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Adult Classes and Trips
Sandhill Cranes, Raptors and Waterfowl
February 12, 2026  | Southeastern Arizona's desert grasslands and agricultural areas are dotted with artificial lakes, ponds and mudflats providing habitat for winter birds, including at least twelve species of raptors and numerous waterfowl (ducks and geese). Thousands of Sandhill cranes migrate from as far away as Alaska to spend the winter near Willcox. Join us for a spectacular day of discovery as we explore the Willcox area - one of the region's birding hot spots. We will meet at Park Place Mall and bring a sack lunch. Very little walking is required. Transportation included. Prices and Registration Details |
Land of the Seri
February 19 – 23, 2026  | Our guide, retired ASDM cultural conservationist Jesús García, enthusiastically shares the culture of this desert people as well as the natural and geological history of the Central Gulf Coast subdivision of the Sonoran Desert. Our voyage of discovery includes the Seri Museum in Nuevo Bahía Kino, a visit to the Prescott College Research Station, a panga ride to the mangroves of Isla Tiburón, birding in the estuary of Laguna de la Cruz, a walk in a cardón forest, and of course, meetings with the Seri people themselves with a very special opportunity to participate in the Indigenous Language Day Festival. Our adventure also includes time on the beach of Kino Bay with its intensely blue water, as well as daily helpings of fresh seafood and opportunities to support the Seri with purchases of their handcrafts. Itinerary and Trip Details Prices and Registration Details |
Mammoths of the San Pedro Valley
February 26, 2026  | Did you know that we had large Ice Age mammals in southern Arizona? At the Murray Springs archeological site along the San Pedro River near Sierra Vista we will learn about the Pleistocene megafauna which roamed the savannahs. Alongside these mammals lived the Clovis people, great hunters, which we know from their fluted projectile points. For lunch we will stop at the Holy Trinity Monastery, where pecans and bread are for sale. Our last activity will be combing the St. David Formation for gypsum crystals. Transportation included. Prices and Registration Details |
Baja California
March 27 – April 10, 2026  | Ecology, Geology, Birding, Whale Watching, Cowboys and Ethnobotany!
Led by the incomparable Jesús García and geologist/raconteur, Fred Nials, we travel by motorcoach down the entire length of the Peninsula, traversing desert chaparral, a fertile valley of grape and olive orchards to the captivating Cataviña desert with its forests of boojum, elephant trees and cardón. At Ojo de Liebre Lagoon, one of the few places in the world with up-close Grey Whale watching opportunities, three days of off-the-grid “glamping” await. Surrounded by a lush date palm oasis, our stay in San Ignacío includes a day trip to see pictographs of remote Baja. Our time in Loreto Bay includes snorkeling with tropical marine life at Isla Coronado. Experience the charming mining communities and the artists’ haven of Todos Santos as we travel to San José del Cabo, and the famous Los Arcos rock formation at the southern tip of Baja. Our return is by air. Itinerary and Trip Details Prices and Registration Details |
Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon
Ancestral Pueblo Cliff Dwellings and Monumental Great Houses
April 27 – May 4, 2026  | Explore the most significant archaeological geography in the United States. Our tour focuses on Puebloan archeological sites of southwest Colorado and northwestern New Mexico. Ancestral Puebloans blended work and worship; they were master artisans, farmers, astronomers, traders, and skilled engineers, creating an extensive trade network throughout the San Juan Basin and beyond. Highlights include two days at UNESCO World Heritage sites, Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon National Parks, as well as Monument Valley, Aztec Ruins, and the seldom-visited sites of Hovenweep and Lowry House ruins. The tour culminates with two nights at the former Harvey House, La Posada in Winslow, followed by a day exploring Hopi Second Mesa. Our personal guides are naturalist Jesús García and geologist/geomorphologist Fred Nials, highly educated in Native American history and in the fields of archaeology and anthropology. This exceptional tour offers a unique opportunity to visit a vibrant archeological region with expert interpretation. |
