Catalina State Park

Wait, it’s already June? Yes, and there’s still stuff to do out here! You may say, “but it’s hotttt” to which everyone in the Southwest will say, “but it’s a dry heat”.

That’s why all of our programs start in the early morning and evening when it’s cooler! We’ve got 2 new programs on deck we think you’ll love! The Sonoran Sunset Stroll will be a nice way to relax and take in stunning sunset views of the Catalina Mountains on Tuesday 6/16 and 6/30 from 6:30 PM - 8 PM. Cut the lights and bring your own telescope to our first ever Summer Solstice Star Party on Saturday 6/20 from 8 PM - 10 PM featuring space-themed music and Astrophotography lessons. Find out more on our website at azstateparks.com/catalina.

Music in the Mountains photo credit to David Argentati.

Celebrate 43 years of Catalina State Park with us! Thank you for your support over the years. If you’ve never been here, we invite you to come make some new memories in the great outdoors. See azstateparks.com/catalina to learn more about the park, our trails, amenities, upcoming events and more!

We know you all have great photos of the park 📸. Please share your best photos of the park in the comments ❤️

Gotcha! A visitor spotted this young black bear foraging in Alamo Canyon early this morning at dawn! Black bears are a rare sight in the desert, however they will explore lower elevations for food and water as temperatures rise. Bears generally don’t want to be around people and just want to mind their own business.

Defensive tips for bear encounters:
- Make lots of noise
- Make yourself look big and group up with other people
- Slowly back away from the bear, do not run

Campground A Construction Update 🚧:

So…it’s mid-May, what’s happening with Campground A’s restroom? Leach field and septic system installation! Standard Construction’s crews are hard at work making sure everything is up to spec and completed as soon as possible. Due to some unforeseen delays, the Campground A restroom building is set to open sometime in June. We know you all are excited to flush those toilets and enjoy a hot shower. We’ll keep you updated and thank you for your patience!

As a general reminder, please do not enter the construction site. If you are camping in Campground A, there are porta potties next to the construction site. The nearest shower house is in Campground B which is about a 5 minute walk from Campground A. We have plenty of availability in Campground B if you’d like to camp there!

We are adding Saturdays in May for the Blooming Saguaro Hike! Come out and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells around Arizona’s state flower! All hikes meet at the Trailhead Picnic Area, follow signs for “trailhead”. This guided hike runs from 7:30 AM - 9 AM on various trails. See azstateparks.com/catalina for more information. We hope to see you there!

Thank you to Gray Skies Blue for playing some very pleasant folk music at our Music in the Mountains Concert Series last night! Gray Skies Blue played many original songs, we love local music! Check out Gray Skies Blue and their bigger band Treehouse Fire at: https://treehousefire.com/home

If you missed out on the concert we have our summer series coming up for you to enjoy! Did we mention FREE Popcorn courtesy of the Friends of Catalina State Park?!

The next concert is Saturday, June 6th, 2026 at 5 PM with David Argentati - 70s Classic Rock! See David’s page at: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CsfErjNcS/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Ranger Lydia got a promotion! You’re looking at Tubac Presidio State Historic Park’s next Park Manager. Over the last 2 and a half years, Ranger Lydia has served as our Volunteer Coordinator. We’re sad to see her go but wish her all of the best in her new role at Tubac Presidio. Thank you Lydia for everything you did for Catalina State Park. In the wise words of country band Midland, “Goodbyeee is just too hard to say, so let’s just say we’ll see you again.”

May 2026 program schedules are live! Please come out and enjoy one of our many park programs put on by our rangers and volunteers! Don’t forget the Music in the Mountains concert tomorrow May 2nd at 5 PM with Gray Skies Blue/Treehouse Fire. Did we mention free popcorn?

See you out there!

As National Volunteer Month comes to an end, we want to acknowledge the thousands of hours that volunteers contribute to Catalina State Park every year. Our volunteers truly do it all and we thank them for their dedication to seeing our park thrive. They are educators, trail workers, camp hosts, invasive species removal gurus, and the smiling face of our visitor center. Hats off to you and from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your loving contributions to our park ♥️

Outstanding work Patty! Thank you for your years of dedication and passion for the park.

Southern AZ volunteers battle invasive species On Earth Day in late April, volunteers with the Sonoran Desert Weedwackers were out by 7 a.m.to remove buffelgrass at Tucson Mountain Park. They hiked about half a mile to the removal site then learned to identify and remove the harmful invasive off a rocky slope in the park. Removal efforts like th...