Just a Walk in the Park

Not every activity in Tucson has to cost you money to participate in of course. Why not just get out of the house and get some exercise? I don’t have any hard facts in front of me to back me up, but if I had to guess I’d say that Tucson has one of the healthiest populations in the U.S. Hiking, walking, biking, jogging, are all well represented here.

One of the favorite local places to go is Reid Park, located at 1100 South Randolph Way. Yesterday I grabbed my camera and headed out for some fresh air and exercise.


Sandwiched between Broadway Boulevard to the north and 22nd street to the south, Reid Park (officially named Gene C. Reid Park) is easy to find in central Tucson. There is plenty of free parking around the area on a weekday. Weekends however are likely to offer fewer available parking spots.

In addition to a great place for a walk, Reid Park is also the home of DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, which provides a venue for various events throughout the year. The last two weeks in June it hosted evening performances of “Shakespeare in the Park”.

Golfers will find a municipal course there, and tennis bums will discover at 25 lighted tennis courts ^[1] for you to practice your crosscourt backhand. If that isn’t enough activity for you, the Reid Park Zoo is also located here. ^[2]

I know I’ll hear from the baseball fans out there if I don’t also mention that Reid Park is also the home of Hi Corbett field, the pre-season home of the Colorado Rockies. The stadium is a beautiful art deco style design that was built in 1937 and has been renovated throughout the years. ^[3]


Okay, back to the walking trail. The official name is the David Bell Bike/Walking path and as the name implies, it’s not just for walkers and joggers. While I was there I saw cyclists, skateboarders, rollerbladers, and a very unique adult tricycle apparatus. Dogs are also welcome as long as they’re kept on a leash.

I was told that one lap around the 131 acre park is a three mile trek. Funny, it sure felt more like four miles to me. But then I arrived just a little later in the day than I would have liked. As with any outdoor activity in Tucson, you should plan on either being finished by 10:00 a.m. or not starting until about 6:00 p.m. during the summer months. I hit the path at about 9:00 a.m. when the outside temperature was at 84 degrees Fahrenheit. I was finished (both figuratively and literally!) at 10:00 a.m.


Of course when I got back home, I felt good about getting out and doing something positive for my health and well being. The next time you’re in the mood for a little fresh air and sunshine, take a walk in the park. Reid Park that is.

Sources:
[1] http://www.randolphtenniscenter.com/
[2] http://www.tucsonzoo.org/
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi_Corbett_Field

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

One thing you can count on in Tucson is the natural beauty of the desert surroundings. But if your idea of a desert is hot, dry, barren sand you owe it to yourself to check out the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

Museum hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. October through February, and 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. March through September. The price for admittance for adults was $9.50 as of July, 2008.

The museum is located just west of Tucson on a twisty, hilly, paved two lane road with a speed limit of 35 mph. The slower pace of the road is a perfect reminder to slow down once you get inside the museum. There is a lot of ground to cover and most of it is outside so dress appropriately and bring sunscreen and pick up a bottle of water at the entrance to the museum if you didn’t bring one with you.

During the summer months try to get there when they open at 7:30 a.m. to beat the summer afternoon heat. My friend and I got there at 10:00 a.m. and stayed until about 2:00 p.m. The temperature was just over 100 degrees towards the end of our visit, which was getting a little warm after trudging around the desert trails for three hours.

Not all of the sights are outside however. There underground sections cut out to get a better view of some of the natural habitat of the wildlife there, as well as a small aquarium and even a cave to explore! In addition to their unique visual perspective, they offer a welcome respite from the heat of the day.

This would be a good time to point out the wide variety of exhibits at the museum. While my friend and I spent three hours walking the area we didn’t see every exhibit there. I recommend picking up the free self guiding tour map at the entrance. Take a few minutes to look it over and plan your day from there.

Here is a partial list of the current exhibits:
Reptiles & Invertebrates
Overlook (over the Avra Valley and six mountain ranges.)
Earth Sciences
Mountain Woodland
Desert Grassland
Cat Canyon
Desert Loop Trail
Life on the Rocks
Riparian (stream-side) Corridor
Bighorn
Walk-in Aviary
Desert Garden
Life Underground
Pollination Gardens
Hummingbird Aviary
Cactus Garden
Fishes & Amphibians

In addition to all of the exhibits, there are plenty of shaded rest stops, drinking fountains, restrooms, a gift shop and two restaurants that offer places to take a break from the day’s activities. There is even an ice cream shop to discover along the way!

Here are a few example of the wildlife you'll see during your visit to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

I left the museum a little hot, a little tired, and a little more amazed at the beauty of the desert and knowing a little bit more about my new home here in Tucson.