Saguaro National Park: Cactus Forest Trail

The drive from Picacho Peak to Tucson was uneventful, but the amount of sprawl in Tucson was astonishing. I'd been through Tucson before, on a visit to Saguaro National Park about 11 years ago, but things seemed even more sprawling now. I made the long drive through strip malls and traffic on Broadway until I finally found Old Spanish Trail which I followed into the park.

Once in the park I visited the visitor center and picked up a site bulletin on hiking trails so that I could plan my course of action. Since I didn't have a car on my last visit, I decided I would drive the scenic loop road and hike a few of the short trails along the road including the Cactus Forest Road. After purchasing a patch and magnet at the bookstore I set out to the road.

The drive was pleasant. The day was warm, but thanks to mostly overcast skies it was not too hot. I hiked a short nature trail and then moved on to the trailhead for the Cactus Forest Trail.

The trail, like the drive was very pleasant.

There were lots of saguaros along the trail of course, and I found myself wanting to photograph each and every one.

Even the skeletal remains of the dead ones were interesting.

There were also lots of great views of the surrounding mountains

and the views got me reminiscing about my hike up Tanque Verde Ridge to Manning Camp on my last visit.

Eventually I came to the site of some old lime kilns

and shortly thereafter I took a side trail that lead to Lime Falls. I wasn't sure what I would find at the falls, but I was curious. I knew there would be no rushing waterfall, still I had to see what as there. I found the dry falls and decided to see what lay above. Above I found a small pool of water and a small white-tailed deer who I presumed had just stopped by for a drink.

I have to admit, I was surprised to see a white-tailed. I would have expected to see mule deer living in such an arid environment.

After visiting the falls I retraced my steps and continued on the Cactus Forest Trail. There were even more impressive specimens of saguaros as I hiked along. I came to the other end of the trail, stopped for a snack and then retraced my steps back to the car. Along the way I passed not only saguaros, but barrel cactus

and chollas as well.

When I had returned to the car I realized that my time in Arizona was coming to an end. While I had enjoyed myself in the Grand Canyon State, I was excited to see my girls, Noelle and Sierra, again.

I had one more stop before I hit the road, another short nature trail that led to an old homestead. While there was not much left of the old homestead I did get to see some birds: a thrasher

and a phainopepla.