Road Trip: Saguaro National Park

Panorama

This post may seem a little bit redundant because my next destination was very similar to the previous. Saguaro National Park showcases the Sonoran Desert just as Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument does. But, here the centerpiece is the iconic saguaro cactus.

The main star

These giant cacti have long been vital to the people living in the Sonoran Desert. They use the fruit to make jam, syrup and wine. They use the ribs for building and also eat the seeds. Plus, many animals live in saguaros.

Saguaros have a long lifespan, growing from seeds rather than cuttings. They do not grow their first arms until they are 75-100 years old (if they grow an arm at all). A saguaro without arms is called a spear. They can get as tall as 70 ft.

Standing tall above the other cactus

Saguaro National Park, although originally in the wilderness, is now pretty much an urban national park. It is split into two parts: Tucson Mountain on the west part of Tucson and Rincon Mountain on the east.

Posing

I started out on the east side and drove the eight-mile Cactus Forest Loop Drive at the edge of the Park. Most of the east side of the park is accessible only by trail. The short loop road is the only place you can drive. Like Organ Pipe, the park features many cacti and looks as if a landscape designer put it together.

Saguaro National Park has 25 species of cactus. Less than 12 inches of rain falls in a typical year and summer temperatures are in triple digits. It was in the high 80s when I was there.

A natural garden

Many of the cacti and plants were in bloom ...

Barrel Cactus

A variety of plants

Pretty blooms

Daisy

... and I even saw a few jackrabbits.

Running

Then, I drove through the traffic of Tucson for about 40 minutes to reach the west side. The road into the park passes the absolutely fabulous  Sonoran Desert Museum. Unfortunately, I did not have time to visit the museum (which is actually a zoo and botanical garden) on this trip.

The first thing I noticed on the west side is the gorgeous Visitor Center, with its white slats that echo the ocotillo roofs popular in native architecture.

The bright sunlight created dramatic shadows

Amazing

One of the sad things about Saguaro and especially about the west side is that most of the saguaros look sickly and many are dying ...

Not looking good

Interestingly, the number-one cause of saguaro death is freezes (I had assumed pollution or disease). Because the western section of the park is on the edge of saguaro habitat, it experiences more cold weather than, say, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, which is further south. That's why it has more damaged cacti.

Fortunately, there are still some healthy specimens to see.

Breathtaking

Trip date: March 7-14, 2015