CVB 04-060.Desert Guide.F

Transcription

sonoran
Desert
D i s c o v e r y
G u i d e
“To those who do listen, the desert speaks of things with
an emphasis quite different from that of the shore, the
mountains, the valleys or the plains . . . It is more likely to
provoke awe than to invite conquest . . . To the biologist
it speaks first of the remarkable flexibility of living
things, of the processes of adaptation, which are
nowhere more remarkable than in the strange devices
by which plants and animals have learned to conquer
heat and dryness . . . to the merely contemplative it
speaks of courage and endurance of a special kind.”
Joseph Wood Krutch
The Voice of the Desert
ta b le of
contents
Scottsdale’s McDowell Mountains
Published by:
Discover the
Sonoran Desert . . . . . . . 3
Exploring the
Sonoran Desert . . . . . . 43
Geology & Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Trail Map & Information . . . . 45
Sustaining Life in the
Sonoran Desert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Preserving Our Desert . . . . . . . 48
The Five Seasons of the
Sonoran Desert . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Helpful Hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Trail Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Sonoran Desert Adventures . . 52
Cultural Heritage . . . . 13
indigenous Foods &
Healing Plants . . . . . . . . 53
Experience Native Trails . . . . . 18
President & CEO: Rachel Sacco
Vice President of Marketing: Brent DeRaad
Creative Services: JoAnne Zeterberg, Director; Mark Luger, Manager;
Charity Snyder, Graphic Designer; Adam Dustan, Junior Graphic Designer;
Candice Bemish, Assistant
Text by: Pam Hait, Strategies
A Few Desert Foods to Know . . 56
Flora & Fauna . . . . . . . . . . 19
The Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Cooking with Sonoran
Desert Ingredients . . . . . . . . . . 56
The Giant Saguaro . . . . . . . . 23
Harvest Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
The Amazing Creosote . . . . 26
Recipes to Try at Home . . . . . . 58
Other Unique Plants . . . . . . 28
Printed by: Heritage Graphics
Special thanks to: Arizona Game and Fish, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum,
Desert Botanical Gardens, Faust Gallery, Heard Museum, McDowell Sonoran Land Trust,
The Phoenix Zoo and Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park
Photography by: Denny Collins, CopperWynd Resort and Club, Gary Johnson,
Chuck Lawson, Paul Markow, David Martinez, Jackie Mercandetti, David Moore, Jeff Noble
The Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCVB) has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of information published in this guide, but assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Sonoran Desert
Discovery Guide, copyright 2005. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, by any means,
without the express written permission of the SCVB is prohibited.
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Art & Architecture . . . 61
Discover the Desert
Botanical Garden . . . . . . . . . 32
Great Places to See Art &
Architecture Inspired by the
Sonoran Desert . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
The Animals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Mammals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Reptiles & Amphibians . . . . 37
Sonoran Desert Resources
from A to Z . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Insects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Recommended Reading List . . 71
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www.ExperienceScottsdale.com
D i s c ov e r t h e
S o n o r a n D e s e rt
“O
f all the answers
feel the iridescence of the light slip
to the question ‘What is a
through our skin and into our hearts.
desert good for?’ contemplation is
Standing in silence in the evening,
perhaps the best,” observed naturalist
we are awed watching the stars
and Arizona author
emerge in the desert
Joseph Wood Krutch
night sky like a tapes-
in The Voice of the
try of glittering desert
Desert. While the
wildflowers.
Sonoran Desert with
its clear, warm days
This brief guide will
and cool, starlit
introduce you to
nights invites year-
some of the wonders
round activities like
of the Sonoran Desert
walking, hiking,
– its unique biology,
mountain biking,
geography and history.
birding and climbing,
As you become familiar
with our special landscape, we hope
it is at its best when we and it are still.
you will want to see its beauty for
Mountain Biking in the Sonoran Desert
Those of us lucky enough to live in
yourself, in every season. That’s why
Scottsdale treasure these quiet desert
we’ve included some of our favorite
moments. Hiking a trail at dawn,
places to hike, take a bike ride or
we watch the land come awake and
just sit and contemplate. Please look
4
“Listen to the voice of nature, for it holds treasures for you.”
–Huron
over the recommended reading list if
is one of four major deserts in North
deserts are found at about 30 degrees
the Pacific Ocean from reaching our
you want to learn more about the
America. The other three are the Great
latitude). Nearly two-thirds of the
state. By affecting weather patterns,
Sonoran Desert.
Basin of Nevada, the Mojave Desert
Southwest, or eight percent of the
these ranges guarantee the lack of
in California and the Chihuahua
country’s land area, is in this province.
rainfall that creates our arid climate.
And one more thing. Your timing is
Desert in Mexico. If you could float
A land of soaring mountains and flat
impeccable. Had you arrived here
above the Sonoran Desert, it would
valleys, the Basin and Range is one
Although sun is thought to be the
50,000 years ago, you would not have
look like a shallow bathtub breached
of the youngest topographies in the
defining desert characteristic, aridity
found any cacti. Had you traveled to
at its north end, where it joins the
United States, born between 15 mil-
actually tops the list. Naturalist Joseph
Scottsdale 136 million years earlier,
Mojave Desert, and also at the south
lion and eight million years ago.
Wood Krutch contends that “nearly
there would be no Sonoran Desert.
end, where it receives Pacific moisture.
The current Sonoran Desert environ-
 :
ment in Arizona formed about 9,000
years ago, with our modern native
What makes a desert? Three factors
must be present. The land must:
every striking feature of this special
Physically, this landscape consists of
world, whether it be the shape of the
broad, low-elevation valleys rimmed
mountains or the habits of its plant
by long, narrow parallel mountain
and animal inhabitants, goes back
ranges that vary in height from 700
ultimately to the grand fact of dry-
years ago. So congratulations, you
• Receive less than 10 inches of
rain a year
feet to more than 3,000 feet. That dif-
ness – the dryness of the ground, of
are here at just the right time! And,
• Have a high rate of evaporation
ference in elevation allows for the
the air, of the whole sum-total.”
as you’ll soon understand, in the
• Experience a wide range of temperatures within a 24-hour period
great diversity of plant and animal
plant species appearing about 4,500
Sonoran Desert, timing is everything.
life that can be found in the province
How rain falls (or doesn’t fall) also
– more than 3,500 native species. The
impacts geography. When rain occurs,
G  T
Geologically, it lies in the vast Basin
mountains play a critical role because
it can arrive as intense storms that cause
The Sonoran Desert spreads over
and Range province of the western
the coastal ranges, lying between
rocks and loose soil to cascade down
100,000 square miles of Arizona,
United States at a latitude between
California and Arizona, prevent much
the steep mountain canyons. With little
California and northern Mexico and
23 and 35 degrees (most of the earth’s
of the cool, moist air that flows from
vegetation to hold them back, torrents
5
6
the opposite effect. The heat of the day
Scottsdale’s McDowell Mountains
of water wash boulders loose, grind-
When the storm passes, the extreme
ing rocks into gravel. The debris flows
aridity of the desert goes to work. The
down the mountains and spreads out
high rate of evaporation that charac-
along the mountain fronts as cone-
terizes an arid climate causes almost
shaped masses called alluvial fans. As
all trace of rain to quickly disappear.
more fans form, they merge to create
the even, gravelly slope called the
The third factor, extreme temperature
bajada. This is the transition zone
variation within a 24-hour period,
between the vertical, bare rock of the
completes the triangle. Temperature
mountains and the flat-floored hori-
differences between day and night are
zontal basin of the desert. It is the ideal
greater in deserts than any other place
habitat for desert plants like palo verde,
on earth. Dry air and clear skies allow
ocotillo, agave, barrel cactus, cholla,
for maximum solar heating during
prickly pear and the signature plant
the day, so temperatures rise. At night,
of the Sonoran Desert, the saguaro.
the same dry air and clear skies cause
7
radiates back into the sky and the
S L  
S D
temperature drops quickly. Often there
Is there water in the desert? Yes!
is a 30-degree difference between the
Some moisture is stored in plants,
day’s high and the night’s low, and
for example in the waxy leaves of
there can be as much as a 50-degree
shrubs or the accordion pleats of the
variance. This vast differential prompt-
saguaro, and is used by birds, insects
ed writer Ruth Kirk, in Desert, the
and other desert creatures. The rest
American Southwest, to observe that
of us rely on water from streams,
“the lover who promised to be faith-
rivers and washes, or water pumped
ful until the sands of the desert turned
from underground prehistoric lakes
cold needed to wait only until about
and rivers. All water – surface and
three hours after midnight.”
underground – began as precipitation,
either rain or snowmelt. According
 :
to The Natural History of the Sonoran
• The Sonoran Desert averages
only three to 15 inches of rain
per year.
Desert, “At least two things are neces-
• Although rainfall is infrequent
and undependable, the desert
has two rainy seasons: winter
(December and January) and
summer (July through early
September).
and a delivery system.” The Sonoran
sary for rain: a source of moisture
Desert’s main source of winter rains
comes from the Pacific Ocean. These
rains are fairly predictable because
weather patterns can be tracked
• A single storm can produce 50
percent of the total rainfall for
the year.
and, once storms make it across
the mountains, they tend to come
• The term “monsoon” comes from
an Arabic word for seasonal wind,
so “monsoon” refers to a wind
pattern, not rain.
in waves with one following another
across the ranges and into the desert
basin.
8
Scattered summer rains originate in
through a network of canals. Although
the Gulf of Mexico or California
water appears plentiful, it is a precious
and arrive with the monsoon winds.
resource that is saved and reused.
These storms can be spectacular in
Desert landscaping conserves water
their sound and glory. Winds race,
for homes and businesses and recy-
lightning arcs, thunder rumbles. And,
cled water keeps the city’s many golf
sometimes rain falls. But often, the
courses green.
storms’ liquid veils never make it to
the desert floor.
The area’s water supply is stored in a
network of dams and lakes that sur-
Snowmelt is the desert’s other water
round the cities. Reservoirs located
source. Much of our surface water
about an hour away from Scottsdale
arrived as snow high in the mountains
include Lake Pleasant and Saguaro,
in the heart of a desert city? The Indian
lakes and parks. They ultimately
of northern Arizona. As it melts, it
Bartlett and Canyon lakes. Canals
Bend Wash Greenbelt is actually a
convinced the Corps to build it.
feeds ribbons of rivers that deliver our
send water to the cities using routes
huge flood-control project that holds
water: the Salt, Verde and Gila rivers.
that sometimes parallel those dug
and channels water during infrequent
Today, the Indian Bend Wash Green-
Additionally, Scottsdale depends
centuries ago by the Hohokam
yet intense storms. In the early 1960s,
belt is a model flood-control project
upon Colorado River water that is
Indians. Despite careful planning,
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
that provides miles of recreational
delivered to the metropolitan area
when intense storms break, dry
proposed solving intermittent flood-
trails for walking, cycling and roller-
desert channels, called washes or
ing problems by building a 300-foot-
blading, as well as shady places for
arroyos, can fill up quickly and run
wide concrete channel down the
picnicking, small lakes for fishing,
swift and deep. Cars or other vehicles
center of Scottsdale through the
golf courses, and baseball and soccer
should never attempt to cross a wash
wash. Forward-thinking Scottsdale
fields. An inviting community asset
when it is running.
citizens objected and countered with
during Scottsdale’s 330-plus days of
the concept of a greenbelt. They envi-
annual sunshine, the Indian Bend
Scottsdale’s Indian Bend Wash
sioned the grassy channel lined with
Wash floods as intended during
What is such a long, grassy park doing
golf courses, sports fields, pathways,
big storms.
