Last Updated: May 2026 | Originally published May 2020
Tucson in late May 2020 was different. COVID-19 had shuttered the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, closed Western Way’s pool and clubhouse, and pushed most snowbirds north weeks earlier than usual. The campground was nearly empty. But the Sonoran Desert didn’t get the memo — it was putting on one of the most spectacular bloom seasons we’ve seen in years, and we had it almost entirely to ourselves.
The catch: it was running about 20 degrees hotter than normal. We’d timed the trip for the saguaro bloom, which typically peaks in late April to early May when highs hover in the low 80s. Instead, we got 100°F every afternoon. Early mornings cooled into the 60s, which made dawn walks and hikes genuinely pleasant — we just had to be done before 9 a.m.
Western Way RV Resort, Tucson
We’d stayed at Western Way RV Resort a couple of years before and liked it enough to return. Western Way offers full hookups, decent Wi-Fi, and an easy location for accessing both the west and east districts of Saguaro National Park. In normal times it’s a lively place — pool, gym, clubhouse, neighbors in lawn chairs at sunset. In May 2020, the amenities were COVID-closed and the park was mostly empty. The snowbirds had left weeks earlier and permanent residents had hunkered down. It was unusually quiet.
The upside to all that quiet: Jake had the run of the wide desert paths that surround the resort. He logged more miles than usual, flushing coyotes, chasing lizards, and monitoring the rabbit situation with professional intensity. The desert trails on the periphery of the campground made for easy morning and evening walks even in the heat.
The Rattlesnake With a Full Belly
Michael spotted the first rattlesnake near the resort trails — though “spotted” might be generous. It was lying in plain sight, not moving much because it couldn’t. Its belly was round and distended, stretched tight around what was clearly a recent meal. Cactus thorns were stuck in its side: a clue. White-throated woodrats (packrats) line their dens with cactus spines specifically to deter predators like this one. The snake had apparently made its way into a packrat den and paid the price in embedded thorns — but not before eating the occupant.
The Desert in Full Bloom
The fragrance alone made the heat worth tolerating. Blooming desert has a smell that’s difficult to describe — sweet, a little waxy, with an undertone of warm earth — and in May 2020 it was everywhere. Every walk turned into a nature survey: what’s blooming today, what’s feeding on what, what’s using what for shelter.
Palo verde trees were at peak bloom, which meant yellow petals everywhere — and misery for our allergies. In some areas, entire patches of ground were carpeted in yellow. Near every palo verde, you could find busy ant trails ferrying petals back to their dens, sometimes in lines twenty or thirty feet long.
Cholla cactus were everywhere in varying stages of bloom. There are many species of cholla across the Sonoran Desert — buckhorn, teddy bear, chain fruit, staghorn — and we are personally most familiar with the jumping cholla, not because we like it but because it has an uncanny ability to attach to shoes, socks, and dogs without any apparent physical contact. We always carry a comb to remove the segments from Jake.
Prickly pear were also blooming, their flowers ranging from deep magenta to pale yellow depending on the species. The plants grow in dense clusters across the desert floor and provide food and shelter for a remarkable range of animals.
Western Way is over half park models, which is typical for Arizona resorts. Some permanent residents have extended their landscaping into the adjacent desert with plantings that blend surprisingly well into the native vegetation. A neighbor had a pomegranate tree in full bloom near their lot — a burst of orange-red in the middle of all that yellow and white.
Saguaro National Park West (Tucson Mountain District)
Saguaro National Park is split into two separate districts on either side of Tucson: the Rincon Mountain District to the east and the Tucson Mountain District to the west. Both are beautiful and have distinct topography — the east is higher elevation with ponderosa pines at the peaks; the west is classic Sonoran Desert, lower and hotter, home to the densest concentrations of saguaro we’ve seen anywhere. We gravitate to the west district partly out of habit and partly because of its proximity to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which was closed in May 2020 but whose trails and roads remained open.
Michael’s parents lived near the west district for years, using it iniyially as a winter escape from Colorado. Saguaro was designated a National Monument in 1933 and became a National Park in 1994. The adjacent Tucson Mountain Park adds significant acreage to the protected Sonoran Desert land on the west side.
