The first two holiday-season dates on the Las Sendas calendar are evenings on Usery Pass Road. On Tuesday, November 17, a ranger leads a group up toward Wind Cave as the Valley lights come on below. One week later, on Tuesday, November 24, another ranger leads a walk timed to the sunset and the full moon rising after it.
Both hikes are small. Wind Cave takes 20 people and the moonrise walk takes 30. You can only sign up by calling the Nature Center, and each list closes a day or two before the hike. Those eight days are when you need to plan ahead. After Thanksgiving, the season moves to brunch tables on Eagle Crest Drive and the banquet rooms at Trailhead, and getting a spot there is much easier.
The Wind Cave hike on November 17 is the hardest one to get into
Maricopa County Parks lists the Wind Cave Hike for Tuesday, November 17, 2026, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Usery Mountain Regional Park, 3939 N. Usery Pass Rd. Ranger Derik leads it, and it falls on National Take a Hike Day. The county describes the payoff as sweeping views of the Phoenix night lights.
Expect a real climb. The listing rates the hike strenuous: 3.2 miles on steep trail over small boulders, with 800 feet of elevation gain. The group stops often along the way to talk about plants, animals and local history, which also helps with the climb. Hikers need water, a flashlight and sturdy shoes, and the county says hiking poles help on the uneven trail. The group meets at the Wind Cave Trailhead, which has a bathroom and a water fountain.
Because this hike ends after dark, registration matters more than usual. It's capped at 20 people. To sign up, call the Nature Center at (602) 506-2930 ext. 4 with your name, phone number and how many people are coming. Registration closes on November 16, the day before. The county asks anyone who can't make it to call as soon as possible so the spot can go to someone on the waiting list.
Two days later, on Thursday, November 19, the park has a much easier option. The Bird Meet-Up runs from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Nature Center and ends with a short trail walk. You don't need to register.
November 24 fills a whole afternoon and evening at the park
The Tuesday before Thanksgiving has the park's fullest schedule of the month. Two programs run back to back, and if you have a free afternoon you can make both.
| Time | Program | Where | Sign-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. | Discovery Station on saguaros | Nature Center | Drop-in, no registration |
| 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. | Sunset and Moonrise Hike | Trailhead Staging Area | Call by Nov. 22, limit 30 |
The Discovery Station is a drop-in program at the Nature Center focused on the saguaro. It's an easy stop for kids who are out of school that week, or for visiting family who have never seen a saguaro up close.
The evening program is the Sunset and Moonrise Hike, led by Ranger Olivia. The county says the group will watch the desert sunset, a mountain view and the full moon rising, and may spot a few evening critters. The route starts on the Noso trail and joins the Blevins trail for a 2-mile out-and-back. The listing rates it easy to moderate, mostly smooth with some small to medium rocks and a slight elevation gain. Bring a blacklight along with a regular flashlight if you want to look for critters; the blacklight is optional. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring plenty of water. The trailhead has restrooms and water.
This hike also signs up by phone through the same Nature Center number, (602) 506-2930 ext. 4. It's capped at 30, and registration closes November 22. With 2 miles of easy trail and the larger cap, it's the better choice for a mixed group that might include a grandparent, a teenager and a guest who flew in from somewhere cold.
Thanksgiving moves the evening to Eagle Crest Drive
Two days after the moonrise walk, the evening plans shift to the golf club. The Patio & Grille at Las Sendas, 755 E Eagle Crest Drive, is doing a Thanksgiving Turkey Takeout on Thursday, November 26, with pickup from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. The dinner costs $250 plus tax and serves 8 to 10 people. That works out to about $25 to $31 a person before tax for the whole holiday meal.
The club lists the menu as:
- Rosemary and thyme roasted whole turkey
- Southwestern cornbread stuffing
- Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
- Yams with pecan butter
- Green bean almondine
- Traditional giblet gravy and cranberry relish
- Mixed greens salad and artisan dinner rolls
To reserve, email [email protected] or call 480-396-4000 ext. 222. The club calendar also has a separate "Thanksgiving Day at Las Sendas" listing that runs from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. the same day, so ask about it when you call.
The following weekend, the club's regular brunches start the December calendar. Saturday brunch on December 5 and Sunday brunch on December 6 both run from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and you can book through OpenTable or by phone. Sunday brunch on December 6 ends at 2:00 p.m., and the Holiday Boutique at Trailhead runs from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. that day, so you can fit both into one day.
December happens indoors at Trailhead
After the brunch weekend, the season moves to the community's own building. The Las Sendas community calendar puts nearly every December holiday event at Trailhead, in the Members Club Lobby or the Banquet Rooms. In order:
- Holiday Boutique, Sunday, December 6, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Trailhead Members Club Lobby.
- Fresh Holiday Wreath Workshop #2, Tuesday, December 8, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Registration required.
- Ugly Holiday Sweater Bingo, Friday, December 11, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Trailhead Banquet Rooms. Registration required.
- Vitalant Blood Drive, Friday, December 18, starting at 2:00 p.m. in the Trailhead Members Club parking lot, with online donor sign-up.
- Santa's Holiday Visit, Saturday, December 19, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., Trailhead Banquet Rooms.
- Musician Jam for Acoustic Stringed Instruments, Monday, December 28, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Trailhead Banquet Rooms.
The two evening events that need registration, the wreath workshop and the sweater bingo, fall in the same week. That's the December version of the Usery phone deadlines. The regular clubs keep meeting through the month too: Bridge Club on Mondays, Mah Jongg on Thursday afternoons, and the Book Club on Tuesday evening, December 8, the same night as the wreath workshop.
If you need anything from the HOA office before year-end, the calendar shows it closed on Thursday, December 24; Friday, December 25; Thursday, December 31; and Friday, January 1. The new year starts with Bridge Club on Monday, January 4, and the Retiree's Club on Tuesday, January 5, both at the Trailhead Banquet Rooms.
Every deadline in one place
Most December events are drop-in. The ones below are limited or need a reservation, so put them on the calendar now.
| Event | Date | How to book | Book by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind Cave Hike, limit 20 | Tue., Nov. 17 | (602) 506-2930 ext. 4 | Nov. 16 |
| Sunset and Moonrise Hike, limit 30 | Tue., Nov. 24 | (602) 506-2930 ext. 4 | Nov. 22 |
| Thanksgiving Turkey Takeout | Thu., Nov. 26 | [email protected] or 480-396-4000 ext. 222 | No deadline listed |
| Saturday and Sunday brunch | Dec. 5 and 6 | OpenTable or phone | Reservation |
| Fresh Holiday Wreath Workshop #2 | Tue., Dec. 8 | Community calendar registration link | Registration required |
| Ugly Holiday Sweater Bingo | Fri., Dec. 11 | Community calendar registration link | Registration required |
Both Usery hikes keep a waiting list. If you have a reservation and can't go, the county asks you to call the Nature Center so the next person on the list can take your place.
If you're wondering how your own Las Sendas home fits into next year's plans, the team at Avenue 43:19 will put together a current number with the same attention to detail. Get Your Free Home Valuation.
