Ever wished you could draw on the expertise of King faculty and alums for travel and study? This December, Dr. Richard Moyer, Biology guru and longtime King educator, is hosting an alumni-focused trip to Tucson, where we’ll connect with Beth Coombs ’04 for an in-depth look at the landscape, culture, and cuisines of the Sonoran Desert.

Beth is a STEM/History grad who started pursuing a love of U.S. park spaces just two weeks after earning her degree at King. She worked with the National Park Service for nearly 20 years and has lived in the southwestern U.S. for almost a decade, learning about indigenous peoples and exploring deserts.

Together, Richard and Beth will lead immersive study in:

• Sonoran Desert ecosystems, including hiking among cactus at Saguaro National Park, exploring biodiversity atop the sky island of Mt. Lemmon, enjoying desert sunsets, and
• The history, food, and culture of regional desert people. The group will tour living agricultural museums including Casa Grande National Monument, Tohono Chul Gardens, and Tucson Mission Garden, among other locations.

And since Tucson is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, there will be extensive sampling of regional cuisine. Optional tours will include Tumacacori National Historical Park, the Desert Art Museum, the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, San Xavier del Mac Mission, and more. For those alumni who remember King’s astronomical adventures with Dr. Ed Burke, a trip to Kitt Peak National Observatory will also be offered.

Dates for the trip are December 14-21, 2025, and pricing is estimated at $1100 per person (may fluctuate depending on occupancy per hotel room, cost of round-trip flights from Knoxville to Phoenix, and number of participants).

For local alumni, transportation will be provided between Bristol and Knoxville. Others outside the region can connect with the group in Knoxville or Phoenix on December 14.

For more information, contact Richard Moyer at [email protected].