Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area

Guided Birding Walks at Patagonia Lake State Park
2026-03-23 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-03-20 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Phoenix) | 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​

Death After Dark Walking Tour
2026-03-22 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.

A Brief History of the Santa Cruz River in Tucson
2026-03-21 13:00 - 14:30 | Historic Canoa Ranch, 5375 I-19 Frontage Rd, Green Valley, AZ, 85614
A Brief History of the Santa Cruz River in Tucson With Mauro Trejo, Trejo Walking Tours Description: This talk will cover the history of Tucson’s water and its relationship with the river. We will discuss what the river looked like before industrialization and how it got to the state it is in today. Bio: Mauro Trejo is a local public historian, and staff and board member of The Tucson Presidio Trust, Los Descendientes de Tucson, and The Anza Trail Foundation. In addition he is a commissioner with the Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission. He has spent most of his life studying the history of Tucson and gives numerous talks and walking tours sharing the history of this amazing place. Mauro also runs Trejo’s Tucson Walking Tours and is a 7th generation native with family roots dating back to 1780 in Tucson.
Ready to register for this event? Follow these easy steps.
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Visit www.explore.pima.gov
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For programs with a fee, you will be asked to Add new payment method – for free programs, you can proceed directly to place order
Click Place orderIf you need assistance, contact the Environmental Education Team:
Phone: 520-724-5375
Email: EEducation@pima.gov

Tour of Historic Canoa Ranch
2026-03-21 10:00 - 11:30 | Historic Canoa Ranch, 5375 I-19 Frontage Rd, Green Valley, AZ, 85614
Join a walking tour of the Canoa Ranch headquarters. Visit the historic buildings and corrals and enjoy the special exhibits of the people of Canoa. 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.

Backyard Techniques to Harvest The Rain
2026-03-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Tubac Presidio State Historic Park & Museum, 1 Burruel St, #1296, Tubac, A, 85646, United States
Join ecologist Caleb Weaver of Ecotone Biodiversity LLC for an engaging presentation overviewing rainwater harvesting in Southern Arizona. Attendees will learn methods to collect, convey, and store this free resource to grow food for wildlife and people alike, protecting critical groundwater and natural water reserves to stay in the ground. We’ll then tour the rain garden that Ecotone Biodiversity designed and installed on the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park grounds so attendees can see multiple examples of rainwater being harvested.

ASARCO Self Guided Center Tours
2026-03-21 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-20 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-19 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-18 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-17 09:00 - 17:00 | ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center, 1421 W Pima Mine Rd, Sahuarita, 85629, United States
Since we opened our doors in 1997, the ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center & Mine Tours’ vision has been to educate communities on the vital importance of the copper mining industry to our civilization, to educate students and teachers in earth sciences, and to preserve Arizona’s mining history.
We invite you to take our free self-guided tour of the center’s indoor and outdoor exhibits, which walks through the copper transformation process. Afterward, peruse the Company Store for unique and educational gifts.

America Semiquincentennial and Arizona Statehood
2026-03-21 09:00 - 12:00 | Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 North Oracle Road, Oro Valley, 85737, United States
Last chance to visit the Pusch House Museum to celebrate the founding of our country and why it took 137 years for Arizona to become a state!

World Water Day Celebration
2026-03-21 09:00 - 12:00 | Verdugo Park, 902 S Verdugo Ave., Tucson, AZ, 85745
Join community members, local organizations, land management agencies for a day of fun and stewardship!
Days of Connection celebrating World Water Day is taking place at Verdugo Park right-off of the Santa Cruz River. Join Favor Celestial, Barrio Kroeger Lane, Tucson Clean and Beautiful, Pima County, Sonoran Institute, Tucson Water, Ironwood Tree Experience, United Way and other partners as we come together to celebrate the World Water Day through a day of fun, stewardship and connecting with nature and community!
World Water Day of Connection is happening on Saturday, March 21st between 9AM-12PM at Verdugo Park located at 902 S Verdugo Ave, Tucson, AZ 85745.
These experiences bring together local groups and individual passionate about the natural world and environmental stewardship. At this Day of Connection you can expect to;

Enjoy music, snacks and beautiful green space with a broad community of stewardship and nature lovers.
Create seed bombs with Pima County Department of Environmental Quality and Ironwood Tree Experience
Steward the Santa Cruz by picking up trash with TCB and Sonoran Institute or learn to identify and remove invasive giant reed (Arundo donax) with specialists from Tucson Bird Alliance.
Experience the on-going neighborhood conservation and restoration efforts in the area being lead by Friends of Favor Celestial and Watershed Management group.
Connect with Educators with Pima County Conservation Lands and Resources and Regional Flood Control District to learn more about what our county is doing to conserve and celebrate our public lands

Guided Birding Walks at Patagonia Sonoita Creek
2026-03-21 08:00 - 17:00 | Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve Visitor Center, 150 Blue Haven Road, Patagonia, Arizona, 85624, United States
Join us for guided birding walks at Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve in Southern Arizona on Saturday mornings, starting November 1st, 2025!
Learn about the resident and migrating birds, ranging from gray hawks to vermilion flycatchers to thick-billed kingbirds. Tours will also touch on the environmental history of the region surrounding the preserve. Birders of all levels are welcome.
The start time of the walks will vary depending on the point in the season, so be sure to check the sign-up form to see when they will begin each week. The fee is $8 per person, or $5 for Santa Cruz/Cochise County residents and TNC members. Free to Patagonia/Sonoita/Elgin residents and children under 17. Registration is required.
Please bring comfortable clothes and footwear to walk 1-2 miles, a water bottle, sun protection and snacks. We suggest bringing your own binoculars, but the preserve has a limited number available for checkout. Read more about preserve regulations here.
For more information, contact Preserve Manager Aaron at aaron.mrotek@tnc.org.

