With a full moon taking place this weekend, many Valley hiking trails are taking advantage of the natural light it provides.
Rand Hubbell, park supervisor at McDowell Mountain Regional Park, said hiking by the light of the moon is a unique experience.
“It’s really unusual to be out in the desert on a full moon hike. You just see things differently. The animals that are out at that time, you might not see during your daylight hikes and it’s a quieter, more serene environment,” Hubbell said.
Full-moon hikes are popular throughout the state of Arizona. Tonight’s hike at McDowell Mountain Park will be a three-mile trek to Pemberton Park.
6 MORE FULL-MOON EVENTS IN THE VALLEY THIS WEEKEND
The full moon is Saturday night, but there are outdoor events around the Valley on both Friday and Saturday.
Friday
- "Hike by the Light of a Full Moon" at Cave Creek Regional Park.
- "Family Moonlight Hike" at White Tank Mountains Regional Park in Waddell.
- "Full Moon Hike: Full Pink Moon"at Usery Mountain Regional Park in Mesa.
- "Night Hike" at Estrella Mountain Regional Park in Goodyear.
Saturday
- "Pleasant Paddlers Program: Sunset at Full Moon Paddle" at Lake Pleasant in Peoria.
- "Moonlight Hike and Campfire" at San Tan Mountain Regional Park in Queen Creek.
For a complete list of events at Maricopa County parks, visit www.maricopa.gov/parks.
