Tucson Things to Do Tips by Redlats

Arizona-Sonara Desert Museum - visiting details Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Review

Regarding food at the museum, the only picnic area is outside the ASDM, however we came across a couple of restaurants inside.

The 2004 admission for adults in high season was $12. Go early in the day, and avoid walking the trails at mid-day (desert trails have no shade).

Address: 2021 North Kinney Road, Tucson

Directions: From Tucson, follow Speedway Blvd. west until it ends, turn right on North Kinney. It is well signed. About 10 miles from Tucson.

Website: http://www.desertmuseum.org/

Freeman Homestead Trail - Saguaro NP East Saguaro National Park Review

The Freeman Homestead trail was the most interesting of our three hikes. It was only one mile long, and had interpretive signs. A family settled in the desert in 1930, built a home and farmed there.

All that is left now is mounds of dirt where the walls of the house once was (the home was built of clay walls), some ocotillas planted in a row which must have been a fence, and a big tree that provides shade (but looks somewhat out of place).

The trail goes past a spring where they must have got their water, but it was not obvious if or where they planted any crops in the desert. It took us 45 minutes, and we saw quite a bit of small wild-life -- ground squirrels, woodrats, a cardinal, wrens and flickers, etc.

Address: Saguaro NP East - 3693 South Old Spanish Trail

Phone: 520-733-5153

Website: http://www.nps.gov/sagu

Tucson Mountain Park

You drive through Tucson Mountain Park on the way to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. You can stop at a couple of viewpoints to have a close up look at the desert. Saguaros - the cacti I only knew from watching Wiley Coyote chase the Roadrunner - only grow in the Sonoran desert. You get to see the difference in how cacti grow on both sides of the mountain valley.

Also at the main viewpoint (besides washrooms, etc.), there is a short trail to climb to a structure up the hill

Tucson Mountain Park also has campgrounds at the Gilbert Ray Campground.

Directions: 8 miles west of Tucson on Speedway Blvd.

ASDM - A complete desert museum Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Review

It is difficult to describe the Arizona-Sonara Desert Museum (ASDM) in one tip. It is part museum, part zoo, part biological garden.

ASDM is in the middle of the Sonoran Desert, and displays 300+ animal species as well as plants. The museum is filled with birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, bugs and fish. Most of the museum is outdoors with almost 2 miles of paths.

There is a lot to look at. For instance, the mountain lion enclosure is cool - From the back of the display, you can often see the mountain lion close up, as his favourite perch is high (up a tree I think) in his enclosure. This perch happens to be right beside a viewpoint (with tinted glass) so we can see him, and he doesn't seem to notice us. Then you walk around and see his non-fenced enclosure from a point 100 feet lower.

We were trying to minimize exposure to the sun so we spent time in both aviaries - one just for hummingbirds - bring your telephoto lens.

There are also underground exhibits covering animals that primarily come out in the evening. We joined a guided tour which was great as well - we had somebody to ask questions of when we needed that. We learned a new term. The demonstrations and tours are provided by docents - volunteers with an interest in desert flora and fauna.

We went to the ASDM the first day we visited Tucson. That was a bit of a mistake as we were not acclimatized to the heat yet, so we had to leave before we were finished looking over the museum. It could easily take more than a whole day to see everything there is of interest.

Address: 2021 North Kinney Road, Tucson

Directions: From Tucson, follow Speedway Blvd. west until it ends, turn right on North Kinney. It is well signed. About 10 miles from Tucson.

Website: http://www.desertmuseum.org/

The White Dove of the Desert San Xavier del Bac Mission Review

This church was built as a mission by Franciscan monks in the 1700's and is still in use today on the Tohono O'odham native reservation. I guess the monks decided to build a church which would impress everybody, and it still does. A non-profit group has undertaken to restore and rebuild the mission, and by 2004 the insides are complete, and work is taking place on the left tower (you can see the scaffolding in my picture). The saguaros in front of the church are quite beat up. Maybe it's time to replace them too.

Parking and entrance is free, although of course donations are accepted.

Address: 1950 W San Xavier Rd, Tucson 85746

Directions: This mission is 9 miles south off I-19, exit 92 on San Xavier Rd. in the Tohono O'odham Native Reservation

Phone: 520-294-2624

Website: http://www.sanxaviermission.org/

Mica View Picnic area - Saguaro NP East Saguaro National Park Review

After hearing the recommendations of the naturalists, we drove the 8 mile Cactus Forest Drive, stopping at the Mica View Picnic area. We settled for an easy 2 mile hike through the forest of cacti.

On the hike, we passed many saguaros including a few of giant ones such as in the photo. The hike also goes by a number of washes. Washes are dry 'river-beds' that only get used during the raining season in the fall. Then there is too much water to absorb into the ground, so it flows away in these washes. We also saw birds such as the gilded flicker who dig out their nests inside the saguaros, as well as cactus wrens and western kingbirds who nest in the old holes made by the woodpeckers and flickers. We even saw a roadrunner cross our trail. All that was missing was Wiley E. Coyote.

Address: There are two locations - East and West of Tucson

Phone: 520-733-5153

Website: http://www.nps.gov/sagu

Arizona State Museum At the University of Arizona Review

The Arizona State Museum has displays on the seven or so regional native groups - from the Navajo to the O'odham. It is informative - and was useful for the rest of our trip to Arizona, when we visited quite a few historic native sites and remains.

The museum is on the grounds of the Arizona State Museum, so parking is a pain. We had to buy a chocolate bar to get the 8 quarters we needed to park at a meter for 2 hours. Entry to the museum is by donation, suggested donation was $3 each.

Address: 1013 E. University Boulevard

Phone: 520-621-6302

Website: http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/

San Xavier is still a working mission San Xavier del Bac Mission Review

We walked around to the rear of the complex. It is a lot quieter there, and you see that there is a working school, and a enclosed monestary for the monks. I would imagine they don't think much of all the tourists.

We also hiked up the nearby hill located right of the church. There is a path around the hill, and you will find a 'prayer fence', or at least a wrought iron fence where people have left candles, ribbons, photos etc.

After the mission, the back area and the hill, we toured the less religious part of the mission. By the parking lot are stands where you can buy fried bread - we had ours with honey. A little further away are shops with local items to purchase and a more complete lunch spot.

Address: 1950 W San Xavier Rd, Tucson 85746

Directions: This mission is 9 miles south off I-19, exit 92 on San Xavier Rd. in the Tohono O'odham Native Reservation

Phone: 520-294-2624

Website: http://www.sanxaviermission.org/

The inside of San Xavier Mission San Xavier del Bac Mission Review

The inside of the church has recently been refinished. It is all carved and painted. There are two statues of Saint Frances, whom people pray to. You can see those statues by checking the mission's website.

I did not bring a flash or fast film, so I was limited to what I pictures I could take inside the church. A small shaft of light was streaming through a ceiling window, and right on one of the statues (not Saint Frances).

Besides the church proper, there is a museum and gift shop (open 8am-5pm)

Address: 1950 W San Xavier Rd, Tucson 85746

Directions: This mission is 9 miles south off I-19, exit 92 on San Xavier Rd. in the Tohono O'odham Native Reservation

Phone: 520-294-2624

Website: http://www.sanxaviermission.org/

Desert Ecology Trail - Saguaro NP East Saguaro National Park Review

This is a quarter-mile wheel-chair accessible trail - again through cacti and washes. Interestingly the interpretive signs are marked Saguaro National Monument (not Park).

We found out from the visiter centre that the American national park system is made up of national parks (by decree of Congress) and national mounuments (by decree of the President). Often parks are first national monuments and then become national parks.

Address: Saguaro NP East - 3693 South Old Spanish Trail

Phone: 520-733-5153

Website: http://www.nps.gov/sagu