| Saguaro National Park tips and photos posted by real travelers and Tucson locals.
There are two locations - East and West of Tucson
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 Saguaro Cactus in the
National Park by KimberlyAnnLeave a Comment Phone: 520-733-5153Directions: The Rincon Mountain District (Saguaro East) is about 15 miles east of central Tucson. The Tucson Mountain District (Saguaro West) is 15 miles west of Tucson.Website: www.nps.gov/sagu]www.nps.gov/sagu
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 approx. 200 yr old
saguaro by Redlats
On the hike, we passed many saguaros including a few of giant ones such as in the photo. The hike also goes by a number of washes. Washes are dry 'river-beds' that only get used during the raining season in the fall. Then there is too much water to absorb into the ground, so it flows away in these washes. We also saw birds such as the gilded flicker who dig out their nests inside the saguaros, as well as cactus wrens and western kingbirds who nest in the old holes made by the woodpeckers and flickers. We even saw a roadrunner cross our trail. All that was missing was Wiley E. Coyote. Leave a Comment
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 Poster of the Freeman
homestead by Redlats
All that is left now is mounds of dirt where the walls of the house once was (the home was built of clay walls), some ocotillas planted in a row which must have been a fence, and a big tree that provides shade (but looks somewhat out of place).
The trail goes past a spring where they must have got their water, but it was not obvious if or where they planted any crops in the desert. It took us 45 minutes, and we saw quite a bit of small wild-life -- ground squirrels, woodrats, a cardinal, wrens and flickers, etc. Leave a Comment
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 Desert Ecology Trail trailhead by Redlats
We found out from the visiter centre that the American national park system is made up of national parks (by decree of Congress) and national mounuments (by decree of the President). Often parks are first national monuments and then become national parks. Leave a Comment
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 Mica View picnic area by Redlats
We spent most of one day at the SNP East. This park might have been outside the city once, but now Tucson butts right up against the park. We spent some time inside the visiter centre to help decide which of the 128 miles of trails we wanted to hike.
To go inside the national park, you need to pay a $3 per person fee, or have a national park pass. Leave a Comment
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 National Park West by M0B1US
These huge cacti are fascinating, especially their complex relationships with other desert life. The cacti provide their sweet fruit to hungry animals and also provide homes to a variety of birds, such as the Harris’ hawk, Gila woodpecker and the tiny elf owl. Despite their seeming invulnerability, the saguaro require other desert plants for their very survival during the first few years, needing the shade and protection of a nurse plant such as the palo verde tree. With an average life span of 150 years, a mature saguaro may grow to a height of 50 feet and weigh over 10 tons.
Red Hills visitor centre, near the entrance is very informative with a large diorama depicting the natives species, and a viewing platform that allows you to see ‘Sensitive Resource Area’ of the park. Stop here for maps, information, and suggestions about the scenic drives, bird watching, photography, hiking, and participating in guided walks. There is also a bookstore with a great selection of books on the Sonoran Desert and the Southwest. Numerous guided walks are also offered.
My favourite sight was Signal Hill, which has ancient Native American pictoglyphs at it’s summit.
The Park is open daily, 7:00 am to sunset. Visitor centers are open daily, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and the best time to visit is winter when the weather is very pleasant with mild, warm days averaging 19C. and cool nights averaging. Summers can be extremely hot with daytime temperatures exceeding 41C. even in the shade. Always wear a hat and use sunscreen while hiking and drink plenty of water. If driving, carry extra water and remember to leave windows slighty open to prevent the glass from shattering. Leave a Comment Phone: (520) 733-5158Directions: 15 miles west of Tucson. Take Speedway Bvd, which becomes Gates Pass Rd. Continue until you reach a "T" junction with Kinney Rd (4 miles). Turn right and drive 3 miles north to Park entrance.Website: http://www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm
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 Saguaro National Monument by jedd43
Tucson is bookended by portions of Saguaro National Park.
They both showcase the saguaro cactus, found only in the Sonoran Desert.
Hiking in either area is a perfect way to discover the almost prehistoric sense of the desert.
Each has a looped road for driving or bicycling, picnic areas and visitor center. Leave a Comment Phone: 733-5100Directions: The west side, with free entry, is on Speedway. The east side, which has an entrance fee is Old Spanish Trail. My travelogue pics are from the east side.
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 by sambarnett
By the way, Saguaro is pronounced "SWA - row." Leave a Comment
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There are a variety of species of cacti in the Saguaro National Park; but the most famous and the one that best symbolizes the American West is the mighty Saguaro. Saguaro Cacti actually grow very slowly increasing in size only 1 to 1.5 inches a year for the first 8 years. They begin by sprouting under trees like the Littleleaf Palo Verde Tree, the state tree of Arizona. Eventually they dwarf the trees, killing them. Saguaro normally live about 150 years; but some are over 200 years old. A 20 foot tall Saguaro weighs over 2000 pounds. There are at least two mountain ranges near the park and several more within view. The Santa Catalina Mountains are just north of the park and the Rincon Mountains comprise part of the southern border of the park. For more information and photos see my Saguaro National Park - East Unit Page.
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Saguaro National Park: Tucson’s famous saguaro forest encompasses almost 80,000 acres in two separate regions of Pima County. The main section, to the east, includes Tucson’s highest peaks, Rincon, Spud Rock and Mica Mountains. Beneath slopes lined with pine, fir and aspen, the foothills are covered with saguaro cactus, a species that only grows in this area of the world. A visitor center contains special exhibits about the saguaro and other desert flora and explains the influence of men and animals on the Sonoran Desert. Some of these cacti live for more than 200 years and reach a height of 50 feet or more. During May or early June, white or yellow blossoms top the saguaro branches. Arizona’s early legislators selected the saguaro blossom as the state flower and applied its likeness to the Great Seal of Arizona. Saguaro National Park West is 16 miles west of Tucson in the Tucson Mountains. Naturalists conduct daily interpretive tours at both sites at 10am & 2pm during the winter season. Park headquarters, 733-5100– Rincon Mountains visitor center, 733-5153 – Tucson Mountains visitor center, 733-5158. Leave a Comment
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