The Verde River’s lush habitat and rich diversity of animals, plants, and other wonders will be revealed during an August 30th interpretive hike led by Joanne Oellers, Verde campaign coordinator for the Center for Biological Diversity.

Hikers are invited to marvel at the upper Verde, learn about conservation priorities, and then enjoy a delicious lunch.

“We should see dozens of species of birds and hundreds of petroglyphs,” said Oellers, a veteran naturalist. “Then we will hike down the Verde into the new Nature Conservancy property to see beaver dams and the Verde Springs, one of the places where the water from the Big Chino aquifer north of Paulden comes to the surface, coalescing into a river and supporting amazing wildlife.”

The Verde nurtures habitat essential to numerous native species. The most productive nests of the southwestern desert nesting bald eagle are located there. The eagles feed on declining populations of fish such as the razorback sucker, Colorado pikeminnow, roundtail chub, and spikedace. Those species are imperiled by stream-flow losses that are expected to occur if the cities of Prescott and Prescott Valley follow through with plans to pump 8 million to 11 million gallons per day from the Big Chino aquifer – without mitigating the effect of that pumping on the river.

“Photos, films, music, and slide shows are wonderful, but they don’t come close to the experience of the real thing,” said Edie Dillon, Verde campaign associate. “With this hike, you can get down to the Verde and see for yourself what we are working to protect.”

If a river flows in the wild and no one hears it, does it matter if it goes dry?

Yes, said Prescott Valley resident Mary Lin. “I visited the upper Verde River for the first time this summer after living in the region for over 15 years, and frankly, I was blown away by its beauty and recreational opportunities,” Lin said. “Swimming holes, fishing, river otters, great blue herons, and beautiful fragrant wildflowers along the banks — it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited.”

Lin’s experience is not unusual. The Verde’s majestic cottonwoods and darting minnows are hidden from view a half-mile below Sullivan Lake, the often-dry depression north of Chino Valley that is the river’s “official” headwaters. And, as the saying goes, what is out of sight is often out of mind. Through a series of guided hikes over the summer and fall, the Center for Biological Diversity and Sierra Club-Grand Canyon Chapter are bringing the upper Verde into startlingly beautiful view, one newly committed hiker at a time.

The August 30th hike route will begin along Granite Creek to the Verde River, then follow the river upstream along the shore of Stillman Lake, then back downstream to the upper Verde Springs.

Space is limited for this and future Verde hikes. For more information, call Oellers at (928) 772-8204 or e-mail her at joellers@biologicaldiversity.org.