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Vital information
Phil's log
| The saguaro has been described as the monarch of the Sonoran Desert, as a prickly horror, as the supreme symbol of the American Southwest, and as a plant with personality. It is renowned for the variety of odd, all-too-human shapes it assumes, shapes that inspire wild and fanciful imaginings. Giant saguaro cacti, unique to the Sonoran Desert, sometimes reach a height of 50 feet in this cactus forest, which covers the valley floor, rising into the Rincon and West Tucson mountains. Since 1933 this extraordinary giant cactus has been protected within Saguaro National Park. Preserved along with it are many other members of the Sonoran Desert community--other cacti, desert trees and shrubs, and animals. In lushness and variety of life the Sonoran Desert far surpasses all other North American deserts. |
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| Directions |
Saguaro East,or the Rincon Mountain District, may be reached from
Tucson by traveling east on Broadway or Speedway to Freeman Road; turn right to Old
Spanish Trail; turn left. Look for signs to park entrance.
Saguaro West,or the Tucson Mountain District, may be reached from Tucson by traveling Speedway Road west. Speedway becomes Gates Pass Road; the road ends at Kinney Road where you turn right and continue to the park entrance. Note: Saguaro East and West are each about 15 miles from downtown Tucson. Along Interstate 10, there are signs directing travelers to Saguaro National Park. | ||||
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| Operating hours | 8:30 am to 5:00 pm | open all year, Closed December 25 | |||
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| Admission fees | East disctrict | USD 4.-- per car | Cards honored | Golden Eagle, Golden Age, Golden Access Passport | |
| West disctrict | free | ||||
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| Address |
Saguara National Park 3693 South Old Spanish Trail Tuscon, AZ 85730-5601 | ||||
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| Phone | (520) 733 51 53 | ||||
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| Fax | (520) 733 51 83 | ||||
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| Unknown If you know the Email Address of Saguaro National Park, Please tell me. | |||||
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| Official home page | http://www.nps.gov/sagu/ | ||||
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| Phil's visit to Saguaro (East) | |||||||||||
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| Date | Monday, September 4, 2000 | ||||||||||
| Arrival | 2:10 pm | ||||||||||
| Departure | 3:20 pm | ||||||||||
| Time spent | 1:10 Hrs | ||||||||||
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| Accommodation |
Best Western Executive Inn 333 West Drachman Street Tucson AZ 85705
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All you can do by car is the 8 miles (12.9 km) Cactus Forest loop drive starting at the Visitor Center. This drive,
however, provides some great views of the Saguaro desert and a few encounters with truly beautyful Saguaro cactus. If you feel
the need to further explore the park, there are some 128 miles (206 km) of hiking trails waiting for you.
My pictures of Saguaro National Park
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Web site designed, engineered and maintained by Philip Hediger |
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