Arizona State Parks: Press Room

ARIZONA STATE PARKS: For Immediate Release
Managing and conserving Arizona’s natural, cultural and recreational resources for the benefit of the people, both in our Parks and through our Partners. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Bilbrey at (602) 542-1996 or (602) 228-8518. Contact by Email: pio(at)azstateparks.gov

Oracle State Park Re-Opening On Limited Schedule

(Oracle, AZ - January 12, 2012) - Arizona State Parks and the Friends of Oracle State Park invite you to celebrate the re-opening of Oracle State Park to the public beginning in February. Bring your own picnic to the park for the "Grand Re-opening" on Saturday, February 4, 2012. It's a FREE DAY for the public and gates will be open from 8am to 5pm.

Oracle State Park has been closed since October 2009 due to a severe state budget crisis, but will open on a limited basis, Saturdays-only to the public, from February 4 through April 28. Current funding will allow the park to be open again in the Fall of 2012, September through November on Saturdays from 8am-5pm.

During the months of February, March, April, September, October and November, Oracle State Park will again offer environmental education school programs for local elementary schools and scout groups. Programs are offered on weekdays by reservation. For more information, visit AZStateParks.com.

More volunteers are needed to help with opening day and consecutive Saturdays. Volunteer Orientation Meetings are set for January 26, 2012 and February 2, 2012 at 10am at the Kannally Ranch House. Call the park office (520) 896-2425 or email Volunteer Coordinator, jrinio@azstateparks.gov for more information.

February 4, 2012 Schedule

8:30 am: Guided Bird Walk: Enjoy the beautiful landscape with sweeping views of the Catalinas on this morning Bird Walk.
10 am, 2 pm, 4 pm: House Tours: Tour the Kannally Ranch House, a unique Mediterranean style house listed on the National Register of Historic Places, that was once part of the Kannally family cattle ranch.
11 am: Oracle Odyssey Program: Enjoy a 45 minute excerpt from an Environmental Education Trail Program. Activities, for grades 4-6, focus on habitat and the interrelationships between plants, animals and people.
Noon: VIP Presentations: Presentations will take place at Noon in the living room of the Kannally Ranch House celebrating the park’s re-opening.
1 pm: Oracle Adventure Program: Enjoy a 45 minute excerpt from an Environmental Education Trail Program. Sample activities, designed for grades 1-3, use the five senses to explore the environment
10 am to 4 pm: Booths & Bake Sale: Check out fun Interactive Educational Booths! Plus the Friends of Oracle State Park will have baked goods and special treats for sale at the Kannally Ranch House.
Park Will Be Open on Saturdays: February through April 2012

Oracle State Park, Center for Environmental Education, is a 4,000 acre wildlife refuge located on the northern foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson. The park offers 15 miles of interconnecting loop trails through oak-grassland overlooking the San Pedro River Valley. A four-mile section of the Arizona Trail transects the park, and is a multi-use trail enjoyed by hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers. The park was once the Kannally family ranch, and the Mediterranean-style Kannally Ranch House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For more information about events at Oracle State Park, call the park office at (520) 896-2425.

For more information about Arizona's 27 State Parks, State Trails system, the State Historic Preservation Office or the Off-Highway Vehicle Program call (602) 542-4174 (or from outside of the Phoenix metro area (800) 285-3703) or visit AZStateParks.com. For social media access ... AZStateParks on Twitter and Facebook.

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Learn More About Oracle State Park

link to this page:
http://azstateparks.com/press/2011/PR_01-15-12.html

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