wearing: statement earrings / black knit top / spring nail polish / wide leg jeans / east/west handbag / sneakers /

Have you heard of the Saguaro Cactus? I hadn’t heard of them until my husband stated he wanted to see them on our trip to Tucson. When he told me there was a forest, I pictured a dense forest, much like our forests in California. I wasn’t expecting huge cactus spread apart which go on for miles! It was a completely new terrain for me, and I am so happy to have seen it!

There are two different entrances into the Saguaro National Park. We entered through the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center. There are three different ways you can tour the forest. You can hike, bike or drive. Since I have foot issues, we decided to drive. The driving loop through the forest is roughly forty-five minutes long. We took longer because we stopped at every lookout and read the markers, as well as snapped photos.

The history of the Saguaro Cactus in Arizona is interesting. The forest is susceptible to cold weather, and it sounds like a cold snap several decades ago decimated the forest, which is still in recovery mode.

Many of the cactus are extremely tall, especially the ones around 150 years old. These cactuses live a long life! The older ones appear to be three to four stories tall. It’s crazy how tall and straight up they go!

If you visit the Tucson area, I highly recommend visiting the Saguaro National Park. You can plan to drive, like we did, or hike, or bike. It’s a great outdoor opportunity and the history is incredibly interesting. Make sure you read all the markers and take your time visiting!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

wearing: statement earrings / summer dress / spring nail polish / east/west bag / western boots (old, also love this pair) /

You’ve heard about Tombstone right? If not, go rent “Tombstone” and watch the movie! Not only is there a movie, the story of Tombstone the city is a part of American history and how the west was won.

While Tombstone is famous for the OK Corral and the Earp versus Clanton shootout, it was also a prosperous silver mining town with a fast explosion of culture and growth over a short period of time. It is actually amazing how fast the town grew from mining and then shrank when the mine flooded beyond repair.

If you visit Arizona, I highly recommend driving out to Tombstone AZ. Not only will you see a western mining town stopped in time, but you can also watch performances which reenact the famous shootout as well as learn about the history of the town and western expansion in general. It is interesting as well as educational. Love that!

Of course, with any site in Arizona, look at the time of year you will be booking your travel. It gets hot, so I recommend spring, fall or winter.

What I wore to visit Tombstone AZ:

You can easily stay in Tucson and day trip to Tombstone, or, you can stay longer at one of the local hotels in Tombstone.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy