Maricopa County Parks and Recreation: City Nature Challenge Hike

Join Ranger Nikki on a moderate hike and use your phone to document biodiversity in the park for the City Nature Challenge global citizen science competition that runs April 26-29. The City Nature Challenge is a global competition between cities to document biodiversity in regions around the world, taking place April 26-29. Ranger Nikki will lead a hike with stops along the way to take phone photos of flowers, trees, cacti, birds, bugs, fungi and more to boost the number of observations for Team Phoenix. The route is a 4.5-mile loop using San Tan, Hedgehog and Moonlight Trails on terrain that varies from flat and even to rocky and uneven. You can prepare for this hike by downloading the free iNaturalist app at home on wi-fi and registering your account before you come to the park. For more information about the City Nature Challenge visit https://www.citynaturechallenge.org/ and for iNaturalist visit https://www.inaturalist.org/. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring snacks and plenty of water. Be sure to bring your phone fully charged to take photos. You can upload photos to the app later at home. Water and restrooms are available at the Nature Center. MEETING LOCATION: Main trailhead map kiosk