Saguaro National Park: Two great Arizona parks in one

They tried to raise funds to buy and protect the land themselves in the 1920s. The university purchased some land, but creating a park was too big a project for the scientists alone. And their dreams didn’t really interest either the US Forest Service or the National Park Service.

The project looked doomed until a well-connected local newspaper publisher and civic booster saw the potential tourism value of the iconic saguaros. He took the cause directly to President Herbert Hoover.

Hoover created Saguaro National Monument in 1933.

Not that the area’s new status solved all the park’s problems. The park area was a mix of federal, state, and private land with differing goals with varying degrees of ability and interest in actually protecting the cacti. “Cactus rustlers” stole large healthy saguaro while many young cacti were trampled by grazing cattle. Not surprisingly, the health of the vast saguaro forest deteriorated.

Nonetheless, between 1936 and 1939 the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the Cactus Forest Loop Drive and other infrastructure to bring visitors into the park. A visitor center came later, in the 1950s.

Tucson Mountain Park

At about the same time the plant scientists were trying to figure out how to protect the saguaro forest along the Rincon Mountains, hunters and outdoor recreation enthusiasts were looking to protect some wilderness on the other side of Tucson.  In 1929 the county succeeded in getting the federal government to prohibit the establishment of mines or homesteads on a track of land east of the city, and the Tucson Mountain Recreation Area opened in 1932.

Like Saguaro National Monument in the Rincon Mountains, it too protected a significant stand of saguaros.

During the 1930s and 1940s the CCC created picnic shelters and other facilities in the park (PDF). But the county only owned some of the land. The rest was leased from the federal government. And, in 1955, at the request of a mining company, the federal government decided not to extend the county’s lease in order to allow mining on the property.

By 1959 the Bureau of Land Management gave in to public pressure and again prohibited mineral exploration on the property.

These 25 square miles of federally-owned land in what had been the Tucson Mountain Recreation Area became the Tucson Mountain District of Saguaro National Monument in 1961.

And now, a national park!

In 1994 Congress turned Saguaro National Monument into a national park.

The designation had the advantage of bringing a younger, healthier saguaro forest into the park’s boundaries. At the same time, the end of mining and ranching within the original boundaries of the Saguaro National Monument brought signs of regeneration.

Visitors today can see lots of healthy saguaros in both sides of the park

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This means saguaros do not grow in New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, or other places traditionally associated with the Wild West. Only Arizona, Mexico, and that teensy-tiny bit of California.

Saguaros are ubiquitous in American Westerns because most film sets were located in Arizona during the 1920s and ‘30s when Westerns became wildly popular. The saguaros happened to be there, so they ended up on film. But they became an essential element of the genre for generations of fans.

Lobby card for The Fighting Fool (1932) Columbia Pictures

How old is that saguaro?

Given their size, it’s probably not surprising that saguaros have a long lifespan.

A healthy saguaro can live between 150 and 200 years and grow more than 40 feet tall and 10 feet around. But saguaros grow slowly – depending on growing conditions, it can take a saguaro seedling up to 50 years to get three feet tall!

And those iconic arms usually don’t form until the cactus is getting to be 75 years old. Even then, some saguaros never form arms, while others may have dozens of them.

A full-grown saguaro can weigh over a ton. That massive weight is supported by internal “ribs,” a woody skeleton that grows within the cactus.

Crested saguaros

Occasionally, saguaros form a “crest” on top or at the end of an arm. These cristate saguaros have multiple fan-like ridges instead of the usual orderly pleats.

This relatively rare phenomenon occurs when growth points start growing laterally (in a line) instead of their usual circular form. There’s speculation that damage by lightning strikes or freezing may trigger this type of growth. However, no one really knows whether this odd growth is results from damage or a genetic mutation.

While crested saguaros aren’t common, they aren’t impossible to find either. Saguaro National Park seems to have 50 or more of them (different park sources cite anywhere from 25 to 75 known plants), several of which are easy for park visitors to spot without hiking into the desert.

Saguaro blossoms

Once a saguaro reaches about 50 years old, it will start to bloom.

A single saguaro cactus can have a hundred flowers, with only a few blossoms opening at a time. The milky white flowers open at dusk and close by mid-afternoon the next day. Flowers open only once, but with up to a hundred buds on each cactus, a cactus may bloom for weeks.

Although flowers can form at any time, saguaros usually bloom between late April and early June.

The saguaro blossom is the state flower of Arizona.

Saguaros produce a red fruit that ripens in June and early July. Each fruit has sticky red pulp and a few thousand tiny seeds. Wildlife love saguaro fruit, but they aren’t alone.

The local Tohono O’odham have harvested the fruit for generations to create syrup, jam, and other foods. And, of course, once a year it’s eaten fresh.

