Tucson Parks & Rec

2009-10-03 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
Unsigned trail across from Kennedy Lake
If you drive into the parking lot across La Cholla blvd from Kennedy Lake (just N of Ajo), at the very West point of the parking lot is an unsigned trailhead.  Its a scenic, very untrafficked trail - we went about 1.5 miles in with young kids, and met ... read more

2009-10-03 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
Gates Pass Lookout
More of a short walk than a hiking trail, this popular lookout is reachable from the parking lot at the top of Gates Pass.  Take Speedway all the way West of town to get there.

2009-10-03 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
Flowers in the Tucson Mtns
Blue sky and pink flowers make a pretty combination.  Anyone know what these are?

2009-07-22 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum : Title correction on book.
Re the entry 10-11-2007 "Pebbles in our shoes" is "Pebbles in Your Shoes" :

Carr, William H.|q(William Henry),|d1902-1985
Pebbles in your shoes :|bthe story of how the Arizona-Sonora Desert  Museum began and grew /|cby William H. Carr.
Tucson ... read more

2009-02-12 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
Giant Anteaters
One of the zoo success stories - there have been many giant anteater babies over the years, though we don't have any at present

2009-02-12 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
Tucson nature photos
just a placeholder item to attach lots of cool photos to - add any So. Az nature/scenery photo here

2009-01-25 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Area Parks\
Manzanita Park : great park
I grew up going to this park and it had great stuff to play with when i was growing up but the stuff is so much better now. :) very clean park :)"

2009-01-23 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Conservation\
Arizona Rivers http://www.azrivers.org
collaboration with all three universities to "promote long-term research and monitoring of riparian environments in Arizona".  They have neat sounding workshops in nearby riparian areas, and are particularly looking for educators to get involved.

2008-12-25 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
de Anza historical trail along Santa Cruz wash http://www.nps.gov/juba/planyourvisit/tu
Along the Santa Cruz river runs a paved - and - dirt pathway that probably traces the route Father Kino rode along as well as its namesake, Juan Bautista de Anza.  The trail in Tucson is a segment of a much longer historic path that includes maintained ... read more

2008-12-25 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
de Anza historical trail along Santa Cruz wash : love of the irregular
The quote on the wall(I think Chinese - maybe another nationality?) I really like, trying to recall it here:

"Appreciation of the irregular is an expression of love of freedom"

or something like that.  I thought I'd find it on the net but can't ... read more

2008-11-05 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
Tucson Hikes site http://tucsonhikes.com/
Nice website with comments on local hiking trails.  Not comprehensive but has some interesting content.

2008-11-04 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
New trail for walking & hiking
On the Tucson television news they anounce a new trail that just opened . It was for walking and hiking . Do you know the name of the new trail or park or where I could find oiut .

                  Dick"

2008-09-13 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Kennedy Lake & Park\
how to know what events are going on at kennedy park
we live close by and always hear music, but never can find out what's going on?  is there cover charge?

2008-08-05 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Sabino Canyon\
creek fun
Although the sign at the entrance on Aug 4 read 'Danger - high water', we found a few stretches of river just right for playing and swimming in.  Between stops 4 and 5 there is a small side channel that even the littlest river hiker can wade thru, and ... read more

2008-07-14 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Nature Observations\
Ferocious Water Bug!
That's really the name of it - the latin name is Abedus Herbeti.  One of these critters showed up in my laundry bucket that I'd left outdoors - they can fly as well as swim - and it did indeed try to bite when I scooped it up in a cup of water.  But we ... read more

2008-05-25 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Santa Cruz River\
Santa Cruz graded south of Irvington?
I could be mistaken, but driving past the Santa Cruz on Irvington road, it looked like the riverbed had been graded bare to the south.  We've walked there before, and the small stands of palo verdes and mesquites were gone.   Isn't this some kind of protected ... read more

2008-05-25 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Conservation\
: Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan http://www.pima.gov/cmo/sdcp/index.html
Pima County's site for conservation, ecological monitoring and has a species listing

