The giant Saguaro (soh-WARE-oh) cactus is one of the symbols of the west. They grow in a fairly narrow range of climatic conditions and their numbers are not as great as they were 50-years ago, mostly from disease, urban sprawl and thefts. The Saguaro National Monument was established in 1933 by President Herbert Hoover and expanded by President Kennedy in 1961. In 1994 Congress re-established the monument as Saguaro National Park.
The park is split into east and west units, on either side of Tucson. The east unit is about 20-miles from downtown and the west unit is adjacent to Tucson Mountain Park. Both feature the giant Saguaro as well as other varieties of cactus and desert plants. A short scenic road runs thru both units.
We visited the east unit and you can't believe just how quiet and peaceful a place it is, especially since the borders of Tucson have crept up to the park's boundary. We hope you enjoy the pictures.
