Oracle, Arizona State Park Re-Opens For Weekends In February, March, April

Oracle State Park Center for Environmental Education will re-open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays beginning Feb. 2, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Spring activities will include the popular guided bird walks and hikes, tours of the historic Kannally ranch house, an astronomy night, nature-based workshops and Earth Day programs.

Tours of the historic Kannally Ranch House will also resume weekly on Saturdays and Sunday starting Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. and offered again at 2 p.m. House tours are free with park admission where visitors will learn the stories behind its hand-carved corbels, stenciled walls, hand-formed fireplace, French casement windows and cozy ranch kitchen.

The Kannally Ranch House

The Kannally Ranch House is a four-level pueblo-revival adobe home with Moorish and Mediterranean influences. It was built by the Kannally ranching family and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The displays include family photos, furnishings and several paintings by "self-taught" cowboy artist Lee Kannally. Picnicking on the patios is welcomed.

Environmental education programs for school children, first through sixth grades, are being scheduled by reservation on weekdays. Thousands of students have learned important environmental principles in these ranger/volunteer-led programs over the last two decades.

Oracle State Park has trails that offer varying degrees of difficulty including a four-mile section of the Arizona Trail that transects the park. Bring your camera, binoculars, notebook, sketchbook, birdbook and leash for your pet.

Oracle Community Nearby

Oracle State Park is located northeast of Tucson in the northern foothills of the Catalina Mountains and features quiet picnic spots, miles of hiking trails, stunning views of the mountains, access to the Arizona Trail plus other oak-woodland trails. Restaurants and attractions in the quaint community of Oracle are nearby.

Elevations in the 4,000-acre wildlife refuge range from 3,500 to 4,500 feet. The park features a diversity of animals, plant species and rock formations. There are also oak tree-shaded washes, mesquite scrub habitats and riparian woodlands with manzanita and beargrass.

A complete lineup of activities, most of them free with park admission, will be posted on the park website at AZStateParks.com. Visitors may also call the park office at (520) 895-2425 or go to the Friends of Oracle State Park website at friendsosp.org.

For information about all 27 Arizona State Parks, the Trails and Off-Highway Vehicle Programs and State Historic Preservation Office call (602) 542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free (800) 285-3703), visit the Web site and online camping reservations at AZStateParks.com, Twitter/Facebook AZStateParks.