The Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park is one of two Saguaro National Parks. There is one in the eastern part of Tucson called Rincon, and the other in the western part of Tucson referred to as Tucson Mountain District. We visited the Rincon Mountain District with its towering peaks, diverse ecosystems, and iconic saguaro cacti.
Cactus flowers in the spring are a big draw for us coming to Tucson, Arizona from March to June. The hedgehog cactus start first in March, then pincushion start to bloom, later barrel cactus, prickly pear, cholla and eventually the saguaro by May. We left at the beginning of April and the barrel, cholla, and prickly pear were loaded with buds and about to bloom, still too early for saguaro.
Mount Lemmon has a summit elevation of 9,159 feet. Located in the Santa Catalina mountains in northern Tucson, Arizona, it is a 27 mile beautiful drive from desert to alpine. With the altitude change the temperature can drop 20-30 degrees compared to the desert floor. Mount Lemmon was named after botanist Sara Plummer Lemmon who trekked to the top in 1881.
The southern California coast is wonderful almost anytime of the year, but spring in the desert beckons and the open road is calling us from the sunny shores of San Diego to the rugged beauty of Tucson, Arizona. We love the iconic saguaro cacti and breathtaking mountain ranges of the Sonoran Desert.
A wet winter isn’t new to us. Seems like it happens every spring/winter during our travels. We are always pushing the seasons, especially in the fall, winter and spring to catch the fall colors, wildflowers or the first tree blossoms. We spent part of our winter in San Diego this year.
Beginnings can be bittersweet. They are often brought on by change, and in our situation, it was the passing of our beloved dog Jake, our ever present companion. Michael’s father passed away almost two years ago, before that it was his mother. Not long ago, Sandy’s aunt De passed, before that her father and other relatives. We are at the age in life when our friends and family are older and end of life is ever present.
