All field trips are offered Monday afternoon and again on Friday morning. Use the number of the field trip to register. See descriptions below.

 1. Tohono O’Odham Cultural Center and Museum (Topawa, Tohono O’odham Nation)

2. Lago Seco (Dry Lake) in the Barry M Goldwater Range East

3. Sonoran Pronghorn Captive Breeding Pen in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge

4. Quitobaquito Springs in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

5.  Painted Rock Petroglyph Site at the Bureau of Land Management Painted Rock Campground

6.  Volcanic  landscapes in the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve (Mexico – must bring passport – all day field trip)

1. Tohono O’Odham Cultural Center and Museum (Topawa, Tohono O’odham Nation)   

Visitors to the Cultural Center (Himdag: Ki) will be participate in a presentation with information on the history and culture of the Tohono O’odham, via PowerPoint, and will be given a special “behind the scenes” tour of the facilities to include repository, archives, exhibits and cultural center.

Length of tour:  1 1/2 hours (Note that the drive from Ajo to Topawa is about 1 1/2 hours. It is a slightly shorter drive from Tucson.)

Monday, March 19 -- 1:00 p.m. meet at the Tohono O'odham Cultural Center and Museum

Friday, March 23 -- 10:00 a.m. meet at the Tohono O'odham Cultural Center and Museum

Special considerations:  Quitobaquito Spring is located along the international boundary with Mexico. A safety briefing is required before leaving the Kris Eggle Visitor Center.

Limit: 20 people

 2. Lago Seco (Dry Lake) in the Barry M Goldwater Range East   

Lago Seco (Dry Lake), discovered in 1978, is perhaps the largest and most artifact rich archaeological site in all of southwestern Arizona.  The site is located within the sand dunes and gravel capped ridges that surround a former Pleistocene (12,000 BC) lake or playa that is devoid of vegetation.  Primary occupation occurred between A.D. 1100-1450 when the site was the hub of the shell, salt, and obsidian trading network.  The inhabitants collected these rare items from the surrounding area and the Sea of Cortez in Mexico and traded them with groups from as far as Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma. Be prepared to see a virtual carpet of artifacts and the remains of roasting features.

Length of tour:  4 hours 

Bring: water, snack, sturdy walking shoes, light jacket/windbreaker, brimmed hat or visor cap, sunglasses, sunscreen, camera and GPS if desired,

Monday, March 19; 12:00 p.m. meet at International Sonoran Desert Alliance (ISDA) in front of the Curley School

Friday, March 23; 8:00 a.m. meet at International Sonoran Desert Alliance (ISDA) in front of the Curley School

Limit: 20 people

Special considerations:  Participants will be required to sign a hold harmless agreement acknowledging the inherent risks associated with visiting an active military training range. The  AF will have one vehicle with room for four people. A high profile vehicle is preferable and people are encouraged to carpool.

 3. Sonoran Pronghorn Captive Breeding Pen in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge

Constructed in 2003, the square mile captive breeding pen contains approximately 55 – 80 Sonoran pronghorn depending on the time of year.  Fawn crops ranging from 20 to 30 are birthed each spring which, in turn, are targeted for release to augment wild or to start new populations when they are nearly two years old.  The pen is staffed every day of the year to enable a variety of required daily tasks.  The tour features a guided hike up a nearby hill overlooking the pen, a discussion of the pen and how the pronghorn are managed, opportunities for questions and possible viewing opportunities of the pronghorn within.

Length of tour:  3-4 hours

Bring:  water, snack, sturdy walking shoes or boots, long pants/long sleeve shirt, light jacket/windbreaker, brimmed hat or visor cap, sunglasses, sunscreen, camera and binoculars if desired, a small day pack is permissible.

Monday, March 19; 1:00 p.m. meet at the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 1611 N 2nd Ave, Ajo

Friday, March 23; 8:00 a.m. meet at the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 1611 N 2nd Ave, Ajo

Limit: 15 people, Children must be at least 12 years old and accompanied by an adult.

4. Quitobaquito Spring in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

The area is an oasis that holds the key to preservation of the endangered Sonoran Desert pupfish as well as many historic sites. The Sonoran mud turtle also occupies the pond and is being studied for possible listing as well. The tours feature a guide to discuss what could be seen along the route and a guided tour of the pond and springs.  The Freemont cottonwood tree made famous by photographers is still hanging on.  Perhaps these visitors will be one of the last groups to see the tree standing.

