Arizona 2008 Official State Visitor's Guide - (Page 19) National Sites Worth a Detour Saguaro naTional Park The prickly, towering saguaro species of cactus is the focal point of this Southern Arizona park, which covers some 91,000 acres and whose two halves bookend the city of Tucson. These curious, multipronged plants, which can live more than 150 years and grow as tall as 50 feet, dot the park’s landscape, along with teddy-bear cholla, hedgehog and many other varieties of cactus. The Approach: The park has two distinct sections, the main one on the east side of Tucson, and a second section on the west side. It’s possible to visit both sections in one day, but it makes the most sense to focus on just one. Saguaro’s East Visitor Center is just off Old Spanish Trail, 15 miles east of downtown Tucson. The park’s Red Hills Visitor Center, in the western section of the park, lies 20 miles west of downtown Tucson. Visitor Center Tips: Rangers at both visitor centers conduct a wide range of activities, from guided nature strolls to discussions about Saguaro’s unusual flora and fauna, but most of these programs are scheduled for October through April. The Saguaro East Visitor Center is a bit more substantial and has a cool slideshow interpreting life in the surrounding Sonoran Desert. Best “Bang for Your Buck” Morning Hike: On the park’s east side, you can take a couple of quick hikes along the 8-mile park loop road, Cactus Forest Drive; the quarter-mile Desert Ecology Trail has informative signage. On the west side, take the 0.8-mile Valley View Overlook Trail, off the 6-mile Bajada Loop Drive, for a mesmerizing perspective on the area. A Lunch to Remember: Y ou’re just outside a city that’s loaded with terrific restaurants and markets, so your best bet is to grab picnic supplies (Tucson has bakeries, such as Beyond Bread, and gourmet sandwich makers, such as Baggin’s), and then enjoy one of the park’s lovely picnic areas (such as Signal Hill in the west section, or Javelina in the east section). Offbeat Activity or Attraction: Just south of the park’s west section, don’t miss the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, home to a beautiful desert zoo that contains more than 300 animals native to the region. The Perfect Spot to Watch the Sunset: Stop at one of the pullouts along Cactus Forest Drive – there are a few higher-elevation parking areas that afford open western views of Tucson and the surrounding mountains. If You Have More Time: Saguaro has a number of rather ambitious trails, especially in the mountainous eastern section. Save one of these challenging hikes, which the park staff can provide guidance on, for when you have more time – the Tanque Verde Ridge Trail, which leads to 7,000-foot Tanque Verde Peak, is especially rewarding. l Tumacácori National Historic Park ©AOT w w w.ari zonaguide.com A number of Arizona’s national park properties can be easily accessed from major roads and enjoyed even if you only have a couple of hours to poke around. Here are five parks worth a detour. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (at Hwy. 87 and 287, 50 miles southeast of Phoenix) – an ancient Hohokam farming village with an impressive four-story “great house” has been preserved with interpretive exhibits. Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site (off U.S. 191/Hwy. 287, 40 miles north of Interstate 40) – once part of a 160-acre homestead, this is the Navajo Nation’s oldest continuously operating trading post, still a great source of high-quality rugs and crafts. Montezuma Castle National Monument (off Interstate 17, midway between Phoenix and Flagstaff) – a 20-room “high-rise” dating back more than 1,000 years tells the story of the indigenous Sinagua culture. Sunset Crater National Monument (off U.S. 89, 20 miles northeast of Flagstaff) – explore the remnants of a massive volcano that blew its top roughly a millennium ago and abounds with lava flows and cinders. Tumacácori National Historic Park (off Interstate 19, 45 miles south of Tucson) – a preserved collection of Spanish Colonial missions from the 17th century, the imposing adobe foundations are still largely intact. • 19 http://www.arizonaguide.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.