A few weeks ago, we studied saguaros for our Sonoran Desert nature study. What do you do after you have learn about saguaros? You go hiking in the Sonoran Desert and observe as many saguaros as possible. We went to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve where the picture books about saguaros became real. The hike had a lot to see. We were able to observe lots of saguaros, plus a pack rat midden, which is one of the many nocturnal animals here in the desert. We also went to the Desert Botanical Garden here in Phoenix, which also brought our learning to life.
Bajada Nature Trail
We went hiking at the Gateway Trailhead in Scottsdale, Arizona. A friend recommended this trail to me because it’s perfect for small children. There are a few trails to choose from, but if you’re like me and have a bunch of little kids, then the Bajada Nature Trail is the best pick. The whole trail is half of a mile. Some great features are that it’s stroller friendly, and that it has signs that help hikers learn more about the Sonoran Desert.
The hike has lots of saguaros all around. While hiking, what we saw reminded us of the picture books about saguaros we had read, like Desert Giant and Cactus Hotel. Some saguaros had no arms, while some had many. We saw saguaros that had died and toppled over. Once it starts decaying, you can see the ribs and all the wood inside. A saguaro is considered a tree-like plant, but before moving here I never would have guessed it had wood inside.
One thing I have noticed about saguaros is that they are often times growing right next to another tree that provides shade, like a palo verde tree. I never knew why they seemed to always be growing straight up in another’s trees space until I read The Giving Tree of the Desert. A palo verde tree can be a nurse tree that protects a saguaro as it first begins to grow. Eventually, the nurse tree dies and the saguaro keeps on living. We saw a bunch of nurse trees with a small saguaro growing under its shade.
The saguaros were cool, but I found the pack rat midden to be the best part. The midden is clearly labeled on a sign and is easy to locate. It reminded me of Desert Night Shift: A Pack Rat Story. We got off the trail (I know you’re not suppose to do that, but it’s not rattlesnake season yet) and looked all around the midden. We found small holes a ways off that we think led to the midden. The whole hike took us about an hour or so. We stopped a lot, read the signs, and took pictures too.
The Desert Botanical Garden
The Desert Botanical Garden is an obvious place to visit if you are studying the Sonoran Desert. There is a lot to see there, but what we enjoyed the most were the Plants and People Trail and the Sonoran Desert Nature Trail. All around the garden there are tables where staff teach visitors more about the Sonoran Desert. One table had a saguaro boot that you could look at. Animals dig holes into a saguaro and live inside it. Once the saguaro has died and rotted, then the shape of the hole, which has hardened, is preserved and actually looks like a boot. I didn’t think to take a picture of that.
The Sonoran Desert Trail has lots of different types of cacti. There’s also a cool mountain view with a board that identifies the different mountains. The Plants and People Trail show how natives lived in the Sonoran Desert and what they used to survive. Did you know that they used the wood from an old saguaro to make a pole to grab the fruit off a live saguaro? I sure didn’t. My kids had fun running into the replicated huts. There is also an antelope squirrel colony. We were able to get right close and really watch them. We haven’t learned much about them yet, but we have seen them on other trails like the Reach 11 Trail in Phoenix.
I have read a lot of books about apple trees and oak trees with other nature studies. We liked them, but we never got to observe them. That’s why I think it’s really great for my kids and me to read picture books about the Sonoran Desert – we get to actually observe the trees, plants, and animals. That’s what nature study is all about. It’s really neat to see everything up close, and it’s even better to do it with your kids. I hope you try out this trail. You will enjoy it! For book ideas, read my post about picture books about saguaros.
Written by Carly from DesertHomeschoolDays.com
