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Adult Classes and Trips
Rancho de la Osa
December 6 - 8, 2024 | | It rests in the desert grasslands along Arizona’s southern border with the dramatic backdrop of Baboquivari Peak always in view. On this tour, we visit the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, which has breeding programs for the endangered pronghorn and Masked Bobwhite Quail and offers birding for many species including Herons, Gray Hawks, Vermillion Fly Catchers, Loggerhead Shrikes and Golden Eagles. We will take in a lot of local history, learning about the Spanish Barb horses that descend from Fr. Kino’s herd, about the Mexican Revolution as it was played out here, and about old ghost towns and mining camps. We take a side trip to see the border town of Sasabe, sprinkle geology lessons in, have a morning free for optional activities such as riding e-bikes or horses, and enjoy fabulous meals. Come nighttime, we are treated to cowboy poetry and a star-studded winter sky. |
Black Lava White Sand
December 15 – 18, 2024  | Explore El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with cultural conservationist Jesús García and geomorphologist/anthropologist Fred Nials. The volcanic landscape of the Pinacates includes huge maar craters, two varieties of lava flows, cinder cones, and majestic shifting dunes hosting their own specialized ecosystems. This young volcanic field is adjacent to the Sea of Cortez, which because of extreme low tides allows viewing of its marvelous intertidal marine life at the Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans. Uniting the desert and beach is one of the most important natural salt reserves in Mexico, Campo La Salina. Located in Gulfo de Santa Clara where natural freshwater springs and saltwater meet, this layer of salt is sacred to the Tohono O’odham. For a special cultural experience, we’ll visit the O'odham community of Quitovac, an important oasis along the ancient salt pilgrimage trail to the sea. Itinerary and Trip Details Prices and Registration Details |
Sandhill Cranes, Raptors and Waterfowl
February 6, 2025  | 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. |
Heirloom Fruit Tree Workshop
February 13, 2025  | Jesús García, founder of the Kino Heritage Fruit Trees Project, will teach techniques for propagation, pruning, grafting and care of fruit trees. The class begins with a talk on the historical significance of heirloom trees in the Sonoran Desert, then moves to the hands-on aspect of maintenance, and ends with a tour through the Mission Garden at the base of A Mountain. Every participant will walk away with fruit tree cuttings and the knowledge of how to grow them. |
Land of the SeriFebruary 19 – 23, 2025  | Travel with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum this February to explore the world of the Seri people. Our guide, cultural conservationist Jesús García, enthusiastically shares with us 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. 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 27, 2025 | 
| 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. Our last activity will be combing the St. David Formation for gypsum crystals. Transportation included. Prices and Registration Details |
Birds of Prey
March 12, 2025  | Raptors are an integral part of southern Arizona’s ecosystems, and understanding of their life histories begins with their identification. With twenty-eight species of daytime hunting raptors in Arizona it can be difficult to tell one from another. Here is an opportunity to learn which traits are most reliable to help you through this process. Shapes, flight style, plumage, habitat, nuances in behaviors and season are all important to recognize. This program takes place indoors with beautiful photography and accounts of personal observations. We will follow up with an optional field trip to the Tubac Hawk Watch on Sunday, March 15th to practice what you have learned. Prices and Registration Details |
Bobcats of Arizona: Elusive Predators of the Desert
March 12, 2025  | Explore the fascinating world of the Bobcats of Arizona in this engaging and educational program! Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are one of the most elusive and adaptable predators in the American Southwest, thriving in diverse habitats ranging from desert scrub to mountainous regions. This program delves into their biology, behavior, and the unique challenges they face in Arizona's harsh yet beautiful landscape. What sets this class apart is the invaluable firsthand observations of Steve Vaughan, whose accounts go beyond what's readily available in published materials. There will be an optional fieldtrip to the Sweetwater Wetlands, home to some of our local Tucson bobcats on Thursday, March 20th. Prices and Registration Details |
Baja CaliforniaMarch 28 – April 10, 2025  | 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 Laguna San Ignacío rare up-close whale watching and off-the-grid “glamping” opportunites 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 |
Polly Ann and the Round Rocks:
Mineral Collecting and Camping in Southeastern Arizona!
