Archive for the ‘Sonoran Desert’ Tag
Few sights evoke the American West more than the saguaro cactus, found only in the Sonoran Desert. Saguaro National Park, close to the urban center of Tucson, Arizona, protects these majestic cacti. At the park, you can hike through fantastic desert scenery year-round. Sunset photo byDavid Olsen. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 12/16/16.
The Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area straddles Montana & Wyoming. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 12/15/16.
This heron at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware has the right idea. It’s always nice to find a good perch and enjoy the peaceful beauty of a fall sunset. Photo by Tim Williams, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 12/12/16.
Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) is very important for wintering mule deer throughout much of the Western United States. Photo byTom Koerner/USFWS. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 12/8/16.
The perfect fall scene as seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Photo by Philip Varney. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 11/17/16.
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The Milky Way over Observation Point. Utah’s Zion National Park. Photo by Jared Warren. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 7/3/16.
Photographer Rowdy Winters captured this breathtaking moment while standing in the middle of the Rio Grande River at Big Bend National Park in Texas with Mexico 15 feet to his right. He pointed his camera up at the night sky and caught the brilliance of a shooting star and the Milky Way. The long exposure even allowed him to pick up the starlight reflecting in the water. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 7/14/16.
The Sonoran Desert National Monument in Arizona is the most biologically diverse of the North American deserts, and its namesake monument protects an extensive saguaro cactus forest that visitors can hike through to see classic desert vistas. Photo of the Milky Way shining above saguaro cacti by Bob Wick, BLM. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 6/13/16.
The Milky Way sparkles over Bubble Pond at Maine’s Acadia National Park. Photo by Evan Kokoska. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/16/16.
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Arizona’s Sonoran Desert National Monument at sunset. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 2/25/16.
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Vermillion Cliffs National Monument. Photo by Bob Wicks. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/2/15.
Valley of the Gods National Monument. Photo by Bob Wicks. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/2/15.
Montana’s Glacier National Park. Photo by Jacob Barber. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/31/15.
Trona Pinnacles. Photo by Bob Wicks. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/2/15.
Cadiz Dunes. Photo by Bob Wicks. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/2/15.
A hidden gem in America’s Pacific Northwest is the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Oregon. Called an amazing treasure, Cascade-Siskiyou covers more than 62,000 acres and is best known for the unique landscapes created by the convergence of species from the high deserts of the Northern Great Basin to the temperate rain forests of the Pacific Coast. As BLM photographer Bob Wick said: “This area is a botanist’s dream where the Cascade, Great Basin and Coast Range-Klamath ecosystems come together. You can turn a corner and go from walking through a dense mossy red fir forest to sagebrush and mountain mahogany in a few feet.” Photo by Bob Wick, Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/2/15.
Sonoran Desert National Monument, from the Maricopa Mountains. Photo by Bob Wicks. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/2/15.
Bisti-De-Na-Zin Wilderness. Photo by Bob Wicks. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/2/15.
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Oregon. Photo by Bob Wicks. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/2/15.
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The Milky Way, as seen near Butterfield Pass in the BLM-managed Sonoran Desert National Monument.
This area is about 35 air miles from Phoenix, and the glow from the city is visible to the north. However, the overhead stars and southern horizon are dark enough to clearly see the Milky Way, which makes a great backdrop to the charismatic saguaros. Photo: Bob Wick, BLM Wilderness Specialist. Posted by the US Department of the Interior on Tumblr, 4/3/14.
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The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is one of the defining plants of the Sonoran Desert. These columnar cacti can develop branches (or arms) as they age, but some never grow arms. The arms usually bend upward, and a single saguaro can have over 25 arms. Saguaros are covered with protective spines, and their late-spring flowers are the state flower of Arizona.
The most important factors for growth are water and temperature. If the elevation is too high, the cold weather and frost can kill the saguaro. Although the the Sonoran Desert experiences both winter and summer rains, it is thought that the Saguaro obtains most of its moisture during the summer rainy season.
With the right growing conditions, it is estimated that saguaros can live to be as much as 150-200 years old.
Saguaro are very slow growing cactus. A 10 year old plant might only be 1.5 inches tall. Saguaro can grow to be between 40-60 feet tall. When rain is plentiful and the saguaro is fully hydrated it can weigh between 3200-4800 pounds.
Shots taken in the Tonto National Forest north of Apache Junction, AZ.
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