Length of tour:  4 hours

Bring: water, snack, sturdy walking shoes or boots, long pants/long sleeve shirt, light jacket/windbreaker, brimmed hat or visor cap, sunglasses, sunscreen, camera and binoculars if desired, a small day pack is permissible, but there is not room in the van for a large pack. 

Monday, March 19; 1:00 p.m. meet at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center, 10 Organ Pipe Dr, AZ

Friday, March 23; 8:00 a.m. meet at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center, 10 Organ Pipe Dr, AZ

Limit: 20 people, Children must be at least 12 years old and accompanied by an adult.

5.  Painted Rock Petroglyph Site at the Bureau of Land Management Painted Rock Campground

Painted Rock Petroglyph Site, approximately 25 miles west of Gila Bend, Arizona, provides visitors the opportunity for a self-directed tour to view an ancient archaeological site containing hundreds of symbolic and artistic rock etchings, or "petroglyphs," produced centuries ago by prehistoric peoples.  There are also inscriptions made by people who passed through during historic times.  Many well-known events in Arizona history occurred near the petroglyph site, including the expedition of Juan Bautista de Anza that founded San Francisco, the Mormon Battalion and the Butterfield Overland Mail.  Formerly a unit of the Arizona State Parks system, jurisdiction of Painted Rock Petroglyph Site reverted to the Bureau of Land Management in 1989.

Length of tour:  It will take 30 to 40 minutes to travel to the site from Gila Bend.  A planned talk is scheduled at approximately 2:45-3:45 p.m., weather permitting.  Afterward participants can take as long as they want to view the interpretive panels. 

Bring:  Water, walking shoes or boots, comfortable clothes/long sleeve shirt/brimmed hat or visor cap, sunglasses/sunscreen/camera if desired is recommended.

Monday, March 19; 2:00 p.m. meet at the Gila Bend McDonalds on the main street, west of town

Friday, March 23; 10 a.m. meet at the Gila Bend McDonalds on the main street, west of town

Limit: 40 people

6. Volcanic  landscapes in the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve (Mexico– must bring passport)

This field trip will begin with seeing the Visitor Center and watching a video (there are informative trail walks at the Visitor Center). Then participants will visit the Biological Station and Elegante Crater.

The Visitor Center was the first self sustained energy wise public building in México, operating on a hybrid system of 132 solar panels and a wind generator. It was built using rigorous energy saving methods and materials. The grey water is reused for the desert botanical gardens surrounding the building. There is  a temporary display of great photographs of the reserve as well as some artifacts of the O'odham that used to live here. Artifacts include metates, mortars, arrowheads, clay pots and others. There are two informative trails, short and easy to hike, one of them focuses on the biological aspects of the reserve and the other one focuses more on the geological aspects. On the drive to the Visitor Center, you will see the Sierra Blanca, an ancient granitic structure home to Big Horn Sheep. You will also see the Ives Lava Flow, one of the most recent volcanic Pahoe Hoe flow in the area. From the terrace in the Visitor Center you can see the Gran Desierto Sand Dunes, the largest extension of mobile sand dunes in north America with some sand dunes 250 meters high.

The Elegante crater was formed aprox. 32,000 years ago and it is one of 10, it's name derives of the perfectness of its round shape. 1,600 meters in diamter (1 mile) and 230 meters deep (750 feet). There are some graphs here that tell you what time of crater it is, how it was formed and much more information. On the drive to Elegante, you can see many cinder cones or ancient volcanoes, ash plains, lava flows, plants and animals from the region. Some animals that are common to see (depending on the time and how silent the group is) is Bighorn Sheep, Prong Horn Antelope, White Tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Javalina or Pecari, Grey Fox, Kit Fox, Hares, Rabbits, Kangaroo Rat and many many types of birds like quails, hawks, roadrunners, cardinals, orioles, owls, hummingbirds and others.

This is an all-day field trip, and you must bring your passport. Participants may caravan from the Visitor Center in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (see below) or if traveling from Mexico, meet at the Visitor Center in the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve at 10:00 a.m. Some participants may be able to car pool, but be prepared to drive your own vehicle if necessary. No special vehicle (such as 4-wheel drive) is required.

Bring: passport, water, lunch and snacks, sturdy walking shoes, light jacket/windbreaker, brimmed hat or visor cap, sunglasses, sunscreen,

Monday, March 19 -- 8:30 a.m. meet at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (40 minute drive south from Ajo). 

Friday, March 23 -- 8:30 a.m. meet at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (40 minute drive south from Ajo). 

Limit: 40 people