Rafting on the Salt River
9
Scottsdale’s Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt
10
the five seasons of

the Sonoran Desert


 
 

Dates, average
temperatures* and
normal rainfall
Dec. 1 – Feb. 15
High: 68˚ F Low: 43˚ F
Normal Rainfall: 2"
Feb. 16 – April 30
Normal Rainfall: 1.5"
May 1 – June 30
Normal Rainfall: < 0.25"
July 1 – Sept. 15
High: 103˚ F Low: 78˚ F
Sept. 16 – Nov. 30
What to expect:
• Mild to cool sunny
days and clear, brisk
nights
• Warm, sunny days
and cool nights
• Clear, dry, warm days
and balmy evenings
• Mountain snow
beginning to melt
and filling the creeks
and washes
• Little to no
precipitation
• Afternoon thunderstorms drawn up from
the Gulf of Mexico by
monsoon winds
• Warm days followed
by refreshing, cool
nights
• Desert plants and
cacti sprouting new
leaves, branches, arms
and pads
• Nighthawks swooping
through the air after
the sun goes down
• Possible light rain
coming from the
northwest
What to look for:
• Creosote sprouting
new leaves after a
winter rain
• Jackrabbits and coyotes
enjoying the mild
temperatures
• Mesquites and palo
verdes dropping their
leaves if the temperature drops to freezing
• Desert wildflowers
such as Mexican gold
poppies, lupines and
owl-clover beginning
to show their colors
• Animals active in the
daytime gathering food,
building homes and
enjoying warmer days
• The desert landscape
blooming with wildflowers and annuals
• Ocotillos producing
red to orange flowers
and palo verdes bursting forth in bright
yellow blossoms
• Reptiles basking in
the sun and birds
migrating north for
the summer
*Source: Arizona State
University Department
of Climatology
11
• Warm to hot days with
moderate humidity
• Animals resting during
the day and coming
out at night
• Owls emerging at dusk
to hunt
• Saguaro and queen
of the night plants
blooming, with bats
and moths drinking
their nectar at night
• The end of monsoondriven thunderstorms
• Butterflies emerging
after the rains
• Wintering hawks
beginning to arrive
• Ocotillo and other
desert plants leafing
out after a storm
• Lizards and snakes
eating as much as
they can
• Reptiles beginning to
shed their old skin
with the wet weather
• Anna’s and Costa’s
hummingbirds at
feeders
• Hummingbird activity
increasing before the
birds head south for
the winter
• Desert mammals
remaining active
in the daytime and
sleeping during cooler
nights
• Prickly pears blooming
in early May followed
by saguaros from midMay to mid-June
• Birds forming flocks
and getting ready to
migrate for the winter
• Quail forming groups
called “coveys”
12
c u lt u r a l
h e r i ta g e
F
or at lea st 12,000
ter craftspeople who designed shell
years, much of the Sonoran
jewelry, made arrowheads from
Desert was home to native peoples.
obsidian and wove cotton into blan-
In central Arizona, from about A.D. 1
kets, breech cloths, skirts, kilts, hats
to A.D. 1450, the Hohokam lived as a
and turbans. Clothing remnants
sophisticated agricul-
recovered from their
tural society and built
civilization reveals
ballcourts, platform
that they had complex
mounds and the largest
knowledge of weaving
web of irrigation canals
techniques. They were
in pre-Columbian
the first to farm cot-
North America.
ton in North America.
Archaeologists believe
it is unlikely that they
The Hohokam left
emigrated from any-
behind visual records
where else, presuming
of their lives in the
that they emerged
form of petroglyphs
from a culture that had lived in the
hammered into rocks and pictographs
Southwest since around 7,000 B.C.
painted onto rocks. The circles, spirals,
crosses, lines and representations of
Derrick Suwaima Davis (Hopi/Choctaw), Native Trails Artistic Director
Inventive, artistic, complex and
animals, birds, snakes and humans
resourceful, the Hohokam were mas-
tell of their lives. Scholars believe this
14
rock art is not pre-Columbian graffiti,
of wild desert plants, such as agave
likely used survey equipment to
tion and organization of the canal
but an expression of religious or
and cholla, and at least 3,000 years
determine elevations and plot canal
systems, with the largest platform
ceremonial significance.
ago began growing maize (corn) in
locations.
mounds occurring at the heads of
the system. The regular spacing of
well-watered areas of the Tucson
The Hohokam were remarkable
basin. In time, Hohokam farmers
From A.D. 1150 to 1450, large plat-
Hohokam villages seems to bear out
basket weavers, using willow and
added pinto and tepary beans,
form mounds dominated the major
this theory. Ruins of mound villages
other plants to create sophisticated
gourds, squash and cotton to their
Hohokam villages. One of the largest
indicate that the leaders organized
patterns. They also were excellent
crops, along with other plants like
mounds in the Salt River Valley can
the construction and maintenance
potters, firing plain red pottery made
amaranth and devil’s claw.
be seen at Pueblo Grande Museum
of the canals.
and Archaeological Park. While some
from local clays mixed with sand and
crushed rocks, and using natural dyes
To farm successfully, these desert
archaeologists believe the elite of
The presence of the canals, platform
to adorn the pieces with geometrical
people needed a reliable source of
the society lived on the top of the
mounds, ballcourts and multistoried
patterns and shapes.
water, so they and their successors,
mounds, others think the structures
“big houses,” along with pottery and
the Akimel O’odham, hand-dug a
served ceremonial purposes. Still
art, indicates that the Hohokam had
system of canals to divert water from
other researchers are convinced that
an elaborate ideology and a world
Sonoran Desert rivers to their fields.
the mounds were tied to the opera-
view. They knew about astronomy
 :
• The Hohokam lived in the
Sonoran Desert for more than
1,000 years.
Working with sticks and rudimentary
Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park
tools, they dug ditches and brush weirs
• At one point, it is estimated
that 450,000 Hohokam people
inhabited the desert.
along alluvial fans to direct runoff
onto their fields after the summer
• By the 16th century, when the
Spaniards arrived, the Hohokam
society had disappeared.
rains. By A.D. 600, an extensive system
of canals snaked across the desert
floor for hundreds of miles in the
Above all, they are known for their
Scottsdale/Phoenix basin. In this area
agricultural skill. As farmers, the
alone, they irrigated between 30,000
Hohokam transformed their environ-
and 60,000 acres of crops. Clearly
ment. They encouraged the growth
they had knowledge of hydraulics and
15
16
dants of the Hohokam, supports this
school of thought. Pima stories tell
how their forefathers overthrew the
rulers of the platform mound villages, and specifically mention the
ruler of Pueblo Grande because he
had grown arrogant.
Today, the people of the Salt River
Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
Native Trails, presented by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation
keep alive the traditions of their
ancestors by teaching these stories to
and about the cycles of nature.
until they could no longer produce
And, they had the talent, time and
crops. It is likely that the Hohokam
resources to build architectural fea-
communities along the Salt River
tures that predicted the movements
never recovered from these calamities,
of the sun and moon.
although villages along the Gila River
continued into the 15th century.
Why did it end? We know that about
their children. Mindful of the land
ethic that has been passed down to
them, the Indian Community, which
borders Scottsdale to the east, has
placed 19,000 acres of their 53,000acre reservation into preserve, and are
protecting two prominent landmarks
A.D. 1358-59, a massive flood in the
Another theory is that increasing
Salt and Verde rivers washed out
political conflict caused the society to
canals and fields in the Salt River
implode. Internal conflicts were trig-
Valley. This was followed by two
gered by environmental pressures on
decades of drought and more floods
a population that had met or exceed-
in the early 1380s. Centuries of highly
ed the carrying capacity of the land.
mineralized irrigation water may have
The oral tradition of the Pimas, who
saturated Hohokam fields with salts
believe they are the direct descen17
that rise from the desert floor: Red
Mountain, and, in partnership with
Experience
Native Trails
Every January through March, the
outdoor amphitheater adjacent to
the Scottsdale Center for the Arts
comes alive with Native American
music, dance, art and traditional
foods. Native Trails, presented by
the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation,
is a seasonal series of free noontime
festivals dedicated to exploring the
rich and varied cultures of Native
America. Musical performances
using traditional instruments such
as flutes, gourds and drums will
delight your ears. A variety of
tribal dances ranging from powwow dancing to the excitement
and energy of the traditional hoop
dance will amaze your eyes. And
the rhythmic drumbeat in your
chest as you join the performers
for a traditional round dance will
energize your spirit!
the City of Scottsdale, Saddleback
Mountain. Both are sacred to these
people who, for more than 2,000
years, have called the Sonoran
Desert home.
For the current schedule of performances, held most Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Saturdays from
January through March, visit
www.CultureQuestScottsdale.com
or call 480-421-1004.
FLORA
& FAUNA
n The Voice of the
agave clinging precariously to a rocky
Desert, Joseph Wood Krutch
ledge high in a canyon, or an ocotillo
writes of the power of the desert and
(that seemed dead yesterday) covered
how it speaks to man in profound
with thousands of small green leaves,
I
and thought-provok-
the tips of its branch-
ing ways. The desert
es decorated with
manifests not only the
flame-red blossoms.
amazing flexibility
Adaptation, as
and adaptation
revealed in the
processes of living
Sonoran Desert, is
things, but it also
as poetic as it is prac-
demonstrates the
tical; as much about
strange and wonderful
form and color as
ways plants and ani-
about conserving.
mals have changed in order to conquer
T P
heat and dryness.
How do plants live in the desert?
Sonoran Desert Flora
While the mountains, canyons and
Like people, desert plants need shade
bajada of the Sonoran Desert inspire,
and water. Master adapters, they
the desert is at its most wondrous
share common characteristics. Desert
when seen through the lens of its
plants have:
plant and animal life: a blooming
• Waxy coatings on leaves or stems
20
All plants are our brothers and sisters.
They talk to us and if we listen, we can hear them.
–Arapaho
• Tiny leaves or no leaves at all
Water Hoarders store water in their
stems that reflect sunlight and even
temperature and rainfall occurs.
• Large stems where water can be stored
tissues. Like the beavertail cactus,
create shade.
Then, they germinate and bloom,
• Light-colored or fuzzy leaves
these species have large, rounded
• A covering of spines or thorns
stems that store volumes of water.
