Top 10 Stateside Safaris

• Introduction
• 1. Baxter State Park
• 2. Channel Islands National Park
• 3. Denali National Park and Preserve
• 4. Everglades National Park
• 5. Isle Royale National Park
• 6. National Bison Range
• 7. Safari West
• 8. San Juan Islands
• 9. Tucson’s Sonoran Desert
• 10. Yellowstone National Park

Tucson’s Sonoran Desert

Best for: coyote, bighorn sheep, javelinas, desert tortoises, and hummingbirds

From rugged mountain ranges to wide open plains of towering Saguaro cacti, the Sonoran Desert region around Tucson provides a solid glimpse of the diverse desert habitat in southern Arizona. Just outside of the city, Saguaro National Park offers 165 miles of trails through wilderness inhabited by black bears, Mexican spotted owls, and Arizona mountain kingsnakes, while a hundred miles northwest, the Sonoran Desert National Monument protects over 200 bird and 60 mammal species. Together, these two conservