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## Saguaro National Park News Release

*For Immediate Release*

October 22, 2008

Contacts: Saguaro East - Melanie Florez (520) 733-5153

Saguaro West - Richard Hill (520) 733-5158

**November Programs Offered at Saguaro National Park**

Saguaro National Park is offering a series of programs this fall that
will explore the wonderful natural and cultural history of the park.
Join naturalists for an evening walk in the park or join a local expert
for a presentation in the visitor center. Programs will be offered at
both districts. There is no charge for interpretive programs, but park
entrance fees apply.

**[Special Programs offered at the Rincon Mountain District (Saguaro
East) include:]{.underline}**

**November 1 3:00 p.m. Exploring Arizona's National Treasures**

Arizona is home to many beautiful and fascinating national park areas.
How many can you name? Join Park Ranger Katy Hooper in the visitor
center auditorium and take a virtual tour of these special places.
[Program is accessible.]{.underline} ***This program will also be
offered on November 15 and 29.***

**November 5 9:00 a.m. Desert Morning Hike**

Join a park naturalist for this 3--hour, 4-mile exploration of Saguaro
National Park. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and bring water and a trail
snack. Advance registration is recommended; call the visitor center at
(520) 733-5153 to sign up. ***This program will also be offered on
November 12, 19 and 26.***

**November 5 7:00 p.m. Star Party**

Join park naturalists for an introduction to astronomy and a look at the
desert night sky. Telescopes and binoculars will be available. Advance
registration is required and can be made by calling the visitor center
at (520) 733-5153.

[Program is accessible]{.underline}

**November 6 7:00 p.m. Predators in Miniature: Spiders of the
Southwest**

Join naturalist Jillian Cowles for a look at the lives and stories of
these tiny predators in our midst. Meet eight-legged hunters who stalk
their prey and pounce on it like a cat and those who spit venom and glue
mixtures to subdue their victims, pirates that tip-toe into the webs of
other spiders to kill and eat them You\'ll hear about spiders that sing
and dance to win a mate, and dedicated mothers who go without food while
they carry their bundles of eggs. And you\'ll see spiders with colors
that rival hummingbirds and others camouflaged to look like bird
droppings. Advance reservations are recommended and can be made by
calling (520) 733-5153. [This program is accessible.]{.underline}

**November 7 8:00 a.m. Desert Bird Walk**

Join volunteer naturalists Vicki Powers and Ralph Terry for an easy
2-hour walk in search of desert birds. Wear comfortable walking shoes
and bring water. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling
(520) 733-5153. ***This program will also be offered on November 14, 21
and 28..***

**November 7 7:00 p.m. Night Walk**

This 2-hour easy walk provides opportunities for experiencing the desert
at night. Dress for the weather, wear comfortable walking shoes and
bring water and a flashlight. Space is limited, so call the visitor
center at (520) 733-5153 to reserve your spot. ***This program will also
be offered on November 21.***

**November 8 8:00 -- 12:00 a.m. Buffelgrass Weed Pull (Rincon Mtn
District)**

Volunteers will work with Park staff to remove a patch of buffelgrass,
an invasive non-native plant which threatens the Sonoran Desert. We will
be meeting at the Visitors Center and then carpool to the Javelina
picnic area work site. Please park in the Administrative Parking Lot
(1st right after entering the park, follow around to lot just south of
Visitor Center Parking Lot). Wear sturdy hiking shoes, long pants and a
hat. Bring water and gloves (if you have them); tools and gloves will be
provided. Following the event, we will relax over snacks and beverages.
RSVP to 733-5187 or sign up at the Visitors Center so we can get a
general head count. We look forward to seeing you there!

**November 13 10:00 a.m. Prehistoric People in the Sonoran Desert**

Stop by the visitor center patio and join Volunteer Walter Coe for an
exploration into the prehistory of this area; learn who lived here over
a thousand years ago and what they used for food, clothing and shelter.
This is an on-going, informal presentation. [Program is
accessible.]{.underline} ***This program*** ***will also be offered on
November 20.***

**November 13 3:00 p.m. In Love with Wildlife**

Join park biologist Matt Caron for a look at desert wildlife. Come see
what our remote cameras caught on film! Reservations are recommended and
can be made by calling (520) 733-5153. [Program ism
accessible.]{.underline}

**November 22 3:00 p.m. A Taste of the Desert**

Join a park naturalist in the visitor center auditorium and explore the
many uses of desert plants, some of which are quite tasty! [Program is
accessible.]{.underline}

**[Special Programs offered at the Tucson Mountain District (Saguaro
West) include:]{.underline}**

**November 8 9:00 -- 4:00 p.m. American Indian Heritage Cultural Fair**

Native American craft demonstrators, dancers, musicians, and speakers
will gather again at Saguaro National Park for the Eighth Annual
American Indian Heritage Cultural Fair. The Fair takes place at the
Tucson Mountain District (Saguaro West), 2700 North Kinney Road.
Artisans from several Arizona native Nations will display their
craftworks, share American Indian dances, and give insights into
Southwestern native cultures. In addition, a special children's
activities area will feature craft activities and demonstrations from
10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Traditional food will also be available for
purchase. Entrance fees for the park's west district (Saguaro West) will
be waived for this special event. [Program is accessible.]{.underline}

**November 10 3:15 p.m. \"Sunset Hike\"**

The Sunset Hike is a 3½ to 4 hour, 3½ mile round trip that climbs 700
feet to a beautiful ridgeline for the sunset. The descent of the trail
is solely under the light of the moon. Reservations are required. Call
733-5158.

**November 11 4:00 p.m. "Moon Take Night Make Day" hike.**

This is a gentle, relatively flat, 3 hour, 2 ½ mile hike up a desert
wash during the transition from day to night. Enjoy the sunset and
stroll in the moonlit desert. Reservations are required. Call 733-5158.

**November 13 6:00 p.m. \"Moonrise Over the Mountains\" talk.**

This campfire talk on the patio of the Red Hills Visitor Center allows a
relaxing view of the full moon as it rises above the cactus forest.
Program is approximately 45 minutes. Bring a lawn chair and warm
clothing. No reservations are required for this program --- everyone is
welcome. [Program is accessible.]{.underline}

**November 28 2:00 p.m. 50 States, 50 Parks**

Come join the staff at Saguaro National Park as we celebrate the 92^nd^
birthday of the National Park Service. Take a trip around the 50 United
States stopping to visit one National Park Service site in each one \--
we\'ll even give a consolation prize to the one state that does not have
an \"official\" site. Which states have you visited? Which parks have
you missed?? Jeff Wallner will mix well-known with little-known sites
for a mosaic of the world\'s first system of National Parks and Historic
areas. [Program is accessible.]{.underline}

**[Daily Programs]{.underline}**

Please contact either visitor center to confirm programs or check the
park web site at www.nps.gov/sagu

Red Hills Visitor Center (Saguaro West) Rincon Mountain District
(Saguaro East)

2700 North Kinney Road 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail

Tucson, AZ 85743 Tucson, AZ 85730

\(520\) 733-5158 (520) 733-5153520) 733-5153

09-03