Avoiders and Escapers such as palo
Each characteristic helps a plant
Their waxy outer surfaces reduce
verdes, ocotillos and other desert
conserve water, but cactus spines
water loss. Roots may spread far
shrubs and perennials drop their
serve multiple functions. They act
outward to allow the plant to
leaves during dry times to avoid los-
as a wind break to reduce water
take in water from a large area,
ing water, which allows them to use
loss, provide shade for the stem,
like the saguaro, or store water in
what moisture they do have to main-
and ensure reproduction by detach-
a large tuber, like the queen of
tain the health of the main plant.
ing easily and hooking onto a person
the night.
Avoiders and escapers also may have
making the desert appear to come
magically alive.
 :
• The Sonoran Desert is the lushest
desert in the world, supporting
some 3,500 native species of plants.
• Just as the Eiffel Tower says
“Paris,” the saguaro says “Sonoran
Desert.” Since saguaros grow
only here, they are the “indicator”
plants of the Sonoran Desert.
very waxy leaves that effectively hold
or critter who carries them unwittingly until the spines fall to the
Drought Tolerators have tiny leaves to
moisture in, or may grow leaves at an
ground, where they may root
reduce water loss and long tap roots
angle that decreases the plant’s expo-
and grow.
that reach underground water tables.
sure to the sun’s damaging rays.
Waxy coatings on plants like the jojo-
Under the harshest conditions, some
Basically, desert plants deal with
ba and creosote help reduce moisture
plants escape completely by dying.
drought in three ways: they hoard
loss. Many drought tolerators have
However, these plants ensure the
water, tolerate a lack of water, or use
leaves that turn upward to avoid the
propagation of their species by leav-
avoidance and/or escape behaviors
full force of sunlight; others grow
ing seeds behind. These seeds may lie
during periods of drought.
fine, gray, downy-covered leaves and
dormant for years until the proper
21
• The wax contained in jojoba
seeds is used commercially in
medicines, cosmetics, mechanical
lubricants and more.
• Scottsdale’s Native Plant
Ordinance requires a permit
to relocate or remove protected
plants and cacti including
saguaros, barrel cacti, ocotillos,
soaptree yuccas, and many
species of native trees.
22
Incredibly, the giant saguaro begins
only about four inches below the
life as a very tiny seed. Germination
surface. There is no need to go deep-
often occurs with the aid of a nurse
er because often there is no water
plant, such as a creosote bush or palo
where saguaros grow. Their extensive
verde tree. In the beginning the nurse
lateral root system stretches beyond
plant provides shade and protection
the trunk as far as 100 feet to find
from the elements; when it dies, the
this resource.
nurse plant provides nutrients for
 :
the saguaro.
• The saguaro blossom is the state
flower of Arizona.
Extremely slow growing, the saguaro
Saguaro Cacti
• The saguaro cactus is the largest
cactus in the United States,
reaching 40 to 50 feet in height.
reaches only a few millimeters after
The Giant Saguaro
the angles between a saguaro’s main
two or three years. After 10 years, it
Saguaros appeared in the greater
stem and the arms to build their
may measure less than an inch; a three-
Sonoran Desert about 8,000 years ago.
nests. They also may use these elevat-
foot-high specimen may be 20 to 50
The Tohono O’odham people, who
ed nooks as hunting platforms. When
years old. While its arms are its trade-
are Southern Arizona relatives of the
these large birds abandon their nests,
mark, appendages don’t appear until
Pima and descendants of the Hohokam,
smaller birds such as ravens or great
the saguaro is between 50 and 100
A saguaro stores water in its cylin-
believe that the saguaro is a sacred
horned owls may move in and use the
years old. Sometimes it looks like its
drical stem that is longitudinally
plant that must be treated with
deserted “home.”
arms are balancing it, but they don’t.
accordion-pleated. The pleats
Many saguaros grow arms only on
absorb moisture, allowing the stem
one side.
to expand after rains and contract
respect. To dozens of desert creatures
• Drooping arms are a sign of
old age.
• A mature saguaro can store one
ton of water.
the saguaro is a “condominium,” pro-
Considered the “indicator plant” of
viding homes for Gila woodpeckers
the Sonoran Desert, saguaros grow on
who carve nests in saguaro stems and
bajadas and on hillsides. Some hillsides
Saguaros & Water
fully hydrated, it consists of more
elf owls who move in after the wood-
support denser stands than others
Although saguaros commonly grow
than 90 percent water and weighs 80
peckers leave. Large birds, like red-
because saguaros grow better in hot-
to a height of 40 to 50 feet, their root
pounds per foot. A mature saguaro
tailed hawks and Harris hawks, use
ter conditions with direct sunlight.
system is extremely shallow, extending
can store one ton of water.
23
during dry times. When the stem is
24
The massive trunk is extremely strong
fruit in June and July, boiling it into
despite its pulpy center and outer
syrup to make wine consumed during
flesh. Fine spines cover the saguaro to
the rainmaking ceremony. Seeds
protect it from animals and create a
were dried and used as snack food
lattice shade. Imbedded in the pulp is
or ground into flour.
a cylinder of closely packed rods that
gives the plant its unusual strength.
As you get to know saguaros and
Pima and Tohono O’odham Indians
travel through the Sonoran Desert,
traditionally used these rods to con-
you may come across a rare crested
struct wooden shelters.
saguaro. Crested saguaros are easily
identified by their gnarled, fan-
In May and June, the saguaro blooms
shaped tops. Why does this happen
with a white, three-inch, waxy-petaled
to some plants? Researchers disagree
flower that opens at night and closes
on exactly what causes the plant’s
in mid-afternoon. A month later, a
growing tip (the apex) to go awry.
juicy red fruit appears. Native American
Theories include everything from
The Amazing Creosote
its flowers and foliage feed more than 60
people traditionally harvested the
lightning strikes to genetic abnor-
This common little evergreen shrub
species of insects. Humans use creosote,
malities. Perhaps the most widely
has small, dark and waxy leaves, pro-
too. The secretions are known to be an
accepted explanation is damage
duces small yellow flowers and grows
all-purpose glue that waterproofs bas-
to the apex, either mechanically
between three and 12 feet tall. But
kets and mends pottery. Creosote teas are
(man-made or nature-caused) or
don’t be fooled! It is one of the most
brewed for medicinal purposes to cure
by freezing. It is estimated that this
important plants in the desert.
everything from the common cold to
Sonoran Desert Jeep Tour
condition affects approximately one
Crested Saguaro
25
cancer, and currently scientists are
out of every 200,000 saguaros. No
The creosote is an excellent nursemaid
matter what the science behind it,
plant. It provides shade and shelter for
a crested saguaro is certainly a sight
cacti and creatures such as rodents,
Its resins give this plant its other name –
to see!
snakes, lizards and other animals, and
greasewood. Resins act as sunscreen
studying creosote as an anti-cancer agent.
26
strongly ribbed and can reach a height
and memorable fragrance. In her book
O U S
D P
mals. Only the jackrabbit will chew
The Mysterious Lands, Ann Raymond
The saguaro and creosote are just two
shaded side and leans toward the
its leaves – and then only during
Zwinger writes that “the marvelous scent
of the unique plants you’ll find in the
south, which is why it also is called
severe drought.
that graces the air, not cloying, not sweet
Sonoran Desert. Here are a few other
the “compass” cactus. Slow growers,
but resinous and clean . . . (is) what the
fascinating desert dwellers:
at four years old a barrel cactus may
and ensure that this plant’s leaves and
After a rain the shrub gives off a strong
stalks are rarely eaten by desert mam-
of up to 10 feet. It grows faster on the
world ought to smell like when it rains.”
A durable plant, individual creosote
stems live a mere 100 years or so, but
 :
new stems grow from the outer edges
• The creosote is the most common Sonoran Desert plant and
thought to be the oldest living
plant in the world.
of the root mass to form a ring around
the decayed central systems. When that
ring dies, new growth continues at
• The open area of the desert floor is
referred to as the Creosote Bush Flat.
the end of the ring, assuring that the
“mother” plant lives on. This means
• A ring of creosotes can be centuries old, but all are descended
from a common seed and are
clones of the original plant.
that all creosotes in a single ring are
descended from a common seed and
are clones of the original plant.
Creosote
only be three inches high. But once
Agave – Agaves are
established, it may thrive for 100
characterized by
years. Contrary to the urban myth,
their succulent or
barrel cacti should not be cut apart
semi-succulent
for emergency drinking water, as the
leaves that form
juice is bitter, unpalatable and can
into rosettes. Leaves vary from green
cause severe stomach upset. After
to bluish to silver-gray and are usually
seasonal rains, they bloom with
lined with sharp teeth and tipped with
crowns of large yellow, orange or
a hard, sharp spine. Agaves are used
rose-pink flowers followed by fleshy,
as fences, to make rope, in medicine
egg-shaped fruit.
and liquor. Tequila is made from the
Agave tequilana. The Hohokam culti-
Century Plant –
vated agaves as a major food crop.
A member of the
genus Agave, the
Barrel Cactus –
century plant
North America’s
spends five to 35
largest single-
years growing a large basal rosette of
stemmed, un-
stiff, leathery leaves. Then it shoots
branching cactus,
out a single stalk that resembles a
giant asparagus spear. The stalk grows
this stout barrel-shaped cactus is
27
28
as much as a foot a day to reach a
Devil’s Claw –
tree sheds its leaves to save water.
Mesquite –
height of about 15 feet. Although the
This distinctive
Ironwood is one of the heaviest
These small-leafed,
“mother” plant dies after sending up
plant has trailing
woods. In fact, it’s so heavy that it
thorny trees have
this flower, “daughter” plants sprout
two- to five-foot-
sinks in water under its weight of
edible, bean-like
from the roots the next season.
long stems and
78.4 pounds per cubic foot. In May
pods that provided
big, shiny, green scalloped leaves.
or early June, it blooms with violet
a source of food for pre-Columbian
Cholla – The
After seasonal rains it blooms with a
clusters of wisteria-like flowers.
desert dwellers. The velvet mesquite,
chainfruit cholla
spike of snapdragon-like flowers in
is the largest of
brassy colors like red-purple, copper
Jojoba – A shrub
Desert, is a single-trunk tree that
the chollas and
and yellow-rust, and it produces the
of the Sonoran
reaches 40 feet tall. Mesquite branch-
can be as tall as
dramatic claw seedpods that give the
Desert, jojoba is
es are armed with stout spines that
a small tree. The name comes from
plant its name. Native people gath-
a valuable desert
can be up to an inch long. Thorny
the cluster of green fruit that hangs
ered and ate green devil’s claw pods
crop because its
tangles of mesquite trees, called
from its joint stems. Both prickly
for at least 1,000 years, but today, the
brown, acorn-like seeds contain a high-
mesquite bosques, protect native
pear and cholla provide shelter for
black pods are prized for basketry.
quality liquid wax. Jojoba shrubs
grasslands and provide havens for
many desert animals. Its “cousin,”
Known for its natural black color,
grow two to three feet tall and have
many creatures.
the teddybear cholla (pictured above),
pliability when soaked, strength and
leathery, oval, green leaves that grow
is a fuzzy-looking plant that appears
durability, the plant is a signature
in pairs. Jojoba paste can be used
Ocotillo – The
soft and cuddly but has sharp, barbed
material in Tohono O’odham, Pima
as a salve for burns and the oil is
ocotillo shrub is
golden spines that are easily detached
and Havasupai baskets.
frequently used in beauty products,
also called “coach
such as shampoo. The jojoba should
whip” for its bare
and painful to remove if they attach
the variety found in the Sonoran
to you – a trait that has earned it
Ironwood Tree –
not be eaten, however, as its oil is
eight- to 15-foot-
the nickname “Velcro of the desert.”