Performing Arts: Mariachi Pueblo Viejo
2026-03-20 19:00 - 22:00 | Tubac Center of The Arts, 9 Plaza Road, Tubac, AZ, 85646, United States
Tubac, Arizona
at 7:00 p.m.
Founded in May 2021 by Director Manuel Ponce, Mariachi Pueblo Viejo was created to showcase the authentic spirit of Jalisco’s mariachi tradition. Now celebrating 5 years, the group has quickly earned recognition for its musical excellence and passion for preserving Mexico’s cultural heritage.

Members: $35.00
Non-Members: $40.00

For more information, please visit this link.

Erosion Control in the Catalinas
2026-03-20 14:45 - 2026-03-22 18:00 | Whitetail Campground, 11200 Whitetail Road, Mt Lemmon, 85619, United States
Overview

Join us for a weekend of restoring nature’s balance after the Bighorn Fire — let’s get our hands dirty for a good cause!

The Work
We will be creating loose rock structures to halt erosion, increase water absorption, and support plant growth in drainages around Summerhaven in the Santa Catalina Mountains. These low-tech structures can make huge differences and are a great tool for transforming landscapes. We’ll be getting dirty, bending, lifting, and digging with tools provided by SIA.
What to Expect/Bring
Folks staying through the weekend should bring their own camping gear (or contact us if you need to borrow some) and meals for the weekend — a minimum of two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners, with snacks.

SIA will provide potable water, and folks are welcome to bring their own as well. There is water at the campsite to refill from, but none at the worksite.
Be prepared to unplug — there is limited or no cellphone or internet service where we’ll be camping and working.
Bring camping gear: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc. We have extra camping gear available to borrow. Please contact our staff listed below if you would like to use some of our equipment.
Bring work clothes, work gloves, and appropriate close-toed boots/shoes that you are happy to hike in and don’t mind getting dirty or damaged.
Bring sun protection: sunscreen, long-sleeves, hat, etc.
Bring a refillable water bottle and a daypack for snacks and gear.

We will be building rock structures, which will entail carrying, moving, and placing rocks of various sizes. Some heavy lifting will be required, though no one will be asked to lift more than they feel capable of, and folks can work in teams to move larger rocks using cargo nets. Be prepared for getting dirty as we will also be digging as part of the building process. We will also be hiking to our worksites, which may be up to two miles by trail from a trailhead (though likely closer), while carrying tools such as picks, rockbars, and/or shovels. Worksites may be steeply sloped and uneven, with the potential for loose footing. Also, in our search for building materials, we will be traipsing around off trail in rocky drainages and across slopes.

Tour of Historic Canoa Ranch
2026-03-20 13:00 - 14:30 | Historic Canoa Ranch, 5375 I-19 Frontage Rd, Green Valley, AZ, 85614
Join a walking tour of the Canoa Ranch headquarters. Visit the historic buildings and corrals and enjoy the special exhibits of the people of Canoa. 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.
Ready to register for this event? Follow these easy steps.
Create Your Account:

Visit www.explore.pima.gov
Click on the Create Account button in the upper right
Add your email address and password
Click Continue
Set up your profile by completing the First Name, Last Name, and Date of Birth fields
Click Get Started

Explore Programs:

Click on the Environmental Education tile
Explore our offering or navigate to a specific event

our programs are grouped by activity type; you may need to scroll through other categories to find what you are looking for
Use the Keyword search feature to narrow down the selections

Register for Programs:

Select the program
Click Register (or view details if you want to know more)
Choose who will be participating – you may need to add more household member if registering for others (you can select more than one participant to register in the same transaction)
Click Add to cart
Click Continue to checkout
Confirm account details
For programs with a fee, you will be asked to Add new payment method – for free programs, you can proceed directly to place order
Click Place order
If you need assistance, contact the Environmental Education Team:
Phone: 520-724-5375
Email: EEducation@pima.gov

Santa Cruz River Restoration
2026-03-18 09:00 - 11:00 | 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.

Tubac HawkWatch Festival
2026-03-17 08:00 - 17:00 | Ron Morriss Park, 31 Calle Iglesia, Tubac, AZ, 85746
It’s peak week at the Tubac HawkWatch! Join HWI, the Tubac Nature Center, and Tucson Bird Alliance for a week celebrating spring migration. This is a family-friendly event with free activities in the park to coincide with the peak flight of the Common Black Hawk migration. You can expect to hawkwatch alongside experts daily, enjoy birding walks and lectures, shop birdy merch and optics, and meet live Raptor Ambassadors.
On Optics Days, you can shop and try out the latest binoculars with the best optics dealers. Don’t forget to stop at HawkWatch International, Tubac Nature Center, and Tucson Bird Alliance for some bird merch!
Bring a chair, hat, sunscreen, water, and binoculars.

We will be there on 3/13 and 3/14. If you are interested in volunteering (tabling with us) please reach out to zabrina@santacruzheritage.org
