Getting Oriented

Saguaro National Park preserves some of the densest stands of these massive cacti, which can live up to 200 years and weigh up to two tons. Today more than 90,000 acres include habitats stretching from the arid Sonoran Desert up to high mountain forests. The park is split into two sections, with Tucson, Arizona, sandwiched in the middle. The urban base proves useful, but the park is no less rugged. More than half of it is designated wilderness area.