Ironwoods are
indigestible. When the Spaniards
long branches. Within 48 hours after
Chollas can grow as tall as nine
spiny, short trees
explored the area, they carried back
a rain, the slender, thorny branches
feet and cholla buds traditionally
that sprout minia-
some specimens as a cure for bald-
sprout a covering of tiny green
were a source of protein for desert
ture leaves when
ness, although there’s no evidence
leaves. When the soil dries out,
that the treatment is effective.
the ocotillo sheds its leaves until
the soil is moist. In dry seasons, the
peoples.
29
30
the next rain. Each late spring, dense
Prickly Pear –
mesquite. In the spring the plant
spikes of fiery red, tubular blossoms
Both prickly pear
sprouts buds, and on one summer
flame at the end of the branches,
and cholla are
night, the buds burst open into stun-
attracting hummingbirds and other
shrubby cacti with
ning silky white flowers. Each flower
Discover the
Desert Botanical
Garden
nectar feeders. Because wood is scarce
jointed stems. The
opens for only one night and closes
Have you ever wondered how fast
in the desert, ocotillo stems have been
prickly pear, which can grow up to 15
with the morning sun. While open,
(or slow) a saguaro grows or what
used in building homes, fences and
feet tall, is armed with small barbed
their fragrance fills the desert air and
makes the desert smell so good
corrals. Sometimes the stems take
spines that grow on its flattened,
attracts night-flying pollinators such
after it rains? Find out at the Desert
root and grow.
rounded pads. The fleshy stem also
as the sphinx moth. Timing and polli-
Botanical Garden! Home to one of
stores water, and food is manufactured
nation are very important, since the
the world’s largest and most diverse
Palo Verde – Two
in the stem joints. Prickly pears bloom
plant opens for only one night and
collections of desert flora, the
native species
with gloriously colored flowers in
requires the pollen from another queen
Garden features more than 50,000
occur in the
the spring – cerise to purple to bright
of the night in order to reproduce.
plants. Five beautiful, thematic
Sonoran Desert,
yellow. The juice from the fruit buds
the foothill palo
is used in drinks, syrup and jelly. The
Yucca – This plant
verde and the blue palo verde. The
fleshy fruit, which follows the flower,
bears its leaves in
palo verde is Arizona’s state tree.
is edible and tasty.
beautiful rosettes.
trails illustrate topics such as con-
Many of the species
The name is Spanish for green stick,
named after the trees’ green, chloro-
Queen of the Night
phyll-bearing trunks, branches and
(night-blooming
When in bloom, yuccas are recognized
twigs. After a rain, palo verdes sprout
cereus) – One of
by their large, white, bell-shaped
tiny green leaves. They save water
the most famous
flowers. Yucca flowers and fruits are
by dropping their leaves in the dry
and inconspicuous
edible fresh or dried. Chemicals in
also grow trunks.
season. In the spring, palo verdes
of desert plants, these gray, stick-like
the roots of some species are used
bloom with bright gold blossoms.
stems grow to about three feet tall,
to make soap. The Tohono O’odham
The foothill palo verde can live from
surviving under the protection of
people used the leaves of a yucca
300 to 400 years.
host plants such as creosote and
species for basketry fiber.
31
servation, desert living, plants and
people of the Sonoran Desert, and
desert wildflowers. The Garden
also offers special exhibits and
activities for kids. Be sure to visit
the Garden Shop, where you’ll find
a diverse selection of gifts and
plants that reflect the wonders
of the Sonoran Desert.
For more information:
Desert Botanical Garden
1201 N. Galvin Parkway
Phoenix, AZ 85008
480-941-1225
www.dbg.org
Mammals
drink, getting most of the water they
Coyote – Desert
need from the food they eat.
coyotes are pale-
• Arizona is on the migratory
“highway” for hummingbirds.
• Many desert insects and reptiles
are unique to the Southwest and
adjacent Mexico.
• Arizona’s state bird is the
cactus wren.
• Coyotes are social animals that
mate for life. In the Pima tradition, the coyote is a wily trickster
whose blend of charm, naivete,
intelligence and greed involves him
in scrapes. The stories are told to
pass on social mores and, according to Susan J. Tweit in The Great
Southwest Nature Factbook, “to
remind listeners of the many
facets of their humanity.”
Jackrabbit – Five
thin fur that
species of jack-
enables them to
rabbits live in the
dissipate excess heat. Intelligent ani-
Southwest; four are
mals, coyotes can survive by eating
nearly identical.
almost anything. Typically, up to 40
They are recognized by their huge ears,
T A
percent of their diet is plant material
slender bodies, long hind legs and large
Everything in the desert lives in a
with the remaining 60 percent being
feet. Jackrabbits save water by eating
hole. At least it sure seems that way!
made up of jackrabbits, carrion,
the juiciest vegetation they can find.
From coyotes to big horn sheep, moun-
insects and other small creatures.
tain lions to lizards, roadrunners to
These clever omnivores also have very
Javelina – Also
kangaroo rats, desert creatures build
keen senses that help them adapt and
known as collared
their own holes or borrow others’.
survive in just about any habitat.
peccaries, javelinas
Big Horn Sheep
 :
colored with short,
weigh in at a hearty
Like us, desert creatures seek shade.
Desert Cottontail
• Never approach or feed wildlife,
as they may react in fear, and
feeding them changes their
natural patterns.
33
40 to 50 pounds
Critters and Creatures You Might See
– The most abun-
when full-grown and resemble small
on a Desert Hike
dant and common-
wild boars. These odd-looking animals
As the richest, most biologically complex
ly seen “bunnies,”
have coarse, salt-and-pepper hair;
desert in the Americas, the Sonoran
desert cottontails
skinny, short legs; pig-like snouts and
Desert is home to countless species of
spend hot days resting in trees, bush-
heads that appear to join their shoul-
animals, plants, insects and other living
es or the burrows of other mammals.
ders with very little neck. They also
creatures. The following are just a few
Voracious browsers, they are active at
sport short, straight tusks in their
of the creatures you might encounter
dawn, dusk and night nibbling on
lower jaw, which may be how they
in your desert explorations!
plants including cactus. They rarely
got their common name – javelina
34
comes from the Spanish word for
spotted underparts, the spots form
20 or more individuals. Poor flyers,
striped undersides and prominent ear
javelin. Hooved animals, javelina are
a dark cluster on the upper breast
they spend most of their time on the
tufts. Nocturnal predators, they have
herbivores that eat roots, tubers,
of adult birds. They nest from mid-
ground. Gambel’s quail can tolerate
extremely acute hearing and night
seeds, mesquite beans, green vegeta-
March to early September, building
extreme dehydration, losing up to half
vision. Soundless in flight, they feed
tion and cacti. They have poor vision
their nests in saguaros, chollas and
their body weight in water. Their
on jackrabbits and cottontails. They
and rely on their sense of smell.
palo verdes.
plumage is gray and white, with buff
also are active during the day, especially
and chestnut accents, and apostrophe-
at dawn and in the late afternoon.
Birds
Cardinal – The
shaped black head plumes that curve
Black-Throated
male northern car-
forward. The male has a black throat,
Greater
Sparrow – Desert
dinal (left) is red
face and belly. Quail chicks are preco-
Roadrunner –
sparrows thrive in
with a reddish bill;
cious, hatching fully feathered with
The most famous
arid conditions.
the female is light
eyes open and legs ready to run.
birds in the Sonoran
Named for their
brown or tan with a red bill. Closely
Desert, roadrunners
large, black chin bibs, they drink less
related is the pyrrhuloxia. The male
Gila Woodpecker –
are members of the Cuculidae (cuckoo)
water than any other seed-eating bird
pyrrhuloxia is mostly gray, its red
Noisy birds with
family. Although they can fly, they
and obtain most of their water from
reduced to accents and highlights.
loud, rolling calls,
usually don’t. As their name implies,
food. After the winter rains they eat
Northern cardinals and pyrrhuloxia
Gila woodpeckers
they can run on the ground at speeds
new green vegetation and plump seeds.
live side by side in dense brush along
drill holes for their
up to 15 miles per hour. Although
desert washes. A third species, the blue
nests in the big saguaro cacti. The
characterized by their long tails, road-
Cactus Wren –
grosbeak, shows up in the desert in
male can be identified by a red streak
runners often have erect, shaggy crests.
Cactus wrens are
spring and fall.
on its head.
Harris Hawk –
brash, strikingly
spotted and call
Gambel’s Quail –
Great Horned
Found in mesquite
out in a rough
Quail are gregari-
Owl – Measuring
and saguaro habi-
scratchy voice. They travel in pairs or
ous and loqua-
nearly two feet tall,
tats, these hawks
family groups. Although both young
cious birds, often
these owls have
are dark brown
and mature cactus wrens sport heavily
living in coveys of
white throats,
35
with chestnut shoulder patches, leg
36
featherings and wing linings. The tail
Reptiles & Amphibians
turtles in that they have cylindrical
Banded patterns can be found in
of the Harris hawk is long and black
Common King
and elephantine hind legs and short,
some populations. Commonly found
and white at the base and tip. The
Snake – A long,
broad, club-shaped feet. Adult desert
in mountain foothills where saguaros
undersides of young Harris hawks
slender snake, the
tortoises can measure up to 14 inches
and palo verde trees grow, gila mon-
are lightly streaked with brown.
harmless common
in length with a rounded carapace
sters like sandy washes and may use
king snake reaches
that is brown to gray in color. Like all
burrows dug by other animals.
Hummingbird –
a length of about three and a half
tortoises, this variety is toothless, with
Often found in
feet at maturity. In most cases, king
a large tongue that helps push food
Western Banded
residential areas
snakes are dark brown or black with
back into its mouth. Desert tortoises
Gecko – Delicate-
where feeders and
bands of yellow, white or cream
can live for 35 to 40 years, spending
looking lizards,
exotic plants are
going around the body, but there is
their lives within a few miles of where
these seldom are
present, hummingbirds are the small-
considerable pattern variation. Active
they hatch. Please remember that
longer than three
est birds in the world. In the Sonoran
in the early morning and late after-
desert tortoises are protected and
inches, excluding their tails. They have
Desert, they range in length from two
noon when the weather is mild, king
cannot be killed, transported, bought,
moveable eyelids and large eyes with
and a half to five inches and boast the
snakes become nocturnal during
sold, bartered or exported from
vertical pupils. Their toes are slender
most rapid wing beats of birds – up to
the summer.
