Nov. 26, 2007
Contact: Pat Dodds, Public Affairs Officer, (480) 312-2336
Preserve Connections tours continue Jan. 13
The next Preserve Connections hike – featuring the Ringtail Loop Trail -- is set for Sunday, Jan. 13, beginning with an 8 a.m. check-in time at the Granite Reef Senior Center, 1700 N. Granite Reef Road.
Registration is limited and on a first-come-first-served basis. Residents may register on line by going to www.scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve/tours.asp, or get more information by calling (480) 312-3111.
The hikes, now in their third year, are sponsored in partnership with the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. They are offered to Scottsdale residents who may not have direct access to visit, experience and learn more about the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, a huge natural area planned to eventually encompass nearly 60 square miles.
Participants will be transported by bus or van to the preserve, where Certified Conservancy Stewards will lead hikes that highlight Sonoran Desert flora and fauna.
None of the hikes involves sustained climbs, but trails are rocky and irregular and are not suitable for strollers or pets. Children must either walk or be carried. Participants are requested to specify any need for disability-related accommodations by calling (480) 312-3111.
All hikes depart from the Granite Reef Senior Center after an 8 a.m. check-in and return to the center between noon and 1 p.m.
The Jan. 13 Ringtail Loop Trail features mild inclines. Hikers will learn about the animals of the Sonoran Desert and see fine examples of desert plants on this 2.5-mile hike.
Hikers must sign a McDowell Sonoran Conservancy waiver. They should wear sturdy, covered shoes or boots and hats and bring water, sunscreen, sunglasses and energy snacks.
Other hikes are set for the following dates.
- Jan. 26, Cactus Trail. Hikers will learn about edible plants of the desert on this 3.2-mile hike. There are a few steep places on the trail, but inclines overall are mild.
- Feb. 10, Taliesin Overlook via the Lost Dog Trail. Hikers will travel about 4 miles to a saddle overlooking the East Valley and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural complex. There is a short, sustained climb with overall gradual grades on the trail.
- Feb. 23, Amphitheater Trail. Hikers will learn about the geology and composition of the McDowells and surrounding mountains on this 4.5-mile hike to an interesting rock formation. There are mild inclines only.
- March 16, Balanced Rock. Hikers on this 4.2-mile round-trip hike will visit a striking rock formation and see a wild juniper tree, a relic of an earlier era. If wildflowers are present, they will be identified and discussed. The hike involves mild inclines only.