Amid Nature's Giants

TUCSON, Arizona. Elevation -- 2,389 feet above sea level. Location - the Sonoran desert. Surroundings - bordered by five minor ranges of mountains: the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Tortolita Mountains to the north, the Santa Rita Mountains to the south, the Rincon Mountains to the east, and the Tucson Mountains to the west. Features -- numerous state parks!

Five giants, now that is five major reasons plus countless more for nature lovers to come and revel in Tucson's offerings. For the urbanites, there is still no excuse for not seeing at least one. Luckily, with great hosts and fabulous tour guides, Eski, Diane and Iya, I got to check out a good one.

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One? I am not admitting a preference to the urbanized scene. I prefer the balance. Arriving for the first time as a tourist, then I should do my touristic job and see the area's must-go to spots. The luxury of time is not with me at this point, but the experience, no matter how short it is, is luxurious enough.
Located at the base of the western slopes of the majestic Santa Catalina Mountains is the 5,493 acre Catalina State Park. This park is not only a haven for desert flora and fauna laid on picture perfect foothills, canyons and streams, but a quiet sanctuary for the city weary souls who wish to commune with nature.

But there is more to Catalina State Park than meets the tourist's eyes. There is a number of hiking, cycling, horseback riding and even backpacking trails where your pets are welcome as well but put them on a leash. More interesting is the wide variety of desert wildlife that you might just chance upon that inhabit the park- 170 species of birds, deer, coyote, javelina, bobcat, and jackrabbit.

If you're a "before sunrise" or "after sunset" being, then you might just be lucky to catch sight of them for most of these desert creatures are nocturnal. You have to hit the trails and in this park, there are several to choose from. You stamina might just dictate your preference. There is the 2.3 mile Canyon Loop Trail, the 7.8 mile 50-Year Trail, the mile long the Birding Trail for a chance to see some of the park's 170+ species of birds in three different types of habitats and the only flat trail in the park, Bridle Trail which is 1.4 miles.

If you want history on a short walk, then Romero Ruin Interpretive Trail is or you.

The mile-long "educational" Nature Trail not only offers beautiful vistas of the Sonoran Desert and Santa Catalina Mountains but tells us about the desert ecosystem and its inhabitants through signs along the path. This was the path I took and it will be recorded in my slum book (or a blog in this modern age) as my "First Desert Hike," short the walk may be.

But given more time, I could have been up to the challenge and taken the Romero Canyon Trail (7.2 miles) or the Sutherland Trail (10.5 miles). It may be longer and strenuous but the rewards are great- you get to tread along beautiful desert terrains, riparian canyons and cool natural pools. The trails connect to others that will eventually lead to Mount Lemmon at the top of the Catalina Mountains, but I will have to take a rain check on that.

In the meantime, it's a breeze through a park trail for me. I have noted to avail of the other park facilities- campground, picnic tables, grills, the equestrian center.

The Catalina State Park encourages everyone to "bring along your curiosity and your sense of adventure as you take in the beautiful mountain backdrop, desert wildflowers, cacti and wildlife that call this area home."

And home it is to another giant- the state-protected saguaros -- and the park has nearly 5,000 of them. This species of cactus grow slowly from seed, not from cuttings, so slow that it can take up to 75 years to develop a side arm. It can reach heights of anywhere from 15 to 50 feet and may live for more than 150 years. This is precisely why it is against Arizona State law to harm a saguaro in any way.

I wonder why it doesn't surprise me that the saguaro blossom is the State Wildflower of Arizona.

Trek is checked. What's next on the list?