Get in touch
with nature in Tucson
By Rebecca Larsen,
Associate Editor
For those who love the great outdoors, Tucson is a paradise with many national and state parks that preserve canyons and desert lands.
The city sits in the Sonoran Desert, a high desert, which gets enough rain -- about 11 inches a year -- to sustain an amazing array of vegetation, from cactus and scrubby bushes to low-lying trees. The subtle shades of green seen all year are embellished in spring by brilliant orange, yellow and fuchsia-colored cactus blossoms, as well as blue and purple wildflowers. The desert is also home to lizards, snakes, jackrabbits, coyotes, javelinas, mountain lions. A vast variety of birds can be seen here, particularly in the southeastern areas in and around Tucson.
If you’re looking for information on the natural areas, the Sonora Desert Museum can put the local desert into the context of arid regions around the world. Prairie dogs and hummingbirds are among the many creatures you can see at the museum.
Here are other key areas to see:
--The eastern portion of Saguaro National Park, right next to the city, offers a striking reminder that Tucson rests in a valley at the southern reaches of the Rocky Mountains and the northernmost edge of Mexico's Sierra Madre Mountains. Here visitors can gaze at miles of cactus while hiking through the foothills of the Rincon Mountains. Check out www.npts.gov/sagu/.
--Catalina State Park embraces some of the Santa Catalina Mountains, the highest of the five major ranges surrounding the city.
--Sabino Canyon also includes part of the Coronado National Forest. Call (520) 749-8700 for details.
 --You can also take a road that winds its way to the top of Mount Lemmon, another of the Santa Catalinas, and reach an elevation of 9,157 feet. Call (520) 751-9405 for information.
--Tohono Chul Park takes its name from the Tohono O’odham language. Tohono Chul means “desert corner,” and indeed this park is a treasured piece of the desert in the middle of the city. Tohono Chul Park is a 49-acre desert preserve dedicated to increasing visitors’ appreciation of the Sonoran Desert, its history and culture. Call (520) 742-6455 for information.
--The Tucson Botanical Gardens feature arid landscaping, herbs, irises, a tropical greenhouse, wildflowers, gardening classes and Native American crops in beautiful historic gardens. These gardens located in the center of town will offer you glimpses of plantings that date back to the 1930s. Call (520) 326-9686 for information.
Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.
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