Arizona without authorization by the
and their body scales are granular and
Arizona Game and Fish Department.
soft. The tails of these geckos are about
80 beats per second. Hummingbirds in
our region have long pointed beaks and
Desert Tortoise –
saber-like wings, and are generally iri-
Desert tortoises
Gila Monster –
rings. Gecko tails also have fracture
descent bronze or have green dorsal
can be observed
These large, heavy-
planes that allow the lizard to break
surfaces. They can fly forward, backward
at close range but
bodied lizards can
away from its tail. Their heads and bod-
and sideways. The Anna’s hummingbirds
must never be
reach more than one
ies are mottled with light brown and
and a half feet in
their bellies are somewhat translucent.
as long as their bodies, with indistinct
have red throats and heads and very long
picked up. These tortoises store their
bills to help them reach into flowers.
water in their bladders and if they
length. Their heads are large with small,
Active principally at night, geckos can
They can be very tame and may hover
sense danger they will release the
beady eyes, and their tails are short
be seen crossing the road during the
close to you. If you wear bright colors,
water, which depletes their precious
and thick. Gila monsters are pink and
summer. Their tails also store food and
they just might think you are a flower!
water source. Tortoises differ from other
black, usually in a reticulated pattern.
water for the geckos during the winter.
37
38
Rattlesnake – The
approached. To help you identify a west-
Insects
Sonoran Desert has
ern coral snake, remember the follow-
Arizona Blond
archs (lower left), painted ladies and
more species of
ing poem and unique characteristics:
Tarantula –
crescents. These are medium-sized and
rattlesnakes than
“Red on black, friend of Jack
Arizona blond
generally orange and brown in color.
any other region in
Red on yellow, kill a fellow”
tarantulas are large-
Although butterflies are seen mostly
bodied burrowing
during late summer and early fall mi-
many well-known butterflies like mon-
the world. Most rattlers avoid human
Since other species of non-venomous
contact and wide open spaces that
snakes incorporate red, black and
spiders, measuring between three
grations, they are an important part of
offer little protection from predators.
yellow bands of varying shades, they
and four inches in length with hairy-
the Sonoran Desert ecosystem, serving
Nocturnal creatures, they spend time
are often confused with coral snakes.
looking bodies. This species is typically
as pollinators for many plant species.
under low-growing shrubs, natural and
The key to identifying a coral snake
found in saguaro-dominated plant
artificial debris, and rocks, and are
is in the arrangement of the colored
communities. Nocturnal hunters, they
Giant Desert
most active during the warmer times
bands, which completely encircle the
prey on small insects like beetles and
Centipede –
of the year. The best way to distinguish
body and follow this pattern: yellow,
grasshoppers, and sometimes young
Although cen-
this venomous snake is by the distinc-
red, yellow, black. The “yellow” can
rodents. Although they utilize their
tipedes are found
tive warning buzz of its rattle.
actually range from true yellow to cream
fangs to inject venom into their prey,
worldwide, giant
or white. Coral snakes are small – about
they are not easily provoked to use
desert centipedes are interesting
Western Coral
the diameter of a pencil – and usually
these fangs on humans, and their
arthropods commonly found in the
Snake – Highly
less than 15 inches long.
bite generally does not produce com-
Sonoran Desert. As their name sug-
plications. Most spiders have a life
gests, these centipedes are very large,
span of approximately one year, but
growing to lengths of six to eight
the tarantula can live up to 20 years.
inches. They are orange in color with
venomous, coral
 :
snakes are rarely
Although bites from poisonous snakes
are rare, they require immediate
medical attention. Call 911 or seek
out the nearest hospital emergency
room without delay. For scorpion
and other insect bites or stings, contact Poison Control at 602-253-3334.
Seek medical attention promptly
in the event insect bites or stings
cause severe symptoms.
seen and tend to be
nocturnal, living underground or in
cracks and crevices. They survive on a
diet of small lizards, snakes and amphibians. Although beautiful in their colors
and markings, coral snakes are extremely poisonous and should never be
39
black heads and tails. Their bodies are
Brush-Footed
made up of many segments and feature
Butterflies – This
one pair of legs per segment. They also
family of butterflies
sport a pair of pincer-like appendages
is very large and
in front of their legs that they use to
diverse and includes
inject venom into their prey.
40
Scorpion – There
in the desert on a warm and moon-
becoming rigid like a stick even if
are more than 30
less night. Scorpions fluoresce under
pecked or picked up by a predator.
moist earth such as pond edges and
species of scorpi-
ultraviolet light, so a black light is
Some species can even regurgitate a
muddy spots where species congregate
ons found in
a must for scorpion sightseeing!
foul-smelling liquid or leak blood from
Arizona, but the
Scorpion stings are usually mild,
their leg joints to distract a predator.
for puddle parties.
• Look for blooming plants – these
attract butterflies.
three most common are the bark
causing only local pain and swelling,
scorpion, striped tail (also called the
and only in rare cases are they life-
Tips for Watching Mammals and Birds
devil’s scorpion) and the giant hairy
threatening.
• Stay only on designated trails.
scorpion. Of these, the bark scorpion
• In dry seasons, search out areas of
Tips for Watching Reptiles and
Amphibians
• Dress in neutral-colored clothing that
is the only one that prefers to climb,
Walkingstick –
so you may find them in trees or on
These distinctive
rock faces, while other scorpions are
plant-eating insects
more likely found on the ground. The
have many preda-
striped tail scorpion is Arizona’s most
tors, so their ingen-
in the summer, especially after
rains and in the evenings when
• Don’t wear perfume, cologne or other
it cools off.
scented products.
• Lizards and snakes can be seen
• Head out in the early morning, a
time when most Sonoran Desert
throughout the year if the tempera-
animals are active.
ture is to their liking.
common species and features a stout
ious defense mechanisms demonstrate
tail and darkly marked ridges running
their true survivalist nature. Usually
along the underside of its body. These
long and slender, walkingsticks bear
scorpions usually keep cool during
an amazing resemblance to the twigs
the day by hiding under rocks. The
and leaves of the plants they eat, which
giant hairy scorpion is the least com-
provides them with life-saving cam-
• Train yourself to look up for signs of
mon of the three scorpions, but it is
ouflage. Walkingsticks also “quake” –
browsing and look down for tracks,
the largest scorpion in the United
a process in which their legs flex ran-
• Watch snakes from a safe distance.
• Move your binoculars slowly and
study areas thoroughly for signs
• Don’t put arms, hands or other body
of animals.
parts that you’re fond of in places that
you can’t see, like in holes or burrows,
under rocks or behind bushes.
burrows, piles of feathers, etc. Get
• A good thing to know when seeing
on your hands and knees and look
States, growing up to six inches long.
domly, making their body quiver. When
All scorpions are nocturnal and ven-
the plant they are on is shaken or if
ture from their shelters at night to
they are pecked by a bird, walking-
Tips for Watching Butterflies
forage for prey. For this reason, the
sticks may fall to the ground. Once
• Butterflies become active when the
best way to observe scorpions is out
there, they remain motionless,
41
• Reptiles and amphibians are active
blends with the desert’s natural colors.
a snake: generally, a triangular
up close!
head indicates a venomous snake,
while an oval head represents a
harmless snake.
sun warms things up (July–August).
42
E XPLORING THE
S O N O R A N D E S E RT
T
he pristine expanses
serene hot air balloon flights to
of Sonoran Desert in and
guided tours by Jeep, Hummer or
around Scottsdale beckon visitors
horseback, there’s a Sonoran Desert
of all ages and fitness levels to get
adventure for everyone.
out and explore. And, happily, the
options are as varied
And, one of the very
as the landscape itself.
best ways to get up
close and personal
Hiking in the Sonoran Desert
Those looking for an
with the flora and
adrenaline rush will
fauna of the Sonoran
enjoy extreme adven-
Desert is on foot.
tures such as rock
Scottsdale is surround-
climbing in the
ed by desert and
majestic McDowell
mountain preserves
Mountains, mountain
and parks that offer
biking over rugged
easy-to-challenging
desert trails, parasail-
hiking trails and
ing over an expansive desert lake or
unparalleled scenic views. Since there
soaring above it all in a glider plane.
are almost limitless hiking opportu-
And, if you’re looking for something
nities in the Scottsdale area, here
a little less intense, we’ve got that,
are a few of our favorites to get
too! From relaxing river floats and
you started.
44
Carefree
C
TONTO
NATIONAL FOREST
AV
EE
K R D . CAREFREE AIRPORT
HEARD
MUSEUM
NORTH
LONE MOUNTAIN RD.
WY.
DIXILETA DR.
REGIONAL
Y.
Scottsdale
EN
3
P ALISAD
F
128TH ST.
136TH ST.
112TH ST.
N
OU
BE
2
DESERT
BOTANICAL
GARDEN
101
PIMA RD.
Y.
HAYDEN RD.
SCOTTSDALE
MUSEUM OF
CONTEMPORARY ART
TN .
.
WY
EH
IN
EL
THOMAS RD.
McDOWELL RD.
McKELLIPS RD.
BROWN RD.
SKY HARBOR
INT‘L AIRPORT
Tempe
2 Desert Botanical Garden
Location: 1201 N. Galvin Parkway (Phoenix)
Information: 480-941-1225; www.dbg.org
Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Trail & Desert Discovery Trail:
Length: Less than one mile roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Notes: Trails are paved and are easily accessible to walkers of all ages and
abilities. See a variety of cacti, succulents and desert animals on these scenic trails.
McDONALD RD.
CHAPARRAL RD.
Echo Canyon Trail:
Length: 2.5 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Trail Notes: This is a very strenuous trail recommended only for experienced
hikers. The trail ascends through spectacular sandstone rock formations and
offers unparalleled views from the summit. Access the trail at Echo Canyon Park,
just east of Tatum Boulevard at McDonald Drive. Parking is extremely limited
at this trailhead.
BLVD.
.
VD
BL
ES
SALT RIVER PIMA-MARICOPA
INDIAN COMMUNITY
INDIAN SCHOOL RD.
64TH ST.
56TH ST.
VIA LINDA
124TH ST.
94TH ST.
96TH ST.
104TH ST.
64TH ST.
56TH ST.
1
IN PK
W
7
8
INDIAN
BEND WASH
GREENBELT
ALV
A
INDIAN BEND RD.
CAMELBACK
MOUNTAIN
48TH ST.
PRESERVE
TALIESIN
BL WEST
V
T U RA
DOBSON RD.
TATUM BLVD.
40TH ST.
PIESTEWA PEAK FWY
40TH ST.
32ND ST.
44TH ST.
.
T
D.
PEAK FW
Y
RIG
D
V I A LI N
Fountain
Hills
VIA D
E
McCORMICK
STILLMAN
RAILROAD PARK
G
H
SHEA BLVD.
V
PIESTEWA
L
6
COSANTI
PHOENIX
ZOO
LO
YD
W
MESCAL PARK
Paradise McCORMICK
Valley
RED MOUNTAIN FWY.
SONORAN
NK
CACTUS RD.
MOUNTAINVIEW RD.
