News
Tours, activities await visitors this weekend at Kartchner Caverns
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| Kartchner Caverns celebrates
The entrance to the Discovery Center at Kartchner Caverns State Park is shown in this 2007 photo. (Ted Morris |
Mon, 11/02/2009 - 01:39
BENSON - Governors, park rangers, cave experts, geologists, construction crews, bat biologists, legislators, and local leaders assisted in an 11-year effort to open Kartchner Caverns State Park.
Since then, the cave has been listed as one of the Top 10 in the world because of the array of delicate calcite formations found in the depths of the cave.
This coming weekend, the park will have hour-by-hour activities and cave tours if you have booked tours in advance. Visitors will learn microbiology from Raina Maier, cave paleontologist, the history of the cave discovery from explorer Gary Tenen, and the secret excitement of the discovery from Kartchner family members. Families can enjoy bat, bobcat, mountain lion and rattlesnake workshops as well as special desert interpretive walks.
It has been estimated that more than two million people have been drawn to southeastern Arizona to visit the park, and it has generated more than $12 million in economic impact funds to Cochise County.
The $5 park entrance fee will be waived for this event. Make your cave tour reservation by calling (520) 586-2283 seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rotunda/Throne Room Tours are available for $18.95 for ages 14 and up and $9.95 for those ages 7 to 13 (children 6 and younger are free). Big Room tours are available for $22.95 for ages 14 and up and $12.95 for those ages 7 to 13 (children younger than 7 are not permitted into the Big Room). Walk-up tickets may not be available this weekend. The Park also offers a large, modern campground adjacent to the Whetstone Mountains with views of the entire San Pedro Valley.
Saturday
9 a.m.: Official welcome by Arizona State Parks Executive Director Renee Bahl and Kartchner Caverns State Park Superintendent.
9:30 a.m.: Max Kartchner, a family perspective.
10 a.m.: Kevin Hansen, Southwest regional interpreter, New Mexico State Parks, presentation on Bobcats; herbalist Charles Kane will lead a half-hour edible and medicinal plant walk. Meet outside main entrance to the visitor center.
10:30 am: Charles Kane will be signing his book, "Herbal Medicine of the American Southwest," available for purchase in the gift shop.
Noon: Gary Tenen, co-discoverer of Kartchner Caverns.
1 p.m.: Raina Maier, University of Arizona, microbiology of Kartchner Caverns.
2 p.m.: Kevin Hansen, Southwest regional interpreter, New Mexico State Parks, presentation on mountain lions.
3 p.m.: Robert Casavant, Arizona State Parks, and Rickard S. Toomey, National Park Service. Both cave specialists will discuss 10 years of cave conservation.
4 p.m.: Chuck Duncan, ranger at Katchner Caverns State Park, presentation and discussion on the construction of the tunnels and trails of Kartchner Caverns.
Sunday
9 a.m.: Arizona State Parks Welcome, Mark Kartchner, a family perspective.
10 a.m.: Kevin Hansen, Southwest regional interpreter, New Mexico State Parks, presentation on jaguars.
11 a.m.: Gary Tenen, co-discoverer of Kartchner Caverns.
Noon: Break for lunch and exhibits.
1 p.m.: Debbie Buecher and Ronnie Sidner, bat biologists, discussion of "pit-tag" program at park, used to monitor migration and population of resident bats.
2 p.m.: Kevin Hansen, Southwest regional interpreter, New Mexico State Parks, presentation on rattlesnakes.
3 p.m.: Robert Casavant, Arizona State Parks, and Rickard S. Toomey, National Park Service, 10 years of cave conservation.
BENSON - Governors, park rangers, cave experts, geologists, construction crews, bat biologists, legislators, and local leaders assisted in an 11-year effort to open Kartchner Caverns State Park.
Since then, the cave has been listed as one of the Top 10 in the world because of the array of delicate calcite formations found in the depths of the cave.
This coming weekend, the park will have hour-by-hour activities and cave tours if you have booked tours in advance. Visitors will learn microbiology from Raina Maier, cave paleontologist, the history of the cave discovery from explorer Gary Tenen, and the secret excitement of the discovery from Kartchner family members. Families can enjoy bat, bobcat, mountain lion and rattlesnake workshops as well as special desert interpretive walks.
It has been estimated that more than two million people have been drawn to southeastern Arizona to visit the park, and it has generated more than $12 million in economic impact funds to Cochise County.
The $5 park entrance fee will be waived for this event. Make your cave tour reservation by calling (520) 586-2283 seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rotunda/Throne Room Tours are available for $18.95 for ages 14 and up and $9.95 for those ages 7 to 13 (children 6 and younger are free). Big Room tours are available for $22.95 for ages 14 and up and $12.95 for those ages 7 to 13 (children younger than 7 are not permitted into the Big Room). Walk-up tickets may not be available this weekend. The Park also offers a large, modern campground adjacent to the Whetstone Mountains with views of the entire San Pedro Valley.
Saturday
9 a.m.: Official welcome by Arizona State Parks Executive Director Renee Bahl and Kartchner Caverns State Park Superintendent.
9:30 a.m.: Max Kartchner, a family perspective.
10 a.m.: Kevin Hansen, Southwest regional interpreter, New Mexico State Parks, presentation on Bobcats; herbalist Charles Kane will lead a half-hour edible and medicinal plant walk. Meet outside main entrance to the visitor center.
10:30 am: Charles Kane will be signing his book, "Herbal Medicine of the American Southwest," available for purchase in the gift shop.
Noon: Gary Tenen, co-discoverer of Kartchner Caverns.
1 p.m.: Raina Maier, University of Arizona, microbiology of Kartchner Caverns.
2 p.m.: Kevin Hansen, Southwest regional interpreter, New Mexico State Parks, presentation on mountain lions.
3 p.m.: Robert Casavant, Arizona State Parks, and Rickard S. Toomey, National Park Service. Both cave specialists will discuss 10 years of cave conservation.
4 p.m.: Chuck Duncan, ranger at Katchner Caverns State Park, presentation and discussion on the construction of the tunnels and trails of Kartchner Caverns.
Sunday
9 a.m.: Arizona State Parks Welcome, Mark Kartchner, a family perspective.
10 a.m.: Kevin Hansen, Southwest regional interpreter, New Mexico State Parks, presentation on jaguars.
11 a.m.: Gary Tenen, co-discoverer of Kartchner Caverns.
Noon: Break for lunch and exhibits.
1 p.m.: Debbie Buecher and Ronnie Sidner, bat biologists, discussion of "pit-tag" program at park, used to monitor migration and population of resident bats.
2 p.m.: Kevin Hansen, Southwest regional interpreter, New Mexico State Parks, presentation on rattlesnakes.
3 p.m.: Robert Casavant, Arizona State Parks, and Rickard S. Toomey, National Park Service, 10 years of cave conservation.
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