Maricopa County Parks offering night "Scorpion Safari" hikes at San Tan Mountain Regional Park

Maricopa County Parks and Recreation is offering guided night hikes called “Scorpion Safari” at San Tan Mountain Regional Park, a county staff member said, featuring about 1 mile of walking at sunset and black-light searches that can reveal local scorpion species.

The program is a county-run recreational offering that gives residents and visitors a chance to observe scorpions in their natural habitat during organized, ranger-led outings. A Maricopa County Parks and Recreation staff member said the night in the recording involved hiking about 1 mile at sunset before turning on black lights to search for arachnids.

“Nothing beats a jet ski holiday. Well, except for a scorpion safari,” the staff member said. The staff member said participants on that outing “spotted over 30 different scorpions and 3 species, including bark, striketail, and big hairy scorpions.” The staff member also praised field staff, saying, “Shout out to ranger Nikki for being our fearless scorpion scout.”

Sign-ups are handled through the county parks website. “Just head to maricopa.gov/parks and search Scorpion Safari to sign up. But hurry, spots fill up fast,” the staff member said. The recording did not specify a regular schedule or ticket price; those details are available on the county website or by contacting Maricopa County Parks and Recreation.

This article reports program details and participant accounts as described in the recording; no formal policy actions, fees, permit changes or safety incidents were described in the transcript.