DOUBLETREE RANCH RD.
PIESTEWA
PEAK
PARK
PUEBLO
GRANDE
MUSEUM
SCOTTSDALE
AIRPORT
FORT McDOWELL
YAVAPAI NATION
McDOWELL
F RA
THUNDERBIRD RD.
L
PARK
BELL RD.
SHADOW
MOUNTAIN
PRESERVE
5
SA G U AR
THO
N
SO
MP
T A I N HILLS B
LV
D.
SCOTTSDALE RD.
MOUNTAIN
PEAK P
KW
REACH II
RECREATION AREA
LOOKOUT
MOUNTAIN
PRESERVE
DR.
RK
PA
McDOWELL
W EL
LA MIRADA
PARK
4
PINNACLE PEAK RD.
Cholla Trail:
Length: 3 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Trail Notes: This trail is recommended only for experienced hikers. There are
steep, rocky sections with drop-offs on both sides. The summit offers panoramic
views of the Scottsdale area and surrounding mountain ranges. Access the trail
at Cholla and Invergordon, between Camelback Road and Chaparral. There is
limited parking on Invergordon Road and no parking lot.
O
Phoenix
128TH ST.
PINNACLE
PEAK PARK
HAPPY VALLEY RD.
ALMA S
CH
9
JOMAX RD.
M
64TH ST.
OO
L PK
RIO VERDE DR.
M
cD
O
56TH ST.
DYNAMITE BLVD.
CAVE CREEK RD.
118TH ST.
PIMA RD.
LONE MOUNTAIN RD.
101
1 Camelback Mountain – Echo Canyon Recreational Area
Location: Entrances are located between Echo Canyon and McDonald Drive and
also between Invergordon and Cholla Lane.
Information: 602-261-8318; www.phoenix.gov/parks/hikecmlb.html
STAGECOACH PASS
136TH ST.
DOVE VALLEY RD.
CR
E
Cave
Creek
UNIVERSITY DR.
Mesa
FALCON FIELD
MUNICIPAL
AIRPORT
SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS/
LOST DUTCHMAN PARK 10
45 MINUTES EAST
© 2004 SCOTTSDALE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU®
3 Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt
Location: East of Hayden Road from Chaparral, south to Tempe
Information: 480-312-6500
46
Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, continued
Indian Bend Wash Trails:
Length: Varies by trail and route
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Notes: Thirteen miles of paved paths that connect Scottsdale to Tempe
are great for walking, cycling and rollerblading. Also available are a grassy
park, golf courses, ball fields and tennis courts.
4 La Mirada Park
Location: 8950 E. Pinnacle Peak Road
Information: 480-312-2771; www.scottsdaleaz.gov/trails/
La Mirada Park Trail:
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Notes: A desert botanical nature trail that is accessible to walkers and hikers
of all ability levels within a 12-acre park that has a playground, lighted basketball court and picnic areas.
5 McDowell Mountain Regional Park
Location: Along McDowell Mountain Park Drive
Information: 602-506-2930; www.maricopa.gov/parks/mcdowell/trails.asp
Pemberton Trail:
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail Notes: This trail is long and an excellent choice for mountain biking or
horseback riding. This is a great hike to see the desert in bloom after a good rain.
Lousley Hill Trail:
Trail Notes: This is a hikers-only trail with a quick ascent to the summit where
you will find views of Verde Valley, Bartlett Lake, and the Superstition and
Four Peaks mountain ranges.
47
6 Mescal Park
Location: 11015 N. 68th Place
Information: 480-312-2771;
www.scottsdaleaz.gov/trails/
Mescal Park Trail:
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Notes: Mescal Park offers a
trailhead for hikers and equestrians
within a 10-acre park with an
equestrian arena.
7 McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Location: Call or visit online for
access maps and directions.
Information: 480-998-7971
(McDowell Sonoran Land Trust) or
480-312-7901 (City of Scottsdale);
www.mslt.org/hiking.asp
The Lost Dog Trail:
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Notes: This is an excellent hike
for people of all skill levels. Access
at 124th Street east of Via Linda.
Limited parking is available.
The Sunrise Trail:
Trail Notes: This is a steeper trail that
climbs 1,000 feet on a consistent
surface. It offers great views of Four
Peaks, Weaver’s Needle, Fountain
Hills and Scottsdale. Access at Via
Linda east of 136th Street.
Preserving
Our Desert
In 1990 the citizens of Scottsdale,
through the non-profit McDowell
Sonoran Land Trust, initiated the
preservation of Scottsdale’s McDowell
Mountains and Sonoran Desert.
By approving a two-tenths of one
percent sales tax increase in 1995,
Scottsdale voters cleared the way
to purchase the preserve’s initial
16,460 acres. A second vote in 1998
allowed future tax dollars to be used
to purchase an additional 19,940
acres. When complete, the McDowell
Sonoran Preserve will encompass
36,400 acres (approximately onethird of Scottdsale’s total land area)
and will be one of the largest urban
preserves in the nation. It will consist of mountains, Sonoran Desert
and natural corridors that will
link open space in Scottsdale with
open spaces in adjacent communities, the Tonto National Forest and
McDowell Mountain Regional Park
in order to create a sustainable
natural habitat for wildlife, desert
flora and appropriate public use.
McDowell Sonoran Land Trust
480-998-7971
www.mslt.org
8 Nature Park
Location: 7011 N. Hayden Road
 :
• Stay on the trail. Leaving the
marked trail damages delicate
plants and may disrupt animal
burrows and shelters. Also, hikers can encounter rocky terrain,
rattlesnakes and other potential
hazards native to the Sonoran
Desert.
Nature Park Trail:
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Notes: An easy walking trail
that is adjacent to the canal, located
within a scenic nine-acre park.
• The universal rule of trail
courtesy is for all trail users to
yield right-of-way to horses and
for cyclists to yield to all other
types of users.
9 Pinnacle Peak Park
Location: 26802 N. 102nd Way
• When approaching a person on
horseback, speak in a soft voice
to alert the horse and rider of
your presence.
Pinnacle Peak Trail:
Trail Notes: The trail has a very
smooth tread. There are a number
of ups and downs over the course
of the trail. The high point on the
trail is 2,889 feet and the lowest
point is 2,366 feet.
• When hiking, the uphill hiker has
the right-of-way. The downhill
person should yield.
• Never remove anything. Taking
anything disrupts the habitat of
plants and animals, since most
rocks and wood provide shade
and shelter for tiny plants and
animals. Be aware that it is against
the law to take away natural and
cultural objects from public or
private land without permission
of the owner.
10 Superstition Mountains –
Lost Dutchman Park
Location: About 45 minutes east of
Scottsdale, and five miles north of
Apache Junction, off AZ 88 at the base
of the Superstition Mountains.
www.pr.state.az.us/Parks/parkhtml/
dutchman.html
• Tell someone where you will be
hiking and when you expect
to return.
• Don’t hike alone – it’s safer and
more fun to hike with a friend.
49
Hiking at Pinnacle Peak Park
Treasure Loop Trail:
Trail Notes: This trail has two entrances, one on the north side and one on the
south side. This hike is gorgeous in the spring, with colorful wildflowers
blooming in abundance. It also features unique geological terrain which
makes this trail a favorite among seasoned hikers.
Jacob’s Crosscut Trail:
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Notes: This trail runs along the base of the mountain, connects Treasure
Loop Trail with Prospector’s View Trail, and continues 4.5 miles past the park
area along the base of the Superstitions.
Siphon Draw Trail:
Difficulty: Moderate (Siphon Draw portion)/Difficult (up to Flatiron Peak)
Trail Notes: A very scenic hike, this trail winds up into a canyon known as
Siphon Draw. It is possible to hike up Flatiron Peak, although it is not a
designated, maintained trail all the way. It’s advised that only experienced hikers
in good physical condition attempt to hike to the top, as the climb is steep and
difficult to follow. Allow at least five hours to the Flatiron and back.
50
H H
• Carry a cell phone.
• Carry and drink plenty of water. And
• Snacks are always good to have
we mean water, not sodas, coffee, tea
along – trail mix, nuts, dried or
or other caffeinated beverages that
fresh fruit, and energy bars all are
can actually exacerbate dehydration.
tasty, nutritious choices.
Bring at least one gallon of water
• If you are planning a longer hike,
per person per day for long hikes
and one quart per person for short
be sure to bring a topographic map
hikes (less than two hours). This
of the area.
is important any time of year, but
• Wear comfortable clothing and
is imperative during the warmer
shoes with corrugated, not
months.
smooth, soles.
• Hike early in the morning on warm
• Wear a hat with a brim.
weather days.
• Apply sunscreen before heading
• Pace yourself and take breaks along
out into the desert. Reapply every
the way.
few hours during the day.
• Long pants protect legs from scratchy
Hiking in the Sonoran Desert
branches, spines and the sun.
• Use binoculars to get a better look
at birds, butterflies, mammals and
reptiles.
• Slow down. Stop. Look. Listen. Pick
a spot on the trail, under a tree or
behind a boulder, get comfortable
51
and put your patience in gear. You
will be surprised at how much
wildlife wanders by.
• Observe but don’t participate.
Approaching nests or burrows
too closely can cause an adult to
Sonoran Desert
Adventures
With more than 330 days of sunshine each year, Scottsdale is the
perfect place to indulge in your
favorite outdoor adventure – or
flee, leaving the young exposed
even discover a new one! And, while
to predators.
hiking is one of the most popular
• Stay on the trail. When you walk
off the trail you damage the desert’s
ways to explore the Sonoran Desert,
it’s just one of a variety of experiences that await you in Scottsdale.
delicate ecosystem. Tiny plants are
stepped on and animal burrows
At www.ExperienceScottsdale.com,
destroyed. Cutting your own trail
you’ll find dozens of outdoor out-
on a hillside invites erosion damage
fitters and tour companies that
when runoff from rain pours down
are eager to help you discover the
the vertical scars.
beauty and wonder of the Sonoran
Desert. From hot air balloon rides
• Take pictures, make sketches or
and archaeology tours to rock
water color paintings, or keep a
climbing, river rafting and horse-
journal to record your experiences
back riding excursions, you’ll find
and impressions of the Sonoran
just the right adventure to get your
Desert.
adrenaline pumping!
• Leave only footprints . . . and as
few of these as possible.
Scottsdale Convention
& Visitors Bureau
480-421-1004 or 800-782-1117
Indigenous
FOODS &
HEALING PLANTS
I
n the days before
Tohono O’odham (cousins of the
supermarkets, people depended
Pimas) that they went on pilgrimages
each year to Sierra Madre in Mexico
upon the desert for food and pharmaceuticals. They
to gather the best and
knew that many
most abundant chiles.
native plants tasted
Prickly Pear
good and were good
When the Spanish
for them. With their
arrived, they expand-
canals in place, the
ed the diet of the
Hohokam began culti-
indigenous people,
vating crops like corn,
bringing wheat, chick
beans and squash.
peas, bastard chick
The Hohokam’s
peas, lentils, cow
descendants, the
peas, cabbages, let-
Pimas, continued
tuce, onions, leeks,
farming these crops, which remain
garlic, anise, pepper, mustard, mint,
staples of their diet today. Chiltepíns,
melons and watermelons, as well as
small wild chiles, were used by native
grapevines, roses and lilies, plums,
peoples to season their food. In fact,
pomegranates and figs. They also
chiles were so important to the
introduced chickens, sheep, pigs, goats
54
A F D F
 K
grown in a variety of tastes and colors.
