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The Kannally Ranch House Patio is where all the events begin at Oracle State Park.
Cooler autumn temperatures at Oracle State Park mean it’s time to enjoy weekend picnics on the Kannally ranch house patio, or come for any of the scheduled nature programs.
The park is open 8a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Visitors are welcome to tour the historic ranch house and exhibit of paintings by self-taught cowboy artist Lee Kannally; explore the 15 miles of hiking trails; or just enjoy the mountain views. Details, including information about late-month programs, are at www.AZStateParks.com/Parks/ORAC.
Admission is $7 per car at the gate on Mt. Lemmon Rd.
October events include:
Saturday, October 4: Guided Hike, 8 a.m. Windmill Loop Hike for 8 miles with Gason Meloche. Reservations required with Gaston at 520-638-5404. Meet at the ranch house parking lot. Free with park admission.
Sunday, October 5: Mineralogy Program, 11 a.m.in the ranch house living room, with mineralogist, Wolfgang Mueller. A hands-on 45 minute show-and-tell program on gems, minerals, and the copper industry of Arizona. Free with park admission.
Saturday, October 11: Nature Journal Making Workshop, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.with Val Bembenek, local paper artisan at the ranch house. Make your own nature-journaling notebooks using basic Japanese stab binding techniques. Create blank journals of any size with unique embellishments, for your notes, sketching, photos or to give as gifts. $12 includes park admission. Reservation required.
Saturday, October 18: Bat Nightwith AZGF Research Ecologist, Joel M. Diamond, Ph..D. His 30-45 minute pre-sunset talk on how light pollution at night affects local wildlife, such as bats. The talk will be followed by capturing bats for an up-close look at our nocturnal neighbors. Free with park admission; time and details TBA.
Sunday, October 19: “The Wonders of the Mesquite Tree”, presentation begins at noon in the Ranch House. Free with park admission; details TBA. Possibly live music and Dessert in the Desert.
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
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