Leopold’s environmental ethic and reflect on what it means to understand the Gila as a living ecosystem rather than a...

Arizona's Wildcats! (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Mar 29 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

Mar 29 2:30 pm – 3:15 pm

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

Sunset Walk/Talk

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Mar 29 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

A relaxed sunset program, designed for all ages, exploring the plants, wildlife, and people of the Sonoran Desert. Talks change daily; inquire at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center for details.

Sunset Walk/Talk

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Mar 29 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

A relaxed sunset program, designed for all ages, exploring the plants, wildlife, and people of the Sonoran Desert. Talks change daily; inquire at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center for details.

Sunset Hike (East District)

Saguaro National Park

Mar 29 6:00 pm – 6:45 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.

Evening Program

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Mar 29 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

A formal interpretive talk on the history, ecology, and/or culture of the Sonoran Desert. Talks change daily; inquire at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center for details.

Stars Over The Gila

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Mar 29 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Join us at the Gila Cliff Dwelling's National Monument Visitor Center parking lot to view the stars and other celisteral objects. Bring a red headlamp.