BLOG 11: In the Land of the Saguaro Cactus

First, a brief excursion about the Saguaro Cactus:

The Saguaro (suh-waa-row), also known as the giant cactus, has always been a symbol of the American Southwest. These majestic plants are easily recognized by their size and stature, sometimes reaching heights of 15 meters.

Where do Saguaros grow?

The Saguaro cactus, Carnegiea gigantea, grows only in the Sonoran Desert, but even there not in all areas. Saguaros require an optimal balance between warmth and precipitation to thrive. Frosty temperatures can severely harm a Saguaro’s health, and climate is the main factor for the Saguaro's distribution. Therefore, its range is limited to a specific area within the Sonoran Desert, primarily stretching from Central Arizona to Sonora, Mexico.

Since they cannot tolerate cold temperatures, Saguaros are also limited by elevation. They typically grow from sea level up to about 1,470 meters. Saguaros that grow up to 1,520 meters are usually found on south-facing slopes where frost occurs less frequently or lasts for shorter periods.

That’s enough about the cactus.

From Phoenix, we head further south, right into the land of the Saguaro cacti.

First, a stopover at Picacho Peak State Park, where we were also during our first trip to the USA over 30 years ago.

After that, we take Interstate 10 east towards the Saguaro National Park West area.

Here we visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum – primarily an outdoor museum that vividly showcases the fauna and flora of the Sonoran Desert. The animals are, of course, smarter than travelers from Austria – at midday, they hide in the shade for a siesta, which is why we don’t see too many creatures...

We spend the night almost next door at the Gilbert-Ray Campground, and the next morning we set off on a hike up Brown Mountain among the Saguaros. By midday, it gets quite warm to hot!

On our way the next day, we stop at Mission San Xavier del Bac, also known as “The White Dove in the Desert,” south of Tucson - a historical Spanish Catholic mission. Founded in 1692 by Eusebio Kino at the center of a centuries-old settlement of the Sobaipuri O'odham Indians.

The mission was named after Francis Xavier, the co-founder of the Jesuit order in Europe. The original church was built north of the later Franciscan church and was destroyed in 1770 during an Apache attack.

The mission was rebuilt between 1783 and 1797 and is thus the oldest preserved European structure in Arizona. The O'odham Indians provided the labor. Mission San Xavier del Bac is an outstanding example of Spanish colonial architecture in the United States and a well-known pilgrimage site that thousands visit on foot and horseback each year, some as part of ceremonial parades.