Saguaro cacti are apparently native only to southern Arizona, so Dan and I went off with family to Saguaro National Forest. It was a forest like I've never seen - a veritable desert garden.
I had no idea that saguaro can be well over 100 years old. Some were as tall as a three storey building. Birds dig holes in them and nest in them. But most of all - they represent the Old West to me: a sign of untamed land and the promise of adventure.
We arrived at dusk and were on the lookout for coyotes and rattlesnakes, but the only wildlife we ran across were birds and small snakes who had come out at night to warm themselves on the asphalt of the road that runs through the park. As we walked through the park, not only did we find saguaro cacti, there were cacti of many different varieties: water barrel, prickly pear, and teddy bear, to name just a few.
So, as the sun spilled its golden light over the prickly desert landscape, I couldn't help but think - "I hope no one ever falls over on these trails!"
Click on photos to enlarge:
Labels: Arizona, saguaro, travel |
posted by Melanie O. at 
