Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area

ASARCO Discovery Center & Mine Tours
2026-06-24 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-20 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-19 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-18 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-17 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-13 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-12 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Phoenix) | ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center, 1421 W Pima Mine Rd, Sahuarita, 85629, United States
The ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center & Mine Tours’ vision has been to educate communities on the vital importance of the copper mining industry to civilization, to educate students and teachers in earth sciences, and to preserve Arizona’s mining history.’
Join the mine tour for a firsthand look at the copper transformation process. Ticketed mine tours are approximately 65 minutes long.
Tours at 9:30 am, 11:15 am
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MINE TOUR

Closed-toed shoes are required to take the tour. No Crocs, sandals, or flip-flops will be allowed.
We suggest bringing a water bottle (filtered water station is available in the Center).
Please dress comfortably.

Paton Center Habitat Ambassadors
2026-06-24 09:00 - 11:00 | Paton Center for Hummingbirds, 477 Pennsylvania Ave, Patagonia, 85624, United States
Join Tucson Bird Alliance’s restoration team in enhancing and maintaining habitat around the Paton Center grounds.

Position Description:

TBA’s restoration department has been hard at work acquiring new grounds and developing valuable native habitat types at the Paton Center over the past few years and we need your help to continue this work. Events will focus largely on invasive species removal and weeding but could include any of the following activities:

Weeding and planting the Paton meadow to support pollinators
Trail maintenance and building for improved visitor experience
Invasive grass and vine pulling and management
Brush clearing and hauling
Irrigation system maintenance to support native plants
Paton Center yard and grounds maintenance
Native seed collection

We welcome you to register for these events if you are interested in any of these tasks and a TBA staff member will reach out in advance of each event to provide a more detailed plan for the day.

Requirements:

Please come prepared to work in direct sun and in hot temperatures during warm months. We recommend wearing long sleeves, long pants, and a hat as well as sturdy close toed shoes. Please also bring a refillable water bottle.

Date:

October-May: 10-12 pm
June-September: 9-11 am

Number of Openings:

We are looking for 10-15 volunteers for each date. Registration required. Please click HERE link to sign up for the date(s) you would like to volunteer.

Volunteer with the Sonoran Desert Weedwackers!
2026-06-24 06:00 - 09:00, 2026-06-20 06:00 - 09:00 | Tucson Mountain Park
Join staff and dedicated volunteers from the Conservation Lands and Resources Department in our collaborative, community-wide effort to remove invasive buffelgrass and protect the Sonoran Desert.
The Sonoran Desert Weedwackers is a volunteer group dedicated to removing infestations of buffelgrass, fountain grass and other invasive plants found in the Tucson Mountains and other natural areas in Pima County. Weedwacking is hard work, but the benefits are well worth the effort! Volunteer events take place on uneven terrain and can be physically demanding. Tools are provided and volunteers should come prepared with water, sturdy shoes, long pants, a backpack/pack, and sun protection. Exact locations vary, but details about the specific meeting location within the park will be sent by email to all registered volunteers 2 days ahead of time.
To join us, register for a Sonoran Desert Weedwackers’ volunteer event on buffelgrass.org.
Sign up here to receive our email reminders for upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Meeting Days for Sonoran Desert Weedwackers

2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month
3rd Saturday of each month

Meeting times for Sonoran Desert Weedwackers

7 a.m. | March-May, September-October
8 a.m. | November-February
6 a.m. | June-August

See our Invasive Plant Species page to learn more about invasive plants in Pima County.
Watch Video (3m 43s)
Learn about the Sonoran Desert Weedwackers field work and collecting data on the Pima County Invasive Species Portal.
Contact Invasivesprogram@pima.gov with any questions.

Event will be hosted at Tucson Mountain Park. Location information will be shared with volunteers a couple of days before event.

Bat Walk at Agua Caliente Park
2026-06-23 19:30 - 21:30 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
Join Pima County Conservation Lands & Resources to explore the nocturnal world of bats. Begin with an introduction to their diversity, biology, and conservation, then set off with a (provided) bat detector to determine which species are flying overhead.

Date: Tuesday, June 23
Time: 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Location: Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E. Roger Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85749
Cost: $10.
Explore and register for upcoming CLR programming in the Environmental Education section of: www.explore.pima.gov
For more information: www.pima.gov/CLR, EEducation@pima.gov or 520-724-5375

Overview of Hohokam Pottery Wares and Types
2026-06-23 16:00 - 17:30, 2026-06-16 16:00 - 17:30
“Overview of Hohokam Pottery Wares and Types” five-session online adult education class with archaeologist Allen Dart, sponsored by Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, PO Box 40577, Tucson AZ 85717-0577
4-5:30 pm ARIZONA/Mountain Standard Time (same as Pacific Daylight Time) each Tuesday. $55 donation per person ($44 for Old Pueblo Archaeology Center and Arizona Site Stewards members) supports Old Pueblo’s education programs about archaeology and traditional cultures.
Registered Professional Archaeologist Allen Dart teaches this class in five 1½-hour sessions to familiarize participants with the main kinds of pottery found in southern Arizona archaeological sites of the Hohokam culture. The class will include hundreds of pottery photos, definitions of terms commonly used in ceramic analysis, identifying attributes of the most common Hohokam pottery wares and types, reading materials and bibliographic sources on Hohokam pottery, and plenty of discussion opportunities. Minimum enrollment 10 people.
Registration and prepayment are due 10 days after reservation request or by 5 pm Saturday June 6, whichever is earlier. To register or for more information contact Old Pueblo at 520-798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org.