2008-05-25 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Groups and Organizations\
: SASI : Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute http://sasionline.org
Hosts conferences and runs wonderful education programs on all kinds of crawly critters

2008-05-25 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Groups and Organizations\
SASI : Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute : SASI Saturday report http://sasionline.org/contact.htm
We went to the community day on Sat May 24 and took home an impressive array of critters: a young preying mantis (which we'll release shortly), baby crickets, gulf frit caterpillars, a pair of mesquite bugs and the official subject of the workshop, some ... read more

2008-04-08 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
TCA All Star Cheer & Dance Tryouts www.tucsoncheeracademy.com
320 S Plumer Avenue
770-1860
Tucson Cheer Academy is Tucson's biggest all star cheer and dance program. We are now getting ready for tryouts for the 2008-2009 season. Tryout information is now available at TCA or on our website.

If teams aren't your thing we also have classes ... read more

2008-04-05 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
Cheerleading Tryouts http://www.tucsoncheeracademy.com
320 S Plumer Ave
770-1860
Tucson Cheer Academy is getting ready to hold tryouts for their national champion cheer and hip hop teams.

Tryouts will begin Saturday, May 10. Got to TCA to pick up the tryout application or download it at www.tucsoncheer.com. Tucson Cheer Academy ... read more

2008-03-21 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
Cheer Camp and All-Star Cheerleading Tryouts http://www.desertcheer.com
2008 Team Tryouts

Desert Cheer Athletix is holding Team Placement Tryouts for our 2008-2009 Season on Saturday, May 3rd from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM.  Private Audtitions are available by request on dates after May 3rd.  

Note: Ages for all teams are ... read more

2008-01-28 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
Views from Sentinal Peak in the fog
One day in December we had fog covering the top of 'A' Mountain.  We didn't hike much - just drove to the parking lot at the top and walked the short distance to the A for this shot.""

2008-01-28 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
Reid Park Zoo : vandalism
visit to the zoo today, someone had broken the thick glass on one of the polar bear upper viewing panes and also the sun bear area.  Other notable, Baheem the Tiger was pacing near the fence and vocalizing.  Maybe he still misses Rajah.  "

2007-11-19 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Parks & Rec Classes\
The Parks & Rec Class Catalog http://www.tucsonaz.gov/parksandrec/prog
Register online for Tucson Parks & Rec classes"

2007-11-13 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Area Parks\
Manzanita Park : [positive comment]
its a very healthy park with no trash and its all well respected by everyone in that comunity."

2007-10-29 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
North from Sentinal Ridge Trail parking lot
Another trail heads north around a small hill from the parking lot for Sentintal Ridge Trail (off of Congress about a mile W of I-10).
Nice views of St Mary's hospital after a very short walk past an abandoned mine and small stone building.  May also ... read more

2007-10-27 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
Reid Park Zoo : contact vs no contact
The Tucson Zoo is a no-contact zoo, in order to preserve the wild behaviour of the animals as much as possible.

However, it seems to me that positive contact is the best available enrichment for many of the animals, especially the elephants.  After ... read more

2007-10-25 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Santa Cruz River\
River walk
The Santa Cruz river walk has lower traffic than the Rillito, though bikes and pedestrians share the path in some areas.  Excellent views of Sentinal Peak ("A" Mountain) - and the Pima County Jail -from this stretch of walkway between Silverlake and 22nd ... read more

2007-10-25 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Farms and Stables\
Campus Agricultural Center : Horses, horses and colts
We took a walk thru the Ag Center this morning, sleek and friendly horses come up to be petted or for the occasional bit of grass.  One pen holds several colts and fillies, my guess is a few months old, all cute and inquisitive.  A few goats are in the ... read more

2007-10-20 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Kennedy Lake & Park\
Healthy ducks
At our most recent visits this summer and now in October 2007, we haven't seen any ducks tangled in fishing line.  Kudos to whoever cleaned it up, parks & rec, volunteers or the fisherfolk.  The duck that had a hook stuck in its cheek that Animal Experts ... read more

2007-10-20 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Kennedy Lake & Park\
Kennedy Park
From the park, you can't even see the lake right over the hill.  Its a fun thing to do with kids, to ask them to hike up the small rise for the first time and see what they find.

2007-10-20 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Botanical Gardens\
Butterfly Magic at the Gardens http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/special_e
From now thru March 31, 2008, you can come see amazing tropical butterflies up close at the Botanical Gardens.  "Butterfly Magic" provides eco-friendly income to butterfly farms around the world, including some in Costa Rica and Malaysia, according to ... read more

2007-10-20 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
Sentinal Ridge Trail
Short, scenic hike within walking distance of downtown.  Parking lot is off Congress about a mile W of I-10, just before it curves to the north.  After switchbacking around up to the ridge, an uncrowded area with great views of the city, you have to walk ... read more

2007-10-15 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Nature Observations\
Prickly pears can't be picky...
2639 E 5th St
This cactus found an unusual place to take root - its at the corner of 5th St and Sawtelle"

2007-10-15 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
On the way to SASI, Orcut Trail
Along the 1/4 mile dirt road on the way to SASI (Southern Arizona Arthropod Institute) I believe is the Orcut trail.  You can walk down the road at any time, the gate is open on the 4th Saturday of the month when SASI holds its open house.  Look for the ... read more

2007-10-14 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Butterflies by the dozen : Do pipevine swallowtails lay eggs twice a season?
Looking back over these notes from last year, it reminded me that just last week - in early October 2007 - I saw a Pipevine swallowtail laying eggs as well.  Do they have two cycles, and how do they overwinter?  Are there special plants for the pupae ... read more

2007-10-13 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Botanical Gardens\
Rake your own zen garden
The Japanese Zen garden exhibit (where there are rocks and patterns raked in gravel) has a new addition - a marble (I think?) table with rocks and sand that you can rake in your own patterns.  Low enough for little kids to use - my 2-yr old spent a good ... read more

2007-10-12 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Santa Cruz River\
Santa Cruz - wildlife throughfare
Coyotes, toads, cottontails, jackrabbits, lizards, snakes, hawks, kestrels, burrowing owls - all make their homes or travel thru the Santa Cruz.  One year the Great Blue Heron that was hanging out at Kennedy Lake even showed up in the wash.  Sometimes ... read more

2007-10-12 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
Tucson's Childrens Museum : Climbable dino
Wish there were more 'climbable art' in Tucson!"

2007-10-12 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
: W End of 36th St
I don't know if this trail has a name, but there is a parking area and an short wide trail up to an old stone building on top of a hill.  Great views of the city.  We try and clean the broken glass up when we visit.  I wonder what the history is of this ... read more

2007-10-11 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum : "Pebbles in our shoes"
I read this book many years ago, "Pebbles in our Shoes" about the founding of the Desert Museum.  I haven't seen it on sale anymore in the gift shop, but you can probably find it online.

2007-10-10 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Botanical Gardens\
Butterflies Emerging to do their magic
The actual Butterfly Magic greenhouse exhibit will open for the public on Oct 16, but you can already see the beauties emerging from their cocoons most mornings at the Botanical Gardens.  The cocoons are hanging in a window just past the greenhouse where ... read more

2007-10-10 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Native trees and concrete : It was the scale bugs
Talked to a member of the botany staff yesterday, and he let me know that the big problem with the palo verdes was a huge infestation of scale insects, and that is why they were removed.  He also said that the concrete hole type planting is "sub-optimal ... read more

2007-10-10 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Where are the Horseshoe Crabs? : Mineral Magnifier fixed!
Good to see someone is maintaining the area - the scope that was set wrong is now fixed, and you can see the detailed crystal structure of some beautiful mineral specimens in the underground area connected to the cave.  The other place in Tucson to see ... read more

2007-10-08 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Native trees and concrete
The palo verdes at the entrance have been replaced, as we'd been told they would be.  Apparently Palo Verdes have a wide shallow root system that is not compatible with the cemented entranceway to the museum.  It seems a shame to replace them with more ... read more

2007-08-27 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Where are the Horseshoe Crabs? http://desertmuseum.org/
My 2-yr old loves to go to the Desert Museum so much, we get into the nitty-gritty details.  So, in the evolution of life exhibit down in the cave, we noticed that the tank supposed to be showing live Horseshoe Crabs as examples of early sea life, is ... read more

2007-08-14 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
The story of Pip the Vulture
On a recent visit to the zoo, we were lucky to catch a vulture encounter and noticed that the young bird was extremely affectionate with its keeper, rubbing its head and neck and asking for scratches.  Keeper Leslie told us Pip's story:

The King Vultures ... read more

2007-07-18 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Lizard Friends : Chuckwalla died shortly after this photo
Spoke to a curator at the Desert Museum, it turns out the Chuckwalla (on the bottom of the 'lizard stack' died about 1-2 weeks after this photo was taken.

But, he said that 'stacking' is a nonagressive social behaviour, and the desert iguana in the ... read more

2007-06-30 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Reptile Room
A few photos...

2007-06-30 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
Giraffe Feeding Station
From 10AM to 10:45, close encounters with a giraffe will run you just $1 per biscuit.

2007-06-30 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Lizard Friends : Chuckwalla not in the cage today
Perhaps this wasn't so friendly - when we went to the DM last week, the Chuckwalla was no longer in the cage (and he has been there with the desert iguana for years).  Will ask a docent if we get a chance.

2007-06-22 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Nature Observations\
: Cliff Swallows nesting under I-10 by Colorado river
We just came back from a driving trip to California, and saw a big colony of birds that built mud nests under the I-10 freeway where it crosses the Colorado.  A check in my Sibley's guide looks like they are Cliff Swallows.  Its neat to see them all wheeling ... read more

2007-06-03 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Lizard Friends
Check out this photo - the Desert Iguana and Chuckwalla not only share a cage, they  seem to enjoy playing lizard stack today.

2007-06-02 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Sabino Canyon\
Streamside
Back in April we took the kids to Sabino Canyon, rode the tram and played in the water.  Where else can you find a sandy beach by clean running water in Tucson?

2007-05-04 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\T-Rex Museum\
T-Rex Museum official site http://trexmuseum.org/
Browse calendar of events, sign up for Trex summer camp, take a virtual tour, and learn about preliminary plans for a new museum location!""

2007-04-23 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
: Summer Class Registration Now http://www.tucsonaz.gov/parksandrec
The Parks & Rec summer class catalog is out.  Pick one up at any rec center or visit the website to sign up!

2007-04-20 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Botanical Gardens\
Tucson Botanical Gardens http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/
A 5 1/2 acre shady oasis in central Tucson.  From an earlier time when native plants were not the 'thing' to do, TBG is a nice mix of lush gardens, kitchen herbs, children's area with water feature, earthworms and touchable plants, plus native wildflowers ... read more

2007-04-16 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
About the Tucson Zoological Society http://tucsonzoo.org/
The official site of the Tucson Zoological Society, complete with map, calendar of special events, conservation info and more."

2007-04-16 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
: New Baird's Tapir
The new Tapir in the South American area is quite people-friendly.  He swam over to us and when we talked to him, actually climbed up and reached up his nose within about 2 feet from where we were standing!   According to the sign he arrived at the zoo ... read more

2008-06-04 \Tucson\Community\Museums\
Tucson's Childrens Museum http://www.tucsonchildrensmuseum.org
200 South 6th Avenue
(520)792-9985
Cool summer fun - the Tucson Children's Museum is not only open during construction this summer, several inside areas have already been upgraded: The Wee World for 4's and under has a jungle look with Mayan pyramid and highly original flying frogs (you ... read more