I finally went on a solo vacation. What a vacation it was! Southern Arizona in early March is absolutely perfect.

The saguaro cactus, thrives in the Sonoran Desert. It is slow-growing with seedlings taking decades to reach maturity, potentially living 150-200 years. 

They can grow 40+ feet tall.

Saguaro National Park consists of two regions with Tuscon sitting in the middle. West Saguaro is littered with the taller, many fingers cactus. The Sonoran Desert Museum sits just outside of the park entrance and is an excellent place to view wildlife. 95% of the museum is outside.

East Saguaro is also known as the Rincon Mountain side of the park. The cacti here are younger.

The tallest peak in this mountain range is Mica Mountain.

Tips:

I chose March because I wanted cool clear nights for star gazing, mild temperatures during the day, less rattle snakes and Gila Monsters (though I did see a couple of Gila Monsters) and hardly any mosquitoes. The warmest day for me was 76 and I got sunburned anyway. Mid April is when the cacti start to bloom. Carry water with you at all times. Killer Bees are a thing here. I did encounter warning signs posted for them and while rock climbing in the Javelina Rocks area I encountered a nest in the rocks that was not marked. Luckily I had no issues. Rent an E-bike or bring your mountain bike. Make sure to go to the museum. The visitor center on the west side is bigger and nicer than the east side. Lastly, sunscreen and a hat are a must no matter what time of year you visit.