A dozen miles east of Tucson, on the slopes of the Tanque Verde and Rincon Mountains, the eastern half of Saguaro National Park covers 57,000 acres of rolling desert landscape. Named in honor of the anthropomorphic saguaro cactus, which here reaches heights upwards of 40 feet and lives as long as 200 years, the monument is best seen by following eight-mile Cactus Forest Drive, along which numerous hiking trails give close-up looks at the multi-limbed succulents. For more information and details of hiking opportunities, stop at the visitors center (daily; 520/733-5153).
