Great Egret. Photo: Christine Howe/Ä¢¹½Av Photography Awards
Rio Salado

Visit the Rio Salado Ä¢¹½Av Center

Explore our learning center and find ways to connect with birds, wildlife, and conservation.
Parking and Directions
About Us
Contact Us
Explore the Center
Our Local Birds
Get Involved
Parking and Directions

Connect with Nature and Community

The Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Ä¢¹½Av Center is a free, community nature center nestled in the heart of Phoenix’s Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area. Just minutes from downtown, it offers interactive learning exhibits, peaceful nature trails, and rich birdwatching opportunities. Visitors can enjoy guided bird walks, field trips, wildlife encounters, volunteer programs, and a variety of community events. 

Gila Woodpecker and Carnegiea gigantea. Photo: Mick Thompson
Hours
What to Know Before You Go
Mujeres Show

  • Free admission throughout the year, but donations are appreciated.

  • The visitor center is wheelchair accessible.  

  • On-site public programs, group tours, and field trips are. 

  • Check out our Community Use & Art Space - relax, read, work or checkout our latest art showcase.

  • Binoculars are free to borrow during your visit. 

  • Visit our nature store, Saguaro and Sage, for locally-made art, crafts, gifts and souvenirs.  

  • Stay hydrated during your visit. Water refilling stations are available.

  • No pets allowed: ADA service animals only. 

  • Visitors are encouraged to bring sunblock. 

Your Guide to the Rio Salado Ä¢¹½Av Center
Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Ä¢¹½Av Center at a Glance
Bathrooms
Hiking trails
Binoculars to borrow or rent
Exhibits
Nature store
Parking lot
Venue rental
Pollinator garden
Group meeting space
Learn More

Checkout some of our programs, community events, or other ways to get involved at the center.

Looking through Microscope. Photo: Danny Roper-Jones/ Ä¢¹½Av Southwest
Education Programs
Looking through scope at Rio Salado. Photo: Juliana Gomez/Ä¢¹½Av Southwest
Bird and Nature Walks
Mujeres Show. Photo: Danny Roper-Jones/ Ä¢¹½Av Southwest
Facility Rentals
Burrowing owl workday. Photo: Luke Franke
Conservation Volunteer Days
Upcoming Events
View All Events
Nov
3
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Ä¢¹½Av Community Chapters
2027 Ä¢¹½Av in Action and Collaborative Grant Office Hours
Join us to walk through grant proposal ideas with Ä¢¹½Av staff and receive feedback on your initial proposal. Please come prepared, having spent...
Art, Culture & Community Online
Nov
7
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Rio Salado Ä¢¹½Av Center
Saturday Guided Bird Walk
Phoenix, AZ
Join our local bird enthusiasts for a guided bird walk through the Rio Salado habitat! These walks are for everyone: experts, novices, and people who...
Birding & Community Science In-Person
Nov
7
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Ä¢¹½Av Southwest
Burrowing Owl Relocation Volunteer Days
Florence, AZ
Help displaced Burrowing Owls! Burrowing Owls are day-active birds that live and nest in abandoned underground bs. Once common throughout the...
Conservation & Habitat Restoration In-Person
Nov
7
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Rio Salado Ä¢¹½Av Center
Birds, Beer, and Birdsong Community Festival
Phoenix, AZ
Join the Rio Salado Ä¢¹½Av Center for a free community festival on November 7! Come and celebrate sustainable food, beer, music, and our shared...
Art, Culture & Community In-Person
Nov
9
4:15 PM - 5:00 PM
Ä¢¹½Av Community Chapters
2027 Ä¢¹½Av in Action and Collaborative Grant Office Hours
Join us to walk through grant proposal ideas with Ä¢¹½Av staff and receive feedback on your initial proposal. Please come prepared, having spent...
Art, Culture & Community Online
Nov
10
4:30 PM - 5:45 PM
Ä¢¹½Av Community Chapters
Desert Rivers Ä¢¹½Av: Sunset Bird Walk at Gilbert Riparian Preserve
Gilbert, AZ
Prior to our Monthly Speakers Meeting please join an early evening bird walk at Gilbert Riparian Preserve. Let go of the day's stresses as we observe...
Art, Culture & Community In-Person
Nov
10
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Ä¢¹½Av Community Chapters
Ä¢¹½Av Policy Community Call
While the U.S. midterm elections will be over and the close of the 119th Congress is just around the corner, we still have opportunities to deliver...
Art, Culture & Community Online