Tucson - Saguaro National Park

The Saguaro National Park, part of the Sonora Desert, extends east and west of Tucson. The characteristic feature of this desert area, the lowest in North America, is the abundant and varied flora and fauna which flourish in spite of the great heat: the typical saguaro or candelabra cactuses, which are the tallest species in North America, birds like the Gila woodpecker and cactus wren which live on the cactuses, rattlesnakes, desert tortoises and the Gila monster (a large lizard).