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Saguaro National Park regularly has summer temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. Hikers should bring extra water and avoid being out between 10 am and 4 pm during the hottest time of the day.

March and April: Spring wildflower season

I timed my park visit to coincide with wildflower season in late March.

After a wet winter, March through April can be spectacular as the Sonoran Desert erupts with colorful flowers. The greatest number and variety of flowers will likely be found in the cooler, wetter Rincon District. However, I actually found fewer flowers, but more variety, in the western Tucson Mountain District.

Good timing and knowing where to look are the keys to seeing lots of wildflowers. If you want to see the most (and most interesting) flowers, stop at a visitor center and ask what’s blooming where.

Mid-morning is generally the best time to look for wildflowers, as some won’t open until the sun is out and/or the temperature has warmed, but others will close when it starts to get hot.

For more information on visiting the park when the wildflowers are blooming, see Spring Flowers in Saguaro National Park.

April through June: Saguaro blossoms

Saguaro flowers arrive as the Sonoran Desert is beginning to heat up for summer. Although saguaros generally flower at some point between April and June, May probably offers the best chance of seeing flowers.

Look for flowers in the morning, as they open during the evening and close by the middle of the next day.

June through September: Summer monsoon season

The Sonoran Desert has a summer monsoon season when heavy rainfall can flood roads. In Saguaro, the monsoon season runs from June 15 to September 30, although the season often doesn’t begin until July.

During this time, visitors can expect severe thunderstorms to form each afternoon. These storms can include lightning and heavy rainfall. Lightning can and does strike both trees and saguaros, while heavy rains create flash floods in washes that cross roads and trails.

Stay indoors in the afternoon. And, if you are caught out in the park during a storm, never try to cross a flooded wash and stay as low as possible to avoid lightning. Avoid hiking in washes when there are storms anywhere in the area, as flash floods can occur even if it isn’t raining where you are.

While this may seem like a good time of year to avoid the park completely, photographers will find dramatic skies both early in the day as storms build and in the evening as they dissipate.

Getting to and around the park

The Rincon district of Saguaro National Park is located along and in the mountains to the east of Tucson.

The Tucson Mountain district is located on the other side of the city, about 35 miles to the west.

Due to the physical distance between the two sections of the park (about 35 miles) and the fact that the city lies between them, driving from one park to another can take an hour or more.

While driving between the two parks is pretty straightforward, large vehicles are not permitted on some of the most obvious routes into the western part of the park.

It’s entirely possible to make a quick visit to one part of the park in the morning and the other in the late afternoon. However, to the west, the Saguaro adjoins Tucson Mountain County Park and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, both of which are also destinations worth visiting while in the area.

Driving in the park

Both park districts have a scenic loop road that is suitable for regular vehicles, but not large vehicles or trailers. The road in the eastern Rincon District is paved, but narrow and twisting. The road in the Tucson District is dirt.

Vehicles are only supposed to stop at designated pull-outs and parking spaces, but slow-moving or stopped vehicles are common. In addition, both of these roads are also open to cyclists and pedestrians.

Do not randomly stop along the road to take pictures. If you want to take pictures, find a designated parking area and get out and walk back to that perfect photo you passed by or follow a trail into the cactus forest to get a better look.

Complete information on driving, biking, riding, and hiking in the park can be found on the park website.

General park information

While located at the edge of a major city, Saguaro is a desert park, and visitors should bring everything needed to be out in the desert, including water, sunscreen, a hat, etc.

An entry fee or pass is required

Annual and lifetime America the Beautiful National Park and Federal Recreational Lands passes are accepted at the park.

An annual Saguaro National Park pass is available.

Weekly passes are also available for vehicles, motorcycles, and those entering by bicycle or on foot.

There are no daily passes for this park.

Information on fees and payment options is on the park website.

Bring your own water

Even if you are just touring the park from your car, be sure to have plenty of water with you.

Hikers must carry all the water they will need (at least a gallon per person, per day), as there are no reliable sources of water in most of the park.

Both visitor centers and the Rincon bike ramada have stations where you can refill your water bottles.

There is no bottled water available at either park district.

Stay on the trail

Between the two districts, Saguaro has over 150 miles of trail. Visitors must stay on the trail at all times unless they are hiking above 4,500 feet in the mountains.

While it may look like nothing but dirt around the trail, desert soils are home to both microscopic plants and the seeds and roots of seasonal flowers. These, and the soil itself, are very fragile and easily damaged by foot traffic.  STAY ON DESIGNATED TRAILS!

Enjoy a picnic, but be smart

Food is not available in the park, so pack a picnic to enjoy lunch or dinner in one of the park’s picnic areas.

Grills are available in most picnic areas, but bring your own wood or charcoal. Do NOT collect wood in the park. Never leave a fire unattended (even in a grill) and make sure your fire is “out cold” before you leave.