The park has a paved loop road and numerous hiking trails. There’s a paved, dog-friendly trail that Jake appreciates — he can walk in the park without the hazard of cholla attaching to his paws. The views along the trail, especially as the sun drops behind the Tucson Mountains, are worth any amount of heat.
The Saguaro Bloom
We planned the trip specifically for the saguaro bloom, and it delivered. Arizona’s state flower is something to see up close: large, creamy white with a yellow center, firm and waxy to the touch, with a fragrance like overripe melons. The flowers open at night and are pollinated first by lesser long-nosed bats, then by bees, birds, and other insects during the day. Each individual flower lasts only 24 hours before it closes and begins forming fruit.
The fruit that follows — a bright red capsule that splits open and falls to the ground — contains more than 2,000 seeds and provides a critical food source for desert animals in early summer. The Tohono O’odham people have harvested saguaro fruit for thousands of years to make jam, syrup, and a fermented ceremonial drink; the harvest marks the start of their new year.
Wildlife on the Blooms
The birds knew exactly what was happening. Morning after morning, the saguaros were covered with activity — birds feeding on nectar, carrying pollen, defending flowers from rivals. Sitting still with a camera for even twenty minutes produced a full cast of Sonoran Desert regulars.
White-winged doves were the most abundant visitors. They’ve co-evolved with saguaro — their migration north from Mexico is timed to coincide with the bloom, and they’re among the most important pollinators the cactus has. A dove feeding on a saguaro flower ends up with pollen on its head and chest, which it carries to the next flower.
Curve-billed thrashers worked the blooms aggressively, using their long curved bills to probe deep into the flowers. They’re ubiquitous in the Sonoran Desert and their two-note whistle carries a long way across the desert.
Gila woodpeckers were everywhere — on the blooms, on the cactus ribs, at nest holes. They’re the saguaro’s most famous excavator: a Gila woodpecker bores into a saguaro to create a nest cavity, the cactus walls off the wound with a fibrous callous (a “saguaro boot”), and the cavity — 10–15°F cooler than the outside air — eventually gets taken over by owls, kestrels, and other cavity nesters after the woodpecker moves on.
Even a common raven dropped in for the feast — not a subtle visitor. Ravens are opportunists and this one was working the blooms with the same focused intensity as the smaller birds.
Gila Woodpecker Excavating a New Den
We watched one Gila woodpecker actively excavating a new den — hammering away at the saguaro flesh, pulling out chunks, making real progress. The saguaro will seal the cavity walls with a hard fibrous callous over the next year or two. Once the woodpecker abandons the nest, the hardened cavity — the saguaro boot — can persist in the desert for decades after the cactus itself dies.
Red-Tailed Hawk Having Breakfast
On one morning walk we found a red-tailed hawk on the ground with a snake — not a quick kill but an active meal. It ate methodically, unconcerned with us watching from maybe twenty feet away. Red-tailed hawks are the most common large hawk in North America and Saguaro NP has a healthy population, but watching one eat is a different experience than seeing one soar overhead.
Other Desert Wildlife
Gambel’s quail ran the trails in small coveys, the males with their distinctive topknot plumes bobbing ahead. Cactus wrens — Arizona’s state bird, the largest wren in North America — nested in the cholla, weaving their football-shaped grass nests into the spines for protection. We found a finished nest tucked into a cholla cluster, the entry tunnel pointing away from the prevailing wind.
Hedgehog Cactus in Bloom
Hedgehog cactus were also in bloom — clusters of low, cylindrical stems covered in brilliant magenta flowers. They tend to bloom earlier than saguaro (usually March through May), so catching them still going in late May felt like a bonus.
By mid-May, the cholla blooms were fading — past their peak, the last flowers going papery at the edges. The saguaro were the headliners now.
Ocotillo, Full Moon & Sunsets
A few ocotillo were still in bloom — their tall wand-like stems topped with clusters of red-orange flowers. Ocotillo aren’t true cacti but they’re one of the most distinctive plants in the Sonoran Desert, leafing out quickly after rain and dropping leaves just as quickly when things dry out.