April 8 – 10, 2025 | 
| It’s not a rock band; it’s a back-country rockhounding trip. Visit old mines and hard-to-reach sites in the New Mexico borderlands and Dragoon Mountains. There will be three days of mineral collecting at the Polly Ann Mine, the Round Mountain Rockhound Area, Cochise Stonghold and the Ligier Quarry where we will find green fluorite, chalcedony eggs and geodes, marble and blue lace agate. Museum Geology staff sprinkle in geology lessons on mineral veins, vugs, limestone formation, alteration zones, volcanics and granite intrusions. This is camping trip. The first night will be under the stars, on top of a basalt flow; the second will be under the oaks and granite outcrops. Includes transportation and all meals except for the first day’s lunch. Prices and Registration Details |
Cholla Bud HarvestApril 12, 2025  | Participate in the centuries-old Sonoran Desert springtime ritual of harvesting cholla buds. You will collect, learn how to de-thorn and to prepare this food for longer-term storage by drying or pickling. We will demonstrate cooking a few dishes that incorporate the buds. The flavor is mild, something like asparagus. The natural history of the cholla and its sister cactus the prickly pear will be discussed, along with the health benefits of desert foods in general. Prices and Registration Details |
Venomous Creatures of the Sonoran Desert
April 19, 2025  | The Sonoran Desert is home to a wide variety of venomous reptiles and arthropods and myths about them abound, yet only a handful are capable of producing medically significant injuries in people. Spend the morning learning which creatures are truly dangerous, how to identify them, avoid their bites and stings, and provide appropriate first aid. The class will discuss common myths and answer your questions about these interesting animals while providing the opportunity to view some of them up close. Prices and Registration Details |
Arizona’s Hummingbirds: Jewels of the Southwest
April 24, 2025  | A hummingbird’s life history is an incredible miracle of evolution. They have the highest metabolic rate and the greatest metabolic range of any vertebrate. Everything from their iridescent plumage to their aerial acrobatics is a wonder to behold. Arizona has more species of hummingbird than any other state in North America. The smallest, the Calliope Hummingbird, as well as the largest, the Blue-throated Mountain-Gem, live here. We will look at their biology and behavior as well as garner tips on their identification. Prices and Registration Details |
All About Owls: Natural History of Arizona’s Owls
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| Arizona is home to both the smallest, the Elf Owl and the largest, the great Horned Owl. Not only are there significant differences in their size, but in their biology and behaviors as well. Owls are cryptic, more often heard than seen which has earned them an almost spiritual reputation. Suggestions on how to locate owls will be shared. Everything from their amazing hearing to their specialized eyesight are incredible adaptations. Although most owl species are fairly easy to distinguish, we will discuss the subtle differences in the look-alike species. Prices and Registration Details |
Botanical Gardens and Art Museums of Southern California
May 11 - 18, 2025  | Botanical art, Classical art and Gardens galore
Balboa Park, The Getty, need we say more…
This extraordinary 8-day tour takes us to San Diego and Los Angeles where we visit iconic botanical gardens and world-renown museums. Highlights in San Diego include Balboa Park, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, and a memorable sunset dinner cruise on San Diego Bay. A stop at Oceanside allows a visit to Mission San Luis Rey, the “King of the Missions”. Led by museum expert guides, we have dedicated a full day to in-depth tours of The Huntington, and a half day to the LA County Botanical Gardens and Arboretum. The Norton Simon houses an astonishing collection of European art from the Renaissance to the 20th century as well as Southeast Asian art spanning 2000 years. Marvel at masterpieces by Cézanne, Monet and Van Gogh at The Getty. For an architectural gander, we visit the Gamble House, recognized as a masterpiece of the American Arts and Crafts movement. Accommodations in San Diego are at the Humphreys Half Moon Inn on Shelter Island and in Pasadena at the well-appointed Le Méridien. Exceptional dining experiences throughout, this tour is sure to captivate the senses! Tour leader is ASDM cultural conservationist Jesús García. Itinerary and Trip Details Price and Registration Details | |
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