Each week, the Daily Wildcat offers suggestions on how to spend your weekend.

If you’ve never experienced a desert hike, or the desert at all, this is the perfect weekend to hit up Sabino Canyon.

As one of Tucson’s most popular recreational areas, Sabino Canyon often offers one of the best experiences for tourists to get up close and personal with the Sonoran Desert. Even if you’re a Tucson local, the canyon still merits at least one visit.

Not only is the park chock-full of mountain and desert scenery, the various paths offer a great opportunity to enjoy the warm weather as we soon head into October. If words like “cactus pear,” “Palo Verde” and “ocotillo” turn you on, you won’t be disappointed by the ridiculous number of desert plants and animals that share this spot as their natural habitat; there’s even a trail (Lake Trail #30) meant specifically for bird-watching.

At the foot of the Santa Catalina Mountains, you could find many places to take some new Facebook profile photos.

If your mom’s down for Family Weekend, it’s no big deal if she wants to come, since the scenery makes for a great Christmas photo to taunt relatives with when they’re suffering in freezing temperatures.

If your family’s not coming down, 89 picnic sites make the park a great place to throw back some beer with friends. Bikes and horses are allowed on some trails as well, so there’s no shortage of options for those more interested in a good workoutthan socializing.

If you’re the lazy type or if you’re just deathly afraid of being sunburned so bad your face looks like it’s made of red Jell-o, Sabino Canyon Tours offers regular open-air shuttle rides along popular trails. A narrator will jabber the whole way there, but at least the tidbits are mildly interesting and offer some insight you wouldn’t normally get. The pleasant ride makes it easy to sit back and enjoy yourself without having to worry about burning those pesky calories.

For the money, not many active desert outings beat a few hours at Sabino Canyon. It’s an authentic part of Tucson’s rich hiking scene and the mountains, creeks, vegetation and varied wildlife offer more than your money’s worth for a few hours of serene desert bliss.