Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area

ASARCO Discovery Center & Mine Tours
2026-06-17 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-13 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-12 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-11 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-10 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-06 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-05 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-04 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.

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.

Overview of Hohokam Pottery Wares and Types
2026-06-16 16:00 - 17:30, 2026-06-09 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
2026-06-16 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-11 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-09 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.

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.

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

Volunteer at the Sosa-Carillo House!
2026-06-11 10:00 - 15:00, 2026-06-06 13:00 - 16:00 | Sosa-Carrillo House, 151 S Granda, Tucson, AZ, 85701, United States
Los Descendientes & The Mexican American Museum could not do it without all of the help of their beloved volunteers. Join one of the volunteer committees and meet new people while helping to preserve. RSVP and fill out this form for one of these summer trainings to support the work of Los Descendientes & The Mexican American Museum. They are especially in need of docents!

Nature Journaling at Feliz Paseos Park
2026-06-11 08:00 - 10:00 | Feliz Paseos Trails Park, 1600 N Camino De Oeste, Tucson, Arizona, 85745
Join Pima County Conservation Lands & Resources for our Spring & Summer Nature Journaling Series. Each session will explore a different location.
Journaling is a great way to focus the mind, build creativity, deepen curiosity, and learn more about the plants and animals around us. Join us to explore how we can slow our pace and connect with the natural world by capturing words, images, and numbers on the page.
Nature Journaling at Feliz Paseos Park
The interconnected web of arroyos that wend their way through wild and urban spaces serve as animal superhighways linking together now-fragmented resource-rich areas. Put on your detective’s hat to discover just who has been traveling to and through this park.

Date: Thursday, June 11
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Location: Feliz Paseos Park, 1600 N. Camino De Oeste, Tucson, AZ, 85745
Cost: $5. All materials are provided, including a new journal to take home.
All experience levels welcome.
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

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.

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.

Paton Center Habitat Ambassadors
2026-06-10 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.

Birding Canoa Ranch
2026-06-10 07:00 - 09:00 | Historic Canoa Ranch, 5375 I-19 Frontage Rd, Green Valley, AZ, 85614
Visit Historic Canoa Ranch, a birding hotspot in Pima County Canoa Ranch is a great place to do some birding. On this walk, we explore the pond, cienega, and surrounding desert of this hotspot. We expect to see an interesting combination of migrant and resident birds. DIRECTIONS: Historic Canoa Ranch, 5375 S. I-19 Frontage Rd., Green Valley 85622 From Tucson – Take 1-19 south to exit 56 – Canoa Road. Go around the traffic circle until you are heading east. Turn left (north) on the east side frontage road for about ½ mile and turn at the Hacienda de la Canoa sign on your right. Please carry water and wear sturdy walking shoes.

Volunteer with the Sonoran Desert Weedwackers!
2026-06-10 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.

Tucson’s Historic Sonoran Row Houses plus Bonus Hopi Clay Creations Tour
2026-06-06 10:00 - 12:00 | Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N Main Ave, Tucson, 85701, United States
“Tucson’s Historic Sonoran Row Houses plus Bonus Hopi Clay Creations Tour” with historic architect R. Brooks Jeffery and archaeologist Allen Dart, an Old Pueblo Archaeology Center-Tucson Museum of Art (TMA) collaboration starting in TMA’s Mooney Hall, 140 N Main Ave, Tucson
10 am-12 pm. $30 donation per person ($24 for Old Pueblo Archaeology Center members) includes $15/person TMA entry fee and supports Old Pueblo’s education programs about archaeology and traditional cultures.
Segment 1 of this two-part tour highlights some of the iconic, historic homes in downtown Tucson’s Historic Block, some now used as museum spaces and others for private businesses. Those we’ll focus on – all cool ones in Tucson’s June heat! – include La Casa Cordova and the historic Romero, Fish, Stevens/Duffield, and Corbett houses.
A bonus after our Historic Block visit is a return to the museum for tour segment 2 to view some of the Hopi Indian art holdings from TMA’s permanent Indigenous Arts collection. The Hopi art on display includes exquisite ancient and historical pottery as well as some carvings and sculptures. After viewing the Hopi exhibit, tour registrants are welcome to browse the rest of TMA’s galleries and gift shop, and to consider having lunch on their own dime in the Stevens House Café à la C’Art, known for its American bistro fare, full bar, espresso, and a beautiful Monet-inspired garden patio.
R. Brooks Jeffery is a Professor Emeritus of Architecture and former Associate Vice President for Research at the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Arizona. Coleader Allen Dart, a professional archaeologist, is Old Pueblo’s executive director. A TMA docent will accompany the tour to provide access to the historic houses managed by TMA.
Registration and prepayment due 10 days after reservation request or by 5 pm Wednesday June 3, whichever is earlier. To register or for more information contact Old Pueblo at info@oldpueblo.org or 520-798-1201.

Healing Herb Walk
2026-06-06 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.

Volunteer Work Day at Empire Ranch
2026-06-06 08:00 - 12:00 | Empire Ranch, 16655 E. Empire Ranch Rd, Sonoita, 85637, United States
You are invited to become part of the great team of dedicated volunteers at the Empire Ranch! Volunteer and make a difference! Volunteer Workday, 8 am to noon. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station. Breakfast and lunch provided.

Gardens of Canoa Ranch
2026-06-05 08:00 - 09:30 | Historic Canoa Ranch, 5375 I-19 Frontage Rd, Green Valley, AZ, 85614
Enjoy a guided tour of the gardens of Historic Canoa Ranch. Join Raydine Taber from the Green Valley Gardeners to explore the variety of themed gardens within the ranch headquarters. DIRECTIONS: Historic Canoa Ranch, 5375 S. I-19 Frontage Rd., Green Valley 85622 From Tucson – Take 1-19 south to exit 56 – Canoa Road. Go around the traffic circle until you are heading east. Turn left (north) on the east side frontage road for about ½ mile and turn at the Hacienda de la Canoa sign on your right. Please carry water and wear sturdy walking shoes.

Cathay Williams: A Female Buffalo Soldier Presentation
2026-06-04 19:30 - 21:00 | Presidio San Augstin del Tucson, 196 N Court Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85701
“Cathay Williams: A Female Buffalo Soldier” in-person presentation by Floyd Gray in the Territorial Patio at Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum, 196 N Court Ave, Tucson*

7:30-9 pm. $13 with preregistration, $15 at the door, Presidio Museum members $10.
Cathay Williams, an African American woman, successfully posed as a man and served in the US Army in the 1860s. Floyd Gray will discuss her experiences as a Buffalo Soldier, serving in the 38th Infantry (one of six segregated, all-black regiments) during the Civil War. Floyd Gray, an Adjunct Researcher in the University of Arizona Department of Geosciences, on the boards of Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace and the Greater Southern Arizona Area Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers 9th and 10th Horse Cavalry Association.