Corn, Beans and Squash – These staples
cooking. They can be used in place of
of the Southwestern diet are known
navy, pinto or kidney beans in recipes.
Beans must be soaked overnight before
as the “Three Sisters” because of their
symbiotic relationship when planted
Mesquite Beans – These edible beans
together. The corn produces a sturdy
have a sweet taste, like chocolate or
stalk for the beans to climb and the
caramel, and can be made into a
beans supply nitrogen, which enriches
flour or used as a flavoring in jelly.
the soil. Finally, the vines and leaves
Hot Rock Massage
of the squash provide a ground cover
Prickly Pear – The cactus pads are
that keeps moisture in and weeds out.
edible cooked, and the fruit may be
and cattle. Centuries later, when gold
marigold, desert lavender and
miners, cowboys and pioneers settled
mesquite also have healing qualities
in the region, new taste treats appeared
that soothe, calm and cure when
Amaranth – This small grain was
pear syrup, derived from boiling down
– everything from Dutch-oven baked
brewed into teas or made into
grown by the Aztecs and Southwest
the fruit, is a popular flavoring in jelly,
biscuits and fruit cobblers to cowboy
poultices. Many desert plants have
Indians. Today, young leaves are used
candy, lemonade and margaritas.
beans and mesquite-grilled steaks.
inspired signature treatments that
in salads and the seeds are boiled in
are found at Scottsdale’s best resort
water to make a hot cereal. Ground
Modern botanists are well aware that
spas. In skillful hands, pure aloe
or popped, amaranth also is used in
C  S
D I
the desert is packed with healthy
gently rehydrates skin. Jojoba seeds,
recipes for Southwestern specialties.
Before diving in to create your own
minerals and vitamins. Many plants,
mixed with juniper and sage, mois-
like prickly pear, mesquite pods and
turize. Sonoran Desert honey
O’odham Ke:li Ba:so Melon – A wrin-
are some helpful hints for preparing
tepary beans, have low glycemic
becomes a body polish. Adobe
kled fruit that was introduced by the
some of the indigenous ingredients
indices and absorb slowly into the
clay exfoliates. Desert herbs become
Spanish, this melon has light-green flesh.
you might need.
system, protecting people from dia-
infusions. And warmed Arizona
betes. Botanicals like jojoba, Mormon
river rocks turn into gentle tools
Tepary Beans – These beans are a
Please note that it is illegal to harvest
tea, desert broom, Mexican mint
that induce total relaxation.
traditional source of protein and are
desert plants in designated preserves.
55
eaten either raw or cooked. Prickly
Southwestern culinary delights, here
56
     :
Cholla Buds . . . . . . . . . . . . April
Desert Hackberry . . . . . . . . August to October and sometimes November
Jojoba Beans . . . . . . . . . . . . August to November and sometimes December
Juniper Berry . . . . . . . . . . . April
Mesquite Beans . . . . . . . . . . September to November
dry. Bake at 170 degrees for four
incision. If the fruit is ripe it will peel
hours to kill any unwanted “visitors.”
away easily from the central core.
When they are dry, break beans
Chop the peeled prickly pear and
into 1-inch pieces and blend in the
purée in a food processor or blender.
blender or food processor. Do not
Press it through a fine strainer into a
over-blend because the seeds will get
bowl. Combine 2 cups of this mixture
bitter. Strain to remove the seeds. You
with ⅓ cup of sugar. Simmer rapidly
Mormon Tea . . . . . . . . . . . . Year-round although best after monsoons
can re-grind to make finer meal.
until it reduces to 1 cup.
Prickly Pear . . . . . . . . . . . . . July to October
Store ground meal in the refrigerator.
Tumbleweed . . . . . . . . . . . . March to April
Source: Don Wells and Jean Groen,
To prepare prickly pear pads, also
Source: Foods of the Superstitions by Jean Groen and Don Wells
Foods of the Superstitions
called nopales, singe off the spines
and glochids over a flame or scrape
We recommend that you grow your
After removing the spines, put the
Prickly Pear Fruit and Pads
them off before cooking. Cooked
own plants or purchase ingredients
buds in a pan with a little water.
(Nopales) – Handle the prickly pear
prickly pear pads may be used in
from legitimate retailers. Visit
Simmer 15 minutes until tender.
fruit with tongs. Cut the fruit in half
salads and other foods.
www.nativeseeds.org to purchase
Drain and put in the refrigerator
using a sharp blade. Scoop out and
Source: Rick Bayless’s Mexican
seeds and start your own desert garden!
to chill. Buds will be slimy, like over-
discard the seeds. The fruit’s flavor is
Kitchen with Deann Groen Bayless
cooked okra. Dry by cooking them
berry-like with a hint of watermelon
and JeanMarie Brownson
Staghorn Cholla Buds – Foods of the
in a low oven or food dehydrator
and can be eaten without further
Superstitions authors Don Wells and
until they shrivel slightly.
preparation.
R  T  H
Jean Groen recommend picking
Now that you know how to prepare
staghorn cholla buds before they are
Mesquite Flour – Gather pods when
To prepare prickly pear fruit purée,
your ingredients, let’s move on to
fully open. Clean them by placing sili-
they are light brown but before they
cut a half-inch slice off both ends of
the fun part! Following are a few
ca sand in a jar and dropping in a few
start to fall from the tree. If pods have
the fruit and make a half-inch incision
delectable recipes that you can try
buds. Shake until most of the spines
fallen, wash thoroughly in a solution
down the side of each one. Handle
at home. For more recipes, visit
are gone and use tweezers to pick out
of about 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gal-
carefully because of the small spines.
www.ExperienceScottsdale.com/
the rest.
lon of water. Rinse beans well and
Peel off the rind, starting from your
recipes. Bon appétit!
57
58
NOPALES SALAD
Recipe by Reed S. Groban, Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort, 7575 E. Princess Drive, 480-585-4848
Recipe by Chef Jeff Smedstad
Los Sombreros Mexican Café & Cantina,
2534 N. Scottsdale Road, 480-994-1799
¼ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup ground pistachio nuts
2 pounds rattlesnake meat, poached and diced to 1/4-inch*
3 jalapeños, seeded and diced
1 ½ cups celery, minced
4 tablespoons garlic, minced
6 tablespoons shallots, minced
½ cup mayonnaise
4 egg yolks
¼ cup Creole mustard
6 tablespoons basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs and ground pistachios and reserve. In a
bowl, combine the remaining ingredients (except the olive oil) and form into cakes
about 2 ounces each. In a skillet or pan, heat olive oil until hot. Coat cakes evenly in
the bread crumb/pistachio mixture. Sauté cakes until golden brown on each side.
[email protected]
RATTLESNAKE hash
Salad
4 nopales, shaved clean*
2 cups vinaigrette (see recipe below)
4 jalapeños, sliced
½ cup cilantro, chopped
4 radishes, sliced
1 cup tomato, sliced
1 cup onion, diced
4 large romaine lettuce leaves
½ cup queso fresco, crumbled
Nopales Salad
Vinaigrette
Blend the following:
2 cups olive oil
1 ½ cups cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
*If rattlesnake is unavailable, chicken is a good substitute.
Mesquite Molasses
Recipe from www.desertusa.com, a good resource for desert cooking ingredients.
4 quarts water
1 pound mesquite pods (washed)
Prepare grill or sauté pan over high heat. Brush nopales with the vinaigrette and
grill or pan-sear until tender and slightly charred. Set aside for about 2 minutes,
then cut into strips. Toss the jalapeños, cilantro, radishes, tomato and onion with
the nopales strips. Line serving plate with lettuce leaves. Place mixture over
lettuce, then top with the cheese crumbles.
*Fresh whole cactus pads (nopales) and diced cactus pads (nopalitos) are available in
select Scottsdale area grocery stores.
Place water and pods in a crock pot, cover and cook at low heat for 12 hours. Strain,
then reduce by boiling to the consistency of thin syrup. Cool and serve on hotcakes.
59
60
A RT &
ARCHITECTURE
L
ong before Scottsdale
1940s had established Taliesin West
became a sophisticated urban
as his winter camp and architectural
center, artists were drawn to this lush
studio. Here, he invented a new style
oasis, lured by the otherworldly light
of architecture that blended man-
of the Sonoran Desert.
made structures with
Among those who
the environment.
lived and worked here
Today Taliesin West
was the acclaimed sur-
draws visitors from
realist painter Philip
all over the world
Curtis, who arrived in
who come to see this
1932 with the W.P.A.
living laboratory of
Art Project after
Wright’s ideas.
attending Yale School
of Fine Arts. Curtis
The 1940s also saw the
stayed to start what
arrival of Italian archi-
became the Phoenix
tect Paolo Soleri, who
Art Museum and create his own
came to study with Frank Lloyd Wright
desert-inspired, spare style.
in 1947. By the 1950s, Soleri had built
Cosanti, his home and studio. With his
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West
Like Philip Curtis, Frank Lloyd
apprentices, Soleri continues his life
Wright found inspiration in the desert.
work of designing an alternative way
He arrived in the 1930s and by the
to live better in the desert, one that
62
Study nature, love nat ure, stay close to nature.
It will nev er fail you
–Frank Lloyd Wright
consumes less unrenewable energy
his optimistic and powerful approach
filled, tinted vessels in which she
and revitalizes the human spirit.
to landscape painting. “To me, the
stores objects that she finds on desert
From his studio he designs and casts
Southwest has everything,” the artist
walks. Cactus roots, seedpods and
his signature bronze windbells, which
insists. “I cannot imagine not having
butterfly wings appear suspended in
are available for sale.
this land to draw upon. Sometimes,
time and space, held forever in poly-
when I’m looking at the landscape,
merized plastic. Like the desert itself,
The 1950s saw Scottsdale emerge
it’s hard to pull out my easel and
her quiet constructions exude power.
as a center for Native American art.
paint. There is so much to explore.”
Drawn by the beautiful desert land-
Like Ed Mell and Mayme Kratz,
scape and plentiful business opportu-
D.Y. Begay finds her muse in the
nities, Hopi artist Charles Loloma
desert. Maintaining a studio and
and Cherokee artist Lloyd Kiva New
home in Scottsdale and another on
shattered stereotypes about Indian
the Navajo Reservation, the Navajo
Begay says that weaving is her life
art and rewrote the rules for fashion.
weaver designs contemporary land-
work and is the best example of the
scape pieces using traditional tech-
Navajo Beauty Way, the philosophy
niques and tools. She has intrigued
she was taught to live by. “Because
many with her uncanny ability to pic-
a weaver’s life involves the whole
Today Scottsdale continues to attract
D.Y. Begay
Camelback Sundown, Ed Mell, Oil on Linen
artists who are inspired by the light
and the landscape of the Sonoran
The colors, sounds, textures and vast
ture the light and texture of a desert
process of caring for the sheep and
Desert. Ed Mell, a contemporary
spaces of the Sonoran Desert also
canyon in the evening and transpose
using the wool, you look at your
painter and sculptor, credits the high-
inspire Mayme Kratz, who works in
that image through her loom into
weaving and realize you are not
desert plateau country with shaping
cast resin. Her poetic pieces are light-
sophisticated contemporary weavings.
removed from nature.”
