The Hart Prairie Preserve is an interesting place to visit to learn about the history of the Flagstaff and surrounding areas, as well as the local plant and animal life. Though the preserve is now protected by The Nature Conservancy, originally it was the first stop on the two hour stagecoach ride from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon in the early 1900s. As such, the area is only open to the public at limited times for nature walks, but it may be available for reservations regarding education and outreach style retreats that closely tie in to the Nature Conservancy's mission.

   The 245 acre Hart Prairie Preserve is home to a wide range of Arizona's most unusual flora and fauna, as well as hundreds of different animal species within the forest and meadowlands of the area. Though the preserve is only open during the summer on Sunday mornings for the weekly interpretive hikes, the area can be reserved for field trips, meetings, etc. Visitors can download information sheets from the website explaining the different animal types present, plant species and more to help make the trip more informative.

   My only concern about recommending this location is that it's not very kid friendly. Since it is only open for a brief time period each week, visitors want to be able to enjoy the hike without having to slow down or deal with tired children. It might be best to wait until children are old enough to hike on their own to avoid conflict with other serious hikers. Aside from that and the limited hours, this is a great place to visit if it works into your schedule.

GPS Coordinates:
Lat/Long 35.34435
(WGS 84) - 111.73862

Directions:
Meet at the Fort Valley Plaza Shopping Center for nature walks
1000 N. Humphreys Street at the southwest corner by the guardrail

Admission (subject to change):
Variable

Phone Numbers:
928.774.8892

Hours(subject to change):
Open for guided nature walks at 10AM on Sundays from June 19th - October 16th at scheduled times.

Web:
www.nature.org