Travel Tuesdays: Saguaro National Park

Probably the most iconic desert flora, the saguaro* is only native to the Sonoran desert which stretches from southeastern California to central Arizona and down into northwestern Mexico. Tucson's valley and mountain ranges (to a certain elevation) are perfect for the thin, tall, armed cacti, so much so that Saguaro National Park is actually separated into two areas: East and West to either side of the city sprawl. SNP East is right in the Rincon mountains and has numerous lengthy and moderate hikes and backcountry camping opportunities. SNP West is the one more friendly to city folk day trippers. Even then, the dominant driving loop in the park is not paved. So there's still some effort to get to the quick & easy hikes through desert washes to valley vistas among the saguaro sentinels. There are still longer hikes available here, and it's also a perfect turnaround spot for Tucson cyclists who take the extremely scenic Gates Pass Road through the Tucson Mountains.

It may not be the same kind of Destination Park as Zion or the Grand Canyon, but it's a perfect example of the conservation and preservation arm of the NPS. Saguaros are a protected plant in Arizona, requiring all kinds of permission to be moved during construction projects. Harvesting the wild, sweet & seedy fruit from their spiky tips during the summer is not something that one just does like picking wild berries in the forest (setting aside the logistics of the matter).

It's the perfect place to acquaint yourself with all the desert critters and plant life you might encounter around the city and suburbs and the smaller towns of our little corner of the American Southwest. During one visit when The Kid was rather young, we sat in on a desert lizards talk. I learned about several different kinds of lizards and their antics. We see three of those species in our backyard on a regular basis, and I always think of that little talk.

SNP is a perfect place to go to see just how varied from the iconic two-armed man-shape saguaros can get. You can also see saguaros in all the stages of their lifecycle, including as they die and reveal the wood-like ribs that keep them upright (and can be used in housing and furniture).

If you live in the area and have never been to this park, it's a perfect morning or afternoon trip, especially this time of year when our temps are on the cooler side. If you're visiting from out of town, it's an easy excursion to add to your agenda, especially the West park. It's quite close to the Desert Museum and Old Tucson, two other tourist highlights of the area, fully rounding out a day's agenda.

*Pronounced "suh-waa-row". None of this "suh-gwahr-oh" or "sag-yew-ah-row" unless you want to immediately out yourself as "not from around here."