Saguaro National Park

Nov 1 & 2, 2008 :- Saguaro (Sa-wah-roh) National Park is located close to Tucson Arizona. It is split into two distinct parts, the Tucson Mountain District (West of Tucson) and the Rincon Mountain District (East of Tucson). Both areas are a short drive from the airport. The park itself is characterized by the Giant Saguaro cacti, a National symbol of the American West but Arizona in particular. This area is a part of the Sonoran Desert, usually a hot and dry place that does experience ocassional snow in the cold winter months. Some of these giants may grow to a height of 45 ft, can have a girth of 10 ft, may live for about 150 years and weight about 5-8 tons.

The screen at the amphitheater at the Tucson Mountain District rolls up and provides a splendid view of the cacti behind the Visitor Center. Short hikes (less than a mile each) on the Hohokam Loop Road allows one to walk among these towering cacti and view other flora of this desert. The hot conditions did not inspire me to go along one of the longer trails. Sendero Esperanza trail takes one to Amole Peak after a short walk of 1.5 miles. Instead, I preferred the short walk in the Cactus Garden, and others like the Desert Discovery Trail, Valley View Overlook Trail and the Signal Petroglyphs Trail.

Don't miss the 52 minute video shown at 1pm at the visitor center in the Rincon Mountain District. It is exclusively about the Saguaro giants and the life that it supports. This area has short trails like the Desert Ecology Trail, Freeman Homestead Trail and Cactus Forest Trail. These are accessible along the 8 mile Cactus Forest Loop Drive. The Freeman Homestead Trail takes you closer to an area with the largest concentration of massive saguaros. It supposedly has one with 30 arms jutting around the main trunk (I couldn't locate it).

Drive along the Catalina Highway through the nearby Coronado National Forest to experience beautiful valley vistas and sunset views. It is a 25 mile drive that takes you from a height of 3000 ft to 9000 ft.

Visit Colossal Cave close to the park in the Rincon Mountain district. It is a cavern that was formed 12-20 million years ago but now is dry or dormant. Complete lack of water results in the formations not growing anymore. It is different from most other caves since it always is at or around 70 degrees F, no matter what the season. Take the 50 minute tour through the cave to see formations of the stalactites, stalagmites and helictities.
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