The May full moon rose over the east side of the park one evening — big and orange at the horizon, the saguaros silhouetted against it. Desert moonrises have their own particular quality: no trees to block them, plenty of open sky, and the saguaros turning into dark shapes against the glow.
The sunsets were the kind that make Arizona famous. Every evening there were people at the pullouts — lawn chairs, cold drinks, phones pointed at the sky. After years in the desert, the sunsets still stop us. They remind us of San Diego summer evenings, when we’d pick up takeout, open a bottle of wine, and walk down to the beach. The Tucson version substitutes saguaro silhouettes for crashing waves, but the feeling is similar: a deliberate pause to watch something beautiful end the day.
Visitor Information
Saguaro National Park has two separate districts: the Tucson Mountain District (west, Bajada Loop Drive) and the Rincon Mountain District (east, Cactus Forest Drive). Both are worth visiting; the west district has the highest density of large saguaros. The park is open year-round. Dogs are allowed on the paved Cactus Garden Trail and the Valley View Overlook Trail in the west district but not on unpaved backcountry trails.
Western Way RV Resort (wwrvresort.com) is on the west side of Tucson with easy access to the Tucson Mountain District. Full hookups, Wi-Fi, pool, gym, and clubhouse. The resort is roughly 55% park models and fills up in winter. Reservations recommended from October through April.
Practical Tips
Best time to see the saguaro bloom: Late April through mid-May in most years, when highs are in the low 80s. The bloom can shift earlier or later by a week or two depending on winter rainfall and spring temperatures. Check with the Tucson Mountain District visitor center closer to your visit.
Heat management: If you’re visiting in May, plan hikes and outdoor photography for before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. Carry more water than you think you need — at least a liter per person per hour of outdoor activity in temperatures above 90°F.
Dogs in the park: Jake can handle the paved trails in the west district. Avoid unpaved trails with cholla — a wide-toothed comb is the standard removal tool for segments that attach to fur or clothing.
Wildlife viewing: Early morning is best. Sit quietly near a blooming saguaro and the birds will come to you. White-winged doves, Gila woodpeckers, curve-billed thrashers, and Gambel’s quail are reliable in May. Watch the ground near packrat dens for rattlesnakes.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: Adjacent to the park’s west district, the Desert Museum is one of the best natural history museums we’ve visited anywhere — part zoo, part botanical garden, part natural history museum, all outdoors. Worth half a day minimum. Plan around the raptor free-flight demonstrations if you can.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do saguaro cactus bloom in Tucson?
Saguaro typically bloom from late April through mid-May in the Tucson area. The flowers open at night and are pollinated by lesser long-nosed bats; during the day, white-winged doves, Gila woodpeckers, and bees are the primary pollinators. Each individual flower lasts only 24 hours.
Is Saguaro National Park free?
The Bajada Loop Drive in the west district can be driven without stopping at a fee station, but the visitor center and many trailheads require a park entrance fee. America the Beautiful annual passes are accepted at both districts.
Can you bring dogs to Saguaro National Park?
Dogs are allowed on paved trails and in parking areas but not on unpaved backcountry trails. In the west district, the paved trails near the visitor center are dog-friendly. Keep dogs on a 6-foot leash and watch for rattlesnakes, especially near desert wash areas and packrat dens.
What is the difference between the east and west districts of Saguaro National Park?
The west district (Tucson Mountain District) is lower elevation, classic Sonoran Desert, and home to the densest saguaro forests in the park. The east district (Rincon Mountain District) covers more terrain and rises into higher elevations with ponderosa pine near the peaks. The east district has more backcountry hiking; the west is more accessible and has the adjacent Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
What RV parks are near Saguaro National Park west?
Western Way RV Resort on the west side of Tucson is one of the closest full-service options to the Tucson Mountain District. Several other RV parks and campgrounds are located throughout Tucson. The park itself does not have an RV campground in the west district; the east district has backcountry tent camping only (permit required).
