Get outside! You won’t regret it!

This blog post is by Deborah B. (Kirk-Bear Canyon Library), Kayleigh H. (Himmel Park Library), and Marnie G. (Joel D. Valdez Main Library).

It’s fall and that means cooler weather in Tucson. This is one of the best times of the year to get outside. Do you want to get outside, but stay close to home?  Don’t want to drive too far, or want to skip the drive entirely?

Here are some ideas:

• You can drive and park to many spots along what locals call the Loop, but think about biking, walking or taking the bus to the Loop instead.  Officially titled the  Chuck Huckelberry Loop, you can get around town by walking, biking or rolling along 137 miles of paved pathways and bike lanes.
• In addition to spectacular views along the Loop, there are lots of great parks along the Loop, including one of our favorites: Morris K. Udall Park. 
• To find more parks to visit along the Loop, check out the library book The Loop: Atlas and Guidebook by Randolph Ford, which is a great local guidebook to the Loop.
• Check out art along the Loop (scroll over images for titles and locations):

Do you like water, wildlife and mountain views?  

• Discover all of that, and more, at the 101 acre Agua Caliente Park on the eastside of Pima County.  Agua Caliente Park has ponds, walking paths, picnic areas, and panoramic views.
• Christopher Columbus Park’s ponds are home to local wildlife, including ducks, fish and more.  You can also bring your own boat to row around the ponds or play with your dog in the dog park.
• Pima County Parks and Recreation’s web site lists “watchable wildlife” at various Pima County Parks and Recreation parks.

To find lots of other local parks, check out the web sites for the City of Tucson Parks and Recreation and Pima County Parks and Recreation.

Looking for a fun activity to do while you’re exploring the outdoors? 

• Give community-based science a try. Community-based science is public participation in scientific research. Anyone can be a community scientist! The data you gather will help advance real-world research projects.
• Pima County Public Library has three different Community Science Kits that you can check out with your library card. Each kit contains the instructions and materials you need to participate in a community-based science project.  Take a kit on a solo adventure or invite a friend and see who can generate the most data!
• Bring the Exploring Biodiversity kit on a walk around the park or along for a hike. With this kit, you will use a smartphone or camera to photograph the plant and animal species you observe and then upload your observations to iNaturalist. Your contributions will help scientists better understand where the species you observe live.

Need a break during your hike? 

• Observing Pollinators has you covered. This project involves finding a place with flowering plants and spending 5-15 minutes observing the pollinators that visit your chosen spot. Your contributions will help scientists better understand pollinator populations and their preferred plants.

Maybe you are more of a night owl? 

• Take the Measuring Light in the Night kit out to measure light pollution near you. Your contributions will help scientists understand the impacts of this excessive artificial light.

Interested in diving deeper into community science? 

• Check out this book list or visit SciStarter.org to learn even more about community science and discover other research projects to participate in.

List created by PimaLib_SusannahC

Participate in crowd-sourced community science projects.

View Full List

Don't forget Culture Passes!

• You and a companion can visit multiple arts and cultural institutions for FREE with a Library Culture Pass. Many of them, including Tohono Chul Park and the Tucson Botanical Gardens, are outdoors! Find information (venues, obtaining passes, and more) here.