Park of the Month
By Eamon Decker
Saguaro National Park
Pima County, Arizona
March 2013 36
When most people hear the word 'desert', a lot of different images come to their minds, but the classic image is the saguaro cactus. These massive cacti are made popular in movies, and can reach 50 feet high, weighing 6 tons. Saguaros are extremely slow-growing; they only begin to grow branches at 50-70 years old, and are not considered "adult" until they reach 125 years old. Saguaro National Park is split into two districts, one is west of Tucson, and one is east. The entrances for each district are 35 miles apart. Both districts are worth visiting, and they both have saguaros. The East Rincon district contains a wide variety of habitats and a greater diversity of wildlife. The elevation ranges from 2,600-8,600 feet. Because of the high elevation, black bears, mexican spotted owls, and Arizona mountain king snakes live in the East Rincon district.
The park should cater well to wildlife-watchers; wouldn't it be cool to see a Gila Monster or Desert Tortoise?
Mature Saguaros
-NPS Photo
Desert Tortoise eating
Prickly Pear fruit
-Saguaro National Park