The Tucson Mountains (O'odham: Cuk Doʼag) are a minor mountain range west of Tucson, Arizona. The great Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is located on the west flank of the Tucson Mountains. It focuses on the interpretation of the natural history, plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert.
Above: A White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) and a Ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) female in the Arizona Desert Museum.
Saguaro National Park was created as a National Monument in 1933 and later designated a National Park in 1994. The Tucson Mountain District of Saguaro National Park ranges from an elevation of about 2,200 ft to 4,700 ft and contains two biotic communities, desert scrub, and desert grassland.
Above: Carnegiea gigantea along the Hugh Norris Trail of Saguaro National Park.
The eponymous plant of the Saguaro National Park is Carnegiea gigantea, a tree-like cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea that can grow to be over 40 feet tall. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California. The Saguaro blossom is the state wildflower of Arizona.
Above: In springtime, different kinds of Prickly Pear Cactuses are blooming in the Sonaran desert.
Besides the Saguaros there are lots of other cacti species in the Tucson Mountains. Well known are the Teddy Bear Cholla (Cylindropuntia Bigelovii) and Prickly Pear Cactuses (Opuntia) which are blooming in yellow, red and other colors.
Above: The Gila Woodpecker's (Melanerpes uropygialis) habitat consists of low desert scrub typical of the Sonoran desert. The birds are building nests in holes made in Saguaro cactuses or Mesquite trees.
The Sonora desert is a hot desert. Summer air temperatures routinely exceed 40°C (104°F), and often reach 48°C (118°F). Altough it isn't an easy place to survive, about 350 bird species, 20 amphibian species, over 100 reptile species, 30 native fish species, and more than 1000 native bee species can be found in the area.
Above: The Sonora desert isn't an easy place to survive. But there are even birds like the Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) that occurs in Mesquite groves and desert washes while they are in migration.
The city of Tucson, AZ is an ideal place to stay to enjoy the region's highlights including Saguaro National Park, Mount Lemmon (an 1.5 hours drive away), Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, and Chiricahua National Monument (both a 2 hours drive away).
Above: People visiting the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.