Birding the Chiricahuas
May 1 -3, 2026  | Southeastern Arizona is a paradise for birders. Join us for three full days exploring different elevation habitats as we search for great birds! Among our targets will be the Mexican Chickadee, Elegant Trogon, Montezuma Quail, Painted Redstart and Red-faced Warbler. We will also do some owling at night and set up a blacklight to see what insects we can attract. Our leader is Jeff Babson, owner of Sky Island Tours, who is an expert birder, plus has a keen eye for butterflies and dragonflies. The price of this tour is all-inclusive covering three meals a day, lodging and transportation from Tucson. We will stay at the Southwest Research Station nestled in the oak-pine woodland of Cave Creek Canyon. Itinerary and Trip Details Prices and Registration Details - Dorm Rooms Prices and Registration Details - Rooms with Private Bath |
The Dinosaur Tour May 26 – June 4, 2026  | Dinosaurs walked the Desert Museum surroundings 150 million years ago, and they roamed as far north as Colorado and Utah (and farther!). Join the Museum’s second Dinosaur Tour as we follow the Jurassic spoors – bones and trackways – left by these creatures. This means not only museums but also in the field, visiting active quarries with a first-hand look at the hard dusty work behind new discoveries. As a very special component of this tour, we will be accompanied by vertebrate paleontologist, Advait M. Jukar, PhD, whose research and imagination will bring these creatures to life. Besides checking out All Things Dinosaur (e.g., dino roadside attractions in Holbrook), we’ll explore oil production in Rangely, Colorado; contemplate rock art left by Fremont Culture people; and visit the capitol of the Navajo Nation, Window Rock, New Mexico. And for river-lovers, we offer an optional one-day boat trip down the Green River between Flaming Gorge and Dinosaur National Monument. The wonders of the Great West! |
Northern Spain via the Slow TrainSeptember 10 – 24, 2026
.jpg) | Cider, Bronze-Age Castros and Mining, Paleolithic Caves, Sea Cliffs, el Camino de Santiago, the Guggenheim, Iberian Geology, Fishing Villages, Local Wines, Asturian and Basque Gastronomy The rain in Spain falls mainly north of the plain. And that is why the land is emerald green. This is the land that the Celts originated from, and that the Basques continue to inhabit. On this tour we learn about Bronze Age castros, Roman gold and iron mining, and Asturian and Cantabrian traditional lifeways. As a counterpoint to the old, we visit Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum of modern art, and learn about and taste Basque culture. We explore the hinterlands of farms, forests and hamlets, walking a stretch of the Camino de Santiago. Our coastal route follows the narrow-gauge local train, the FEVE, from which we hop on and off for stays at seaside towns, where we drink apple cider and enjoy regional seafood and Asturian fabada. Then there is the fairytale scenery: the northern edge of the peninsula falls dramatically into the Cantabrian Sea in steeply tilted rock walls. To complement the landscape, we share lessons on the geology of the Iberian Peninsula. Itinerary and Trip Details Prices and Registration Details |
Spain: Moors and Christians, Olives and Wine Tracing the Cultural and Agricultural Roots of the Southwest
September 26 – October 6, 2026  | In the Southwest we use the adjective "Spanish" frequently and loosely. Indeed, many elements of our culture originate in Spain. But, the 16th - 18th century Christian Spain that colonized the Americas was the sum total of its previous occupants - Arabs, Jews, Visigoths and Romans. Join us in an exploration of the cathedrals, synagogues, markets, farm towns, ancient castles and sunny beaches with an eye for the influencing factors of these peoples. Tour a late 19th Century rice processing plant, bird the estuary and rice fields of La Albufera, follow the evolution of Iberian Copper Age pottery through its refinement into Baroque ceramic art, and see the masterpieces of El Prado. During the fall grape harvest you will tour a rural winery, walk fields and orchards, make paella, even see the Holy Grail... Destinations include Barcelona, Valencia, Toledo and Madrid. This trip is very personalized with a maximum group size of 16. Itinerary and Trip Details Prices and Registration Details | |
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