It was an easy drive from Tombstone to Saguaro National Park, a park split into two sections about 30 miles apart: one on the east side and one on the west side of Tucson, Arizona.  The park is part of the Sonoran Desert and it is filled with many different varieties of cacti.  But the one after which the park is named?  Well, who has not seen photos (if not the real thing) of these majestic plants?  The saguaro (pronounced “sa-WAH-ro”) cactus, the one that looks like a person except taller and more handsome, has an ideal habitat here, below the sloping hills of the Tucson mountains.

Saguaros grow slowly at first, about an inch per year for the first six to eight years, and it may take 70 years before they sprout branches or arms (although some never grow arms).  They reach full height, 40 – 50 feet, at about 150 years.  The tallest can go up to 75 feet.  They are the universal symbol of the American west and they grow almost exclusively in the Sonoran Desert.

Saguaros collect water through their shallow roots that can reach as far as they are tall, which is how they survive in the desert.  Flowers appear in early summer: bats, moths, honeybees, and some doves feed on the nectar; doves, bats, javelina, and fox eat the summer fruits.  Birds find homes in the saguaro cactus as well – woodpeckers, for example, make nest holes in the trunks and larger limbs.

In 1933, after pressure from conservationists, a 62,000-acre section of the Rincon Mountains was set aside as a national monument (this is the eastern side).  From 1933 to 1942, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC – remember them?) constructed picnic areas, roads, and water control dams in the park.  Saguaro became a national park in 1994.

We chose to visit the eastern side of the park, the Rincon Mountain District.  It is the larger and older of the two districts and has the most mature plants.  We spent a good part of the day driving the scenic eight-mile, one-way, Cactus Forest Loop Drive, stopping at every overlook, as well as hiking two different trails, dressed in our sweatshirts and jackets – but at least it wasn’t raining or snowing.

What we saw were saguaros, old and young, as well as prickly pear cactus, and other desert plants.  Every national park we visit has something special.  And seeing these magnificent cacti, “the monarchs of the cactus world,” it is easy to see why the U.S saw fit to protect them.

Lost Dutchman Sate Park – February 20 – 21, 2019

We liked the name, Lost Dutchman, but did not know the legend behind it.  As the story goes, the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine is a rich gold mine hidden in the southwestern United States, generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains near Apache Junction, Arizona.  The mine is named after German immigrant Jacob Waltz (Deutsch in German, thus Dutchman), who – some say – discovered the gold mine in the 1870s and, before he died, told his caregiver the location of the mine.  She sold maps of the site location, and over the years (till recent times) people have searched for the mine.  It has never been found.  There are many who believe the mine never existed; some say there is some basis to the story as, after Waltz’s death, a small amount of rich-quality gold was found under his bed that was not characteristic of gold found in any other known mine.  But the legend continues, and the searching continues; unfortunately, some searchers have died in the unforgiving mountains. 

And there is a second legend at play here: How did the Superstition Mountain range get its name?  Legend (again) says that the farmers of the area heard from the Pima Indians stories about “strange sounds, people who disappeared, mysterious deaths, and an overall fear of the mountain.” 

A little more about the Pima Indians legend:  according to their traditions, their god (who happened to be the butterfly, as a butterfly can lead you to water in the desert) saw that the people were becoming selfish and greedy.  It decided to drown all the evil ones – but first gave a warning, telling them that a flood would come if they would not repent.  Only a prophet and a few of his followers listened; they took refuge at the top of Crooked Top Mountain, and for two moons the rains came and covered the land with water.  Again, their god spoke, and said that all people should return to the desert valley to till the soil, but any evil ones who remained will be turned to stone.  Interesting.

We spent two nights and one day at Lost Dutchman and loved every minute.  It was cold at night, but nice during the day, allowing us to take a couple of easy trails in and around the campground.  Mostly, we just chilled.

Every state park we have been to on this trip (Abilene, Davis Mountains, Lost Dutchman) has been great.  Lost Dutchman, about an hour from Phoenix and two hours from Tucson, is a jewel.