Travel Ed-ventures

One of the great benefits of becoming a member of Tohono Chul Park is the opportunity to go traveling on field trips with members who have similar interests to yours. Tohono Chul Park's education curator plans several trips a year to local and international locations that influence the history and culture of the Sonoran Desert.

BIRDING ALONG SONOITA CREEK AND LAKE PATAGONIA
Thu., Oct. 15 / 7:30am-5pm - Call 742-6455 x0 to reserve your space
In the lush valley between the Patagonia and Santa Rita Mountains lies one of the richest remaining riparian habitats in southeastern Arizona – the Patagonia/Sonoita Creek watershed. Thanks to the Nature Conservancy, more than 750 acres along Sonoita Creek are now protected. This magnificent example of a cottonwood-willow riparian forest is noted for its biological diversity, hosting over a hundred bird species throughout the year. With Lynn Hassler as our guide, we’ll wander through the Nature Conservancy preserve in search of a variety of land birds including vermilion flycatcher and black phoebe; then spend some time at the hummingbird feeders at a local residence where Violet-crowns are sometimes seen. Then we’re off to nearby Lake Patagonia to look for herons, grebes, ducks, and cormorants.
$95 members/$105 general public

CHACO CANYON: NEW MEXICO ARCHAEOLOGY
October 22-26 - Call 742-6455 x0 to reserve your space
North of the Rio Grande in northwest New Mexico lies Chaco Canyon, a truly impressive archaeological site!  Once the center of Anasazi culture, these magnificent masonry ruins encompass six large pueblos containing over 1600 multi-story rooms and more than 90 kivas and great kivas. The Anasazi were skilled engineers, astronomers, farmers and master artisans. They traded widely and created an extensive network of pueblos with connecting roads. Our hosts for this ed-venture are Piet and Mary Van de Mark of Bajas Frontier Tours (www.bajasfrontiertours.com) and our guide is Dr. Gwinn Vivian, a renowned archaeologist who literally grew up at Chaco and has devoted much of his life to interpreting Chacoan culture.

Gwinn shares with us the science and theory behind Chacoan strategies for adapting to a harsh environment and takes us to seldom-visited Chacoan outliers as well as well known sites such as Pueblo Bonito. Some walking is involved. Cost includes comfortable round-trip van transportation from Tucson, accommodations, all breakfasts and three picnics. $1295 pp double occupancy members/$1395 pp double occupancy general public ($225 single supplement)

DAY OF THE DEAD IN ARIZONA with
Patricia Preciado Martin
Sunday, Nov. 1 or Mon., Nov. 2 - 7AM-6PM
The Day of the Dead, El Día de Los Muertos, is a centuries-old tradition very much alive today in Mexico and the Arizona-Sonora borderlands. This colorful and elaborate celebration is also a time of respect and remembrance. In cemeteries around southeastern Arizona, families gather to honor friends and relatives by cleaning and decorating their graves with fresh and paper flowers, candles and offerings of food and drink. Join noted Tucson author and oral historian Patricia Preciado Martin, and our hosts Mary and Piet Van de Mark of Baja’s Frontier Tours (www.bajasfrontiertours.com), to experience this special holiday firsthand. Martin’s treasured stories bring to life our selection of hidden, historic and even “ghostly” cemeteries in southeastern Arizona. Check the website (www.tohonochulpark.org/travel%20ed.html) for updates and details. This travel ed-venture is also open to members of the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum. Cost includes comfortable transportation, picnic lunch and great photo ops! 
$99 members/$115 general public

MT. LEMMON SKYNIGHTS ADVENTURE -wait listed-
Wed., Nov. 11 / 1pm-10:30pm -
Call 742-6455 x0 to reserve your space
Star-gazing is a popular pastime among Tucsonans because of our clear and open skies. Our winter night sky programs have been popular with members since the early 1990s and this year we are pleased to offer a new cosmic experience at over 9,000 feet – the recently opened Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter! Celestial wonders like star clusters and distant galaxies that have fascinated humanity since the dawn of time are waiting to be explored. Learn about sunset points and star charts and view the heavens through the SkyCenter’s 24-inch reflecting telescope and, if we’re lucky, the 32-inch Schulman telescope due to arrive in September. Cost includes transportation, guide services and a boxed supper.
$99 members/$115 general public

WINE COUNTRY SAFARI
Friday, Dec. 11 / 8:30am-6pm -
Call 742-6455 x0 to reserve your space
Sample some of the world-class vintages being produced in the rolling grasslands of southeastern Arizona on this wine country safari. The wine business in Arizona began in 1973 with Dr. Gordon Dutt’s first experimental vineyard in the region’s terra rosa (red clay) soil nearly identical to that of Burgundy. Today, there are more than a dozen wineries spread out around Patagonia, Elgin and Sonoita. Our first stop is Sonoita Vineyards, founded by Dr. Dutt and featuring his water harvesting system that utilizes berms on the existing hillside to reduce erosion and the need for supplemental irrigation. Following a tour and tasting, we’ll enjoy a catered lunch by The Prairie Chicks before heading to Callaghan Vineyards. From its first vintage in 1991, Callaghan wines have been praised by wine critics. We’ll sample some of their rich, complex reds produced from Mediterranean and Spanish varietals uniquely suited to this climate. Our final stop is sustainably-farmed Kief-Joshua Vineyards for a course in the proper techniques of Wine Tasting 101 and how to recognize “off” smells! Cost includes transportation, wine tastings and lunch.
$115 / $99 members

 

To RSVP for a field trip, or for additional information about any of the above, please call (520) 742-6455 x 228 or email Jo Falls

Past Field Trips:
Please click on the appropriate link below to read about some of our past field trips:

Rancho Esmeralda Sep. 13 - Sep. 15.
Sea of Cortez and Copper Canyon Tour, December 11-18, 2002
Wildflower Field Trip, March 8, 2001
Dia de los Muertos Tour to Oaxaca, Mexico, October 29 - November 4, 2000
Navajo Trading Posts, April 13-16, 2000