Keep picnic areas and campsites clean. There is wildlife in the park, including mountain lions, and you really don’t want them hanging around while you eat lunch.

Don’t feed the wildlife. It’s bad for the wildlife, and it can attract other, larger and more dangerous animals.

Visitor centers

Each unit of the park has a fully-staffed visitor center with restrooms.

Saguaro National Park has daily activities and events scheduled throughout the year, although many more options are available during the peak December through March season.

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Weather

Most of the park is open and very exposed to both heat and storms.

This means summer visitors need to be prepared for extreme heat (over 100 degrees in the shade) during the day and severe afternoon storms that may include lightning strikes and heavy rain.

All year, but particularly during summer, dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke are real dangers for hikers. Bring plenty of water (the park recommends drinking 1 quart of water for every hour spent hiking in hot weather), take frequent breaks, and bring sports drinks or salty snacks to replace electrolytes. Drink water even if you don’t feel thirsty!

But during any season, bring plenty of water, have something to replace electrolytes, and turn back once half your water is gone.

Always bring a hat and sunscreen. Have a good map with you even if you only plant to take a short walk.

Cacti

It should go without saying that cacti and many other desert plants protect themselves with sharp spines, some of which are very difficult and painful to remove.

Avoid contact with desert plants. Don’t even get near some species of cacti, like members of the cholla family, if you can avoid it. Cholla are particularly unfriendly, in that their fuzzy appearance is created by nasty spines that easily separate from the plant and become firmly embedded in whatever is near – including skin, clothing, and even hiking boots.

The park recommends carrying a large pick comb, tweezers, and a multi-tool to remove cactus segments and/or spines if you will be out and about in the park

Killer bees

Yes, there are killer bees in Saguaro National Park.

Actually, all bees in the park are probably “killer” Africanized honey bees, as are most bees in Arizona.

Unfortunately, Africanized bees are found throughout the park. That includes along roads and trails. (I came across a large swarm while walking along the road.)

Fortunately, they won’t hunt you down and attack if they don’t see you as a threat. If they are just feeding on flowers, they’ll usually ignore you. As long as you don’t kill one, they will only attack if they see you as a threat to their hive. (Kill one or get too close to the hive, and they’ll all be after you immediately.) Pay attention and stay away from large groups of bees or areas where bees seem to be coming in and out of a (potentially hidden) hive. If bees start to bump into you without stinging, that is a warning to leave immediately.

If you are attacked:

• Run as fast as you can. (Bee attacks usually end once you are ¼ to ½ mile away – but that’s a long distance to travel while being repeatedly stung.)
• Cover your head and face with clothing. (Africanized bees go for the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.)
• Never kill an attacking bee, as it will release an alarm scent to attract more bees.
• Do not flail or swat at bees, as it will make them attack more fiercely.
• Scrape, but do not attempt to pull out embedded stingers. (Squeezing the stinger to pull it out releases more venom.)
• Call 911 and go to a doctor.
• Report attacks to the visitor center.

Africanized bee venom is the same as that of European honeybees. If you aren’t otherwise allergic to bee venom, the danger is in the number of stings.

Snakes

Snakes just want to be left alone. They won’t attack and they’ll only bite if you get too close.

The park is home to six species of rattlesnakes:

• Western diamond-backed rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)
• Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)
• Black-tailed rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus)
• Tiger rattlesnake (Crotalus tigris)
• Mohave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus)
• Western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis)

When it’s cool enough for them to be out in the sun, they will generally give you a warning about the same time you are likely to see them. But when it’s hot, they hide in the shade of bushes or rocks where you won’t see them and where they don’t expect to be disturbed. Never put your hands or feet anywhere that you can’t see. If you step or reach into their space, they don’t have time to warn you of their presence and will bite.

Oh, and they also have Sonoran coral snakes, which are small and unlikely to inflict a deep bite, but have venom similar to that of a cobra. It’s best to give them plenty of room too.

Find pictures of all the park’s snakes, both venomous and harmless, on the park’s website.

Mountain lions

I really don’t think mountain lions are a big threat, but there are mountain lions (pumas or cougars) in the park, so there is always a risk of coming upon one unexpectedly.

Solo hiking and jogging isn’t recommended because individuals and children are most likely to attract the attention of cougars. And this is a park where children shouldn’t roam on their own anyway, but here’s another reason to keep a close eye on them.

If you do encounter a mountain lion:

• Give it plenty of space to get away.
• Do NOT run. Instead, face it, make yourself look as big as possible by raising your arms, and speaking loudly and calmly.
• Throw things at it IF you can reach something to throw WITHOUT bending down or turning your back.

If you are attacked, fight back hard.

Rabid animals of all types

Rabies is sometimes found in park wildlife. Stay away from animals of any size and report wildlife that acts strangely or aggressively.

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