Plant Propagation at Borderlands Restoration Network
2026-06-23 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-18 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-16 09:00 - 12:00 | Borderlands Nursery & Seed, 42 San Antonio Road, Patagonia, 85624, United States
Spend your morning at Borderlands Nursery & Seed with a great group of plant lovers propagating native plants that will restore the landscapes of the borderlands. Bring water and be prepared for outdoor work.

Boat Tours at Patagonia Lake State Park
2026-06-21 09:00 - 12:30, 2026-06-20 09:00 - 12:30, 2026-06-14 09:00 - 12:30, 2026-06-13 09:00 - 12:30 | Patagonia Lake, 400 Patagonia Lake Rd, Patagonia,, AZ, 85624, United States
Every Saturday and Sunday, $7 per adult, $5 per child (13 years and under)

9 a.m. Avian Adventure Tour
10:15 a.m. Avian Adventure Tour
11:30 a.m. Lake Discovery Tour
Twilight Tour on Saturdays only. Time varies.

Please call the park to make your reservation: 520-287-2791.
Boat rentals are available at the Patagonia Lake Marina.

Tucson Juneteenth Festival
2026-06-20 18:00 - 22:00 | Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E Ajo Way, Tucson, 85713, United States
Come out to be a part of this cultivation of a community of people of all backgrounds in a day(s) of unity to commemorate and celebrate Juneteenth and African American culture with musical performances, inspiring speakers, storytelling, cultural exhibits, religious observances, kid-zone, food vendors, etc.

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.

Tour of Barrio Viejo
2026-06-18 08:00 - 10:00 | Bar Crisol + Exo, 196 West Simpson Street, Tucson, 85701, United States
“Tour of Barrio Viejo” with Mely Bohlman and Franklin Lane sponsored by Pima County Parks & Recreation, starting at Bar Crisol, 196 W. Simpson St., Tucson*

Discover the history, architecture, and art of one of Tucson’s oldest neighborhoods. Barrio Viejo is home to one of the largest 19th century adobe communities in the Southwest. This is 0.9-mile walking tour that goes to El Tiradito shrine and eventually to Lee Ho’s former grocery store highlights the transition of the Barrio from Territorial status to the arrival of the railroad, urban renewal, and now gentrification. Mely Bohlman is an Environmental Education Program Specialist for Pima County Conservation Lands and Resources. Franklin Lane is a former high school teacher and hiking guide, member of the Pima County Master Naturalists, and a passionate amateur historian of the Southwest.

Paton Center Firefly Survey with Xerces Society
2026-06-17 18:30 - 20:00 | Paton Center for Hummingbirds, 477 Pennsylvania Ave, Patagonia, 85624, United States
Join Saff Killingsworth from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation for a presentation about southeast Arizona’s amazing fireflies. We’ll talk about firefly diversity and biology, their threats, and conservation efforts to protect these special creatures. We’ll also conduct a Firefly Atlas survey for the rare and imperiled Southwest springs firefly. The Firefly Atlas is a community science effort to better understand and conserve the firefly diversity of North America.

Birding at Agua Caliente Park
2026-06-17 07:00 - 08:30 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
In southern Arizona the natural world begins to think about spring in March. This walk at Agua Caliente Park offers opportunities to view our desert denizens alongside some pond-loving riparian birds. Registration recommended. Drop-ins welcome when space permits. Now free thanks to the generous support from the Friends of Agua Caliente.

Death After Dark Walking Tour
2026-06-13 19:00 - 21:00 | 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.
Begins and ends at the Tucson Presidio Museum, 196 N. Court Ave.
$35 general | $20 member
Contact info@TucsonPresidio.com to make a special reservation for a group of 6 or more.

Naren Palomino Pardo Concert
2026-06-13 18:30 - 20:30 | The Wittner Museum, 204 N. Morley Ave., Nogales, Arizona
Bolivian pianist Naren Palomino Pardo will perform a thrilling recital program featuring works by Latin American composers Villa-Lobos, Golijov, Caba, Monje, Roncal, and Ginastera. Naren recently gave his New York City recital debut at Merkin Hall after being selected as the winner of the Foundation for Bolivian Artists’ Kantuta Concert Op. 3 auditions. The evening will begin with a pre-recital talk at 6:30pm with Naren Palomino Pardo, Foundation for Bolivian Artists President Walter Aparicio, and Evan Kory.

Living Lab & Learning Center Tour
2026-06-13 17:00 - 19:00 | 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.

Docent Led Tour
2026-06-13 11:00 - 12:00 | Empire Ranch, 16655 E. Empire Ranch Rd, Sonoita, 85637, United States
Docent Led Tour of the Empire Ranch House. 11 am to noon. Reservations are required by 5 pm the day before the tour. Click here to make a reservation. Free. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station.

Creatures of the Night: El Rio Preserve
2026-06-11 19:30 - 21:30 | El Rio Preserve, 10190 N. Coachline Blvd., Tucson, AZ, 85743, United States
Bats, and frogs, and snakes – oh my! Join Pima County Conservation Lands & Resources naturalists as we seek flying, slithering, and hopping creatures that come out at night.
Explore the nocturnal world using bat detectors to discover which species are flying above our heads, and flashlights to observe snakes and other creatures active during summer nights. Learn about the diversity, ecology, and conservation of these interesting nocturnal animals.

Dates: Thursdays, May 28 & June 11
Time: 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Location: El Rio Preserve, 10191 N. Coachline Blvd. Tucson 85743
Cost: $10.00 (Resident) | $12.50 (Non-Resident)
Registration: www.maranaaz.gov/recreation
For more information: www.pima.gov/CLR, EEducation@pima.gov or 520-724-5375
