Tucson, AZ

It’s a hidden gem in Tucson. That’s such a cliché, I know. Yet it’s true. I don’t mean hidden in the sense that it’s unknown, but in the sense that once inside the park, the feeling of being in a city fades away. The park is dedicated to educating people about the desert ecology and culture, and does so by being a lush, serene place to explore or just sit and contemplate. I did a bit of both.
This is a great time to go, if you’re a bit heat tolerant. The cacti are blooming as are several other shrubs and trees, but by mid-morning the temperature starts getting uncomfortable enough that it discourages tour groups. I lucked out. I showed up at 10a.m., just as a small group of school children were leaving. That meant that at a small presentation set up in the ramada nearest the entrance, I had the docents all to myself. They showed me the skulls (replicas) of three different raptors that inhabit the Sonoran Desert, plus their common rodent prey, a local gopher, rat, and shrew. I’ve been in Arizona twenty years, and had no idea we had a shrew population. One of the docents looked it up for me and found the description “a stomach on four legs,” referring to its high metabolic rate.

Tohono Chul is a surprisingly big. It’s 49 acres, tucked in between a series of office buildings and residences, just to the west of the busy Ina and Oracle intersection. However, most of the paths are the south part of the park, and the bird chatter is louder than the traffic. Once in amongst the winding trails I always feel I could wander around forever without finding my way home again. Not an unpleasant sensation, with the thrashers, finches, lizards and butterflies everywhere, not to mention the abundance of flowering plants.
While most of it is arid, open landscaping, the grounds are full of covered armadas, one in the Sin Aqua (Without Water) Garden even has a solar-powered fan.

Restrooms are clearly marked. It’s important to bring water though, as the drinking fountains are only found in a couple areas. All the paths loop and there are only two, the South Loop and the Saguaro Discovery Trail, which extend out beyond immediate reach of restrooms, shade, and directions from friendly staff. Both longer trails are easy morning walks with markers that explain the history or significance of the plants shown. This time though I headed straight for the riparian area. Well, I meandered into the riparian area.

This is a very small section of the park, developed to show that the diversity of plant and animal life ranges far beyond the types of cacti and shrub that dominate what we see in Tucson. A small stream bordered by dense green trees and ground cover leads to courtyards, one with a hidden grotto full of fish unique to the desert, just a step away from another with a fountain made of pots.

These are my favorite, reminiscent of a walled back yard with its potted plants and sheltered fountain. All the courtyards represent types of gardens that can be created with desert plants, and nearby is the Exhibit House, where the park features special art exhibits. I was only there an hour, but I could easily have spent three exploring all the trails and displays.
The admissions fee to the park is $7, with discounts for seniors, military, students, and children. The Tea Room, the Museum Shop and the Greenhouse are accessible without paying admission to the park.