63
64
G P  S A 
A I 
 S D
conjoins two circles and was inspired
Cosanti Foundation
Heard Museum North
6433 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd.,
Boulders el Pedregal Festival
Paradise Valley, 480-948-6145
Marketplace, southeast corner of
The residence and studio of archi-
Scottsdale Rd. and the Carefree
tect/philosopher/environmentalist
Highway, 480-488-9817
Paolo Soleri, Cosanti is an Arizona
A branch location of the internation-
Historic Site. Sculptural and imagina-
ally acclaimed Heard Museum in
tive, it demonstrates innovative yet
downtown Phoenix, the Heard
practical construction techniques.
Museum North presents two full-
to be more than 800 years old. The
Shopping Districts. ArtWalk, a
Cosanti is open every day except
scale exhibitions annually that draw
museum collection includes ethno-
Scottsdale tradition, is held every
holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
on the parent museum’s collections.
graphic and archaeological material
Thursday evening from 7:00 p.m.
Guided tours are available for
The gift shop showcases Native
from the Southwest.
to 9:00 p.m. throughout the year.
groups only.
American art.
Scottsdale Arts District & ArtWalk –
Scottsdale City Hall
by Wright’s plan for a cultural complex for Baghdad, Iraq.
Scottsdale ArtWalk
Gammage Auditorium (ASU)
Pueblo Grande Museum and
Scottsdale Gallery Association,
Scottsdale Civic Center Mall,
1200 S. Forest Ave., Tempe,
Archaeological Park
Main St. and Marshall Way,
480-994-2787
480-965-5062
4619 N. Washington St., Phoenix,
480-990-3939
The Scottsdale Civic Center Complex,
One of the last public buildings
602-495-0901 or 602-495-0900 for
See the Sonoran Desert interpreted in
designed by local architect Bennie M.
designed by Frank Lloyd Wright,
recorded information
every style and medium – contempo-
Gonzales, opened in 1968 and was
Gammage Auditorium was designed
Operated by the City of Phoenix,
rary to Western, paintings to bronze.
described by Gonzalez as “an open
in 1958 and completed in 1964. It is
Pueblo Grande preserves one of the
The city boasts more than 125 art
invitation for the citizens to partici-
located on the campus of Arizona
Salt River Valley’s largest Hohokam
galleries, most are clustered in the
pate in their government.” Strong
State University in Tempe. The design
platform mounds, which is thought
Downtown Scottsdale Arts &
lines evoke contemporary Mexican
65
66
SONORAN DESERT
RESOURCES FROM A to Z
udubon Society of Maricopa County
is your contact for birding tours.
480-829-8209,
www.maricopaaudubon.org
alleries in Old Town Scottsdale are
where you’ll see the best Sonoran
Desert-inspired art. Scottsdale is home
to more than 125 galleries. Scottsdale
Gallery Association: 480-990-3939,
www.scottsdalegalleries.com
A
G
oyce Thompson Arboretum, located
about an hour east of Scottsdale, is a
fine resource for seeing desert plants and
birds. 520-689-2811,
http://arboretum.ag.arizona.edu
B
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
architects like Luis Barragán. The city
Taliesin West
hall and its companion, the main
Cactus Rd. and Frank Lloyd Wright
public library, incorporate sky-lit
Blvd., 480-860-8810 for recorded
interior spaces.
tour information, 480-860-2700,
eard Museum North
is an inviting place to
learn about the native people
of the Sonoran Desert and
other Arizona tribes. The gift shop sells art
and jewelry by Native American artists.
480-488-9817,
www.heard.org/visit-heardnorth.php
H
ity of Scottsdale Parks & Recreation
has information about where to
hike in Scottsdale. 480-312-7901,
www.ci.scottsdale.az.us/trails
C
ext. 494/495 for reservations
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary
Taliesin West was designed and built
Arts (SMoCA)
by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1937 as his
7374 E. Second St., 480-994-2787
home, studio and winter camp for the
Designed by award-winning architect
Frank Lloyd Wright Fellowship. The
Will Bruder, who studied with Paolo
walls are concrete, composed of native
Soleri, this minimalist building is an
boulders in shades of red, yellow and
ingenious renovation of a former movie
gray, that were laid in rough wooden
theater. Five galleries showcase changing
forms with cement poured over them.
exhibitions. The outdoor sculpture
Great redwood trusses originally sup-
garden houses James Turrell’s Knight
ported canvas-covered roof flaps that
Rise and a public skyspace for observing
have since been replaced by permanent
the ever-changing light of the desert sky.
translucent panels.
67
esert Botanical Garden
is the best place to see
and understand the flora of
the Sonoran Desert.
480-941-1225, www.dbg.org
ndian reservations invite you to
explore the desert. Travel by horseback
or Jeep with Fort McDowell Adventures
on the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.
480-816-1513, www.ftmcdowell.org.
Or learn more about the Hohokam and
their descendants at the Hoo-hoogam Ki
Museum on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa
Indian Community. 480-850-8190,
www.saltriver.pima-maricopa.nsn.us
D
I
co-Tours give you insightful and
“hands-on” experiences in the Sonoran
Desert. For a list of tour operators, contact the Scottsdale CVB at 480-421-1004
or www.ExperienceScottsdale.com
E
eep and Hummer tours
provide a fun and exciting
way to get out into the desert
and learn about the flora and
fauna. For a list of tour operators, contact
the Scottsdale CVB at 480-421-1004 or
J
rank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West is
the world headquarters for Taliesin
Associated Architects. Guided tours are
offered daily. 480-860-8810,
www.franklloydwright.org
F
68
nowledge is essential to appreciate
all that the desert has to offer. See
the recommended reading list on page 71
and learn more about the magnificent
Sonoran Desert!
and children. 602-495-0900,
www.ci.phoenix.az.us/parks/pueblo.html
K
ueen of the Night perfume and
body lotions inspired by the
night blooming cereus (queen of the
night), was created for the Desert
Botanical Garden. 480-941-1225,
www.dbg.org (Desert Botanical Garden),
or 480-368-9514, www.onceinabloom.com
(Once in a Bloom Fragrances)
Q
iberty Wildlife rehabilitates birds and other
desert creatures, from Anna’s
hummingbirds to mountain
lions. Volunteers welcome. 480-998-5550,
www.libertywildlife.org
L
ide on mountain bikes
or horseback and get in
touch with the desert from
a new perspective. Mountain
Bike Association of Arizona: 602-351-7430.
For horseback outfitters, contact the
Scottsdale CVB at 480-421-1004 or
R
cDowell Sonoran Preserve is the
premier desert mountain park in
Scottsdale. For trail access information,
call 480-312-2504. For information on
guided hikes, contact the McDowell
Sonoran Land Trust at 480-998-7971.
www.mslt.org
M
ature Conservancy in Arizona is
your resource for more wild and
wonderful places to visit. 602-712-0048,
http://nature.org/wherewework/north
america/states/arizona/
oleri’s studio, Cosanti, in
Paradise Valley, showcases
Paolo Soleri’s vision of how to
build and live in the Sonoran
Desert. Soleri windbells are made at
Cosanti and are available for sale.
480-948-6145, www.cosanti.com
N
S
rgan Pipe Cactus
National Monument
is located in southwestern
Arizona and has a huge collection of the rare organ pipe cactus.
520-387-6849, www.nps.gov/orpi/
O
onto National Forest is the fifthlargest forest in the United States,
with more than three million acres of
land. It includes eight wilderness areas
and offers boating, hiking, camping and
trail riding. Four Peaks Wilderness area
is near Scottsdale. 602-225-5200,
www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/
T
ueblo Grande Museum and
Archaeological Park preserves
one of the major platform mounds
from the Hohokam period and offers
exhibits and programs about Native
American history and culture for adults
P
U
69
sery Mountain Regional Park, located east of Scottsdale, has a colorful
Western history and offers miles of trails.
Usery Pass is a major sheep trail running
from northern Arizona to the Salt River
Valley. 480-984-0032,
www.maricopa.gov/parks/usery/
erde River and the Salt
River are natural riparian habitats and beautiful
waterways for rafting. For
directions and information, contact the
Scottsdale CVB at 480-421-1004 or
V
ildflower Hotline
(Desert Botanical
Garden) provides news about
wildflower displays.
480-481-8134, www.dbg.org
W
plore the desert by calling the
Scottsdale CVB for suggested
itineraries and activities. 480-421-1004,
X
ou are cautioned to always walk lightly and take time to stop, look and
listen. You’ll be rewarded with a more
enriching experience.
Y
oo (The Phoenix Zoo)
offers the Arizona Trail,
a special exhibit devoted to
life in the Sonoran Desert.
The Phoenix Zoo is home to more than
1,200 animals. 602-273-1341,
www.phoenixzoo.org/zoo/
Z
We’re here
to help
The concierges at the Scottsdale
Convention & Visitors Bureau’s
visitors centers are at your service!
Let our destination experts help
you plan your exploration of the
Sonoran Desert. With access to
hundreds of Scottsdale CVB members in the hospitality industry,
they can help you find recreation
options, restaurants, art tours and
more – everything you need to
make your stay in the Sonoran
Desert complete! Visit one of our
two visitors centers today:
Galleria Corporate Centre
4343 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste. 170
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Scottsdale Fashion Square
(located in the mall concierge area
in the central food court)
7014 E. Camelback Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Scottsdale Convention
& Visitors Bureau
480-421-1004 or 800-782-1117
RECOMMENDED READING LIST
Day Trips from Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff
Pam Hait
Desert Farmers at the River’s Edge: The Hohokam and Pueblo Grande
John P. Andrews and Todd W. Bostwick
Desert: The American Southwest
Ruth Kirk
Food Plants of the Sonoran Desert
Wendy Hodgson, botanist with the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix
Foods of the Superstitions
Jean Groen and Don Wells
The Great Southwest Nature Factbook
Susan J. Tweit
Let’s Explore the Desert: Family GO GUIDE!
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Seasons in the Desert: A Naturalist’s Notebook
Susan J. Tweit
Southwest the Beautiful Cookbook
Recipes by Barbara Pool Fenzl; text by Norman Kolpas
The Voice of the Desert
Joseph Wood Krutch
71
4343 N. Scottsdale Road, Ste. 170 • Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 421-1004 • (800) 782-1117 • www.ExperienceScottsdale.com

CVB 04-060.Desert Guide.F

Transcription

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