Not completely wordless Wednesday. These are photos from the McDowell Sonoran Preserve from our Sunday hike. We’ve had rainy weather which means lots of green grass and plants.
I liked this hawk watching us from atop a saguaro. Here’s more info about Saguaros. I’m trying to guess the age of the ones in my photos.
Saguaro Growth
The saguaro cactus is the largest cactus in the United States. The saguaro cactus grows as a column at a very slow rate, with all growth occurring at the tip, or top of the cactus. It can take 10 years for a saguaro cactus to reach 1 inch in height, but these mighty cacti eventually grow to reach an average height of 40 feet, and the tallest saguaro ever measured towered over 78 feet into the air! By 70 years of age, a saguaro cactus can reach 6 and a half feet tall, and will finally start to produce their first flowers. By 95-100 years in age, a saguaro cactus can reach a height of 15-16 feet, and could start to produce its first arm. By 200 years old, the saguaro cactus has reached its full height, reaching upwards of 45 feet tall. Some saguaros have been seen with dozens of arms, while other cactus never produce a single one. Why this happens remains one of the desert’s mysteries.
https://www.nps.gov/orpi/learn/nature/saguaro-cactus.htm
Where are your favorite places to takes walks or hikes?
Does anyone have a guess to the ages of these saguaros?
Beautiful photos EA! Given the size of those cacti they have to be really old 🙂 I would love to walk in this area. Clearly very different from a WA forest.
Washington forests are beautiful. But I’m enjoying the desert beauty, too.
My all-time favorite place to walk is on the beach. Any beach will suffice, but my preference is a warm one, where the cold waves feel amazing as they occasionally lap over my feet. I do like your saguaro trails. I’ve been on a few of them- but only very early in the morning in summertime. Even then, it was hot! I’d enjoy a hike on one now- in cooler weather with all that green on the ground!
I love beach walks the best too. I look forward to our summer beach vacation all year long.
Love these desert scenes! Thanks, Elizabeth! 🥰
It was so green and beautiful! Such a treat. Now we’re having rain because the atmospheric river from the coast has reached us.
Love your photos…rain or shine! 🥰
Thank you! We’re managing to get walks in through the neighborhood during breaks in the rainfall. 😊
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Where are your favorite places to take walks or hikes? I like hiking through forests or walking by the ocean. I’ve been on desert hikes too, but considering where I live it’s rare for me to be near a desert.
Does anyone have a guess to the ages of these saguaros? I say they’re 77 y.o. just because I like that number.
I like beach walks the best. Unfortunately, I’m afraid to go to the beach closest to us because of the cartel and a recent shoot out at the border. I’ll have to wait for my August beach vacation in CA. I’m guessing the saguaro are more than 200 years old. I’d like to know how long they live.
Beautiful!! I’ve been loving the rain, also.
It’s a nice to change to see so much rain!
These are beautiful photos first off, my wife and I walk in many near by parks and trails…but I most enjoy walking around towns that we vacation in.
Thank you. I also like to walk in towns we vacation in. Especially at the beach.
In May we will be visiting The Chesapeake Bay Area
I’ve never been there. For years we’d vacation in Laguna Beach and now it’s the Santa Barbara area. I need to explore other areas of the country like the East Coast.
The bay is off of Maryland, one of these days Ill see the west coast
My brother lived in Conn. for some years, so I made it there and to NYC. But I never visited any beach areas.
Gotcha we live in Pa. We usually hit up museums or quiky things on vacation
Love these hiking pictures. Reminds me of the wonderful hikes I had with my parents in the hills near Tucson. The saguaros are amazing! Thank you for this beautiful Wednesday interlude!
I’m glad you enjoyed them. We went to Tucson for Thanksgiving and stayed friends who recently moved there. The scenery with the mountains was very dramatic. Similar to here, but the mountains were amazing.
Those Saguaros are amazing. I was so taken by them when we stayed at the Ritz in Arizona and hiked every morning. Love the pics! Hugs, C
I’m so amazed by the wildlife here including the saguaros. They are so majestic. I’m sad we lost three in our yard.
Hey, look at all that green grass. Are you sure you don’t live in the East Coast or Pacific Northwest? Ha, ha. Beautiful shots, especially love the dark blue sky!!!!
Isn’t is something? We’ve had rain every day since I took these photos Sunday. I can’t wait to see what it looks like this weekend.
You’ll go out this weekend and be like “where’s the brown?” Ha ha of course, one or two hot days and I’m sure things will change!!!! You’ll need to take before and after shots!!!
Great idea! I’ll do it.
Those are some ancient cactus souls! I love walking anywhere in nature: woods, prairies, deserts, beaches, etc. The Mojave is a fave. My road is a fave.😊
The saguaros are so awesome! I would love to know what their lives have been like through the decades. I’m with you on enjoying walking in nature.
Anywhere can be a good hike, a city, beach, mall or even the desert. A new vacation place is always in style and good for the weight.
Walking is my main form of exercise now because it’s too cold to swim laps. I agree with all the places you mentioned for walking.
Gorgeous photos, Elizabeth. They remind me of when we used to live in the desert. 🧡
Where did you live?
We live in Northern Cal. now, among the trees and lots of greenery. 🙂
Where my kids live.