Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area

Santa Cruz River Restoration
2026-05-20 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Phoenix) | Ron Morriss Park, 31 Calle Iglesia, Tubac, AZ, 85746
Join Tucson Bird Alliance habitat restoration professionals for a Santa Cruz River Community Stewardship Event! We will be working to restore habitat along the Santa Cruz River in Tubac, starting with invasive plant removal. Monthly community restoration volunteer events will be held every third Wednesday from 9-11am, through May 2026. This project is a joint effort between the Tubac Nature Center and Tucson Bird Alliance.

Summer Sunsets at Mission Garden
2026-05-21 17:00 - 20:00, 2026-06-18 17:00 - 20:00 | Mission Garden, 946 W Mission Ln, Tucson, AZ, 85745
Sunsets at Mission Garden can be magical. In the hot summer season, you’re invited to enjoy the evening sunset glow and cooler temperatures at the garden. Bring your family and friends!
Summer Sunsets at Mission Garden are held on the Third Thursday evening of each month during the summer.

Guided Birding Walks at Patagonia Lake State Park
2026-05-22 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-25 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-29 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-01 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-05 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-08 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-12 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-15 09:00 - 12:00 and 5 more dates | Patagonia Lake, 400 Patagonia Lake Rd, Patagonia,, AZ, 85624, United States
Guided bird walks are back!​ Join park rangers at the Birding Trail kiosk (next to campsite #12) for a ranger-led hike to learn about the diverse avian wildlife at Patagonia Lake and Sonoita Creek.
The event repeats each Friday and Monday at 9:00 a.m.​ For more information, These walks are limited to 15 people. Sign up in advance at the Visitor Center or by calling (520) 287-2791 or please visit https://azstateparks.com/patagonia-lake/events/bird-walk-patagonia​

Archaeology Day
2026-05-23 08:00 - 11:00, 2026-06-27 08:00 - 11:00 | Mission Garden, 946 W Mission Ln, Tucson, AZ, 85745
At our monthly (fourth Saturday) Archaeology Day, representatives of Tucson’s archaeology community come to Mission Garden to teach practical hands-on skills. Archaeology Southwest will be doing their Hands-on Archaeology program. It allows kids of all ages to try out fascinating ancient technologies. Old Pueblo Archaeology Center is represented at these events, also presenting interactive programs about things like pinch pots, pendants, and cordage. John Palacio speaks about and demonstrates making replicas of petroglyphs. Come join in any time between 8am and 11am.

Living Lab & Learning Center Tour
2026-05-23 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-13 17:00 - 19:00, 2026-06-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Watershed Management Group, 1137 N Dodge Blvd., Tucson, AZ, 85716
Our guided Living Lab Tours happen every 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. You’ll be led through our demonstration site by one of our Docents to learn about our many water harvesting systems firsthand.

Death After Dark Walking Tour
2026-05-31 20:00 - 22:30, 2026-06-14 20:00 - 22:30, 2026-06-28 20:00 - 22:30 | Presidio San Augstin del Tucson, 196 N Court Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85701
Escape the heat and join Mauro Trejo on an after-dark and unique and macabre tour that covers some of the most memorable deaths that have taken place in Tucson’s history. From executions to suicides, and gunfights to accidents, this 2 mile tour will take you back in time to some of Tucson’s most fascinating tragedies.

Healing Herb Walk
2026-06-06 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-07-04 09:00 - 10:00 | Mission Garden, 946 W Mission Ln, Tucson, AZ, 85745
Learn about some of the 50 medicinal plants in Mission Garden’s Moore Medicinal Garden. The plants are native to the American Southwest deserts and in many cases have been used for millennia. Modern herbalists are keeping this tradition alive at Mission Garden.

Monthly Bird Walk
2026-06-11 08:00 - 09:30 | Mission Garden, 946 W Mission Ln, Tucson, AZ, 85745
Walk around Mission Garden to look for seasonal and resident birds. Learn to identify some common calls and songs of the birds here. The garden is a good place for beginning and intermediate birders to learn about many of the birds common to the greater Tucson area. Check in with Kevin (the roadrunner) and our resident chickens. We always check the hummingbird feeder to see what hummingbirds are visiting it!
Walks usually last about one and half hours. Walking is easy in the garden and the paths, while not paved, are made of compacted material that is ADA compatible and suitable for wheelchairs and walkers. The length of this walk is 0.50 to 0.75 mile.

Birds of Mission Garden
2026-06-11 08:00 - 09:30 | Mission Garden, 946 W Mission Ln, Tucson, AZ, 85745
At Mission Garden, meet at the front gate

Walk around beautiful Mission Garden with one of the garden’s expert birders. We’ll look for seasonal and resident birds and learn to identify some common calls and songs. The garden is a good place for beginning and intermediate birders to learn about many of the birds common to the greater Tucson area. Check in with the roadrunners. We always check the hummingbird feeder! Take the opportunity to learn about the history of Tucson’s agriculture and some of the crops that have been important here.

Turquoise Trail Walking Tour
2026-06-13 07:00 - 09:30 | Presidio San Augstin del Tucson, 196 N Court Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85701
Let one of our knowledgeable docents lead you on a walk along the 2.5-mile Turquoise Trail through Downtown Tucson to see historic buildings and hear stories that make Tucson’s history special. Pre-registration required.

Santa Cruz River History Tour
2026-06-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Mission Garden, 946 W Mission Ln, Tucson, AZ, 85745
This two-mile walking tour is led by Mauro Trejo and focuses on our relationship with the Santa Cruz River, how it supported Tucson’s early residents, and the factors in the 19th and 20th century that affected its demise.
The tour begins at Tucson’s Mission Gardens and includes the sites of the former Spanish mission and the O’odham village that was the origin of our modern city. Attendees also visit Tucson’s tallest tree and the Garden of Gethsemane, a holy site of statues made by WWI veteran and artist Felix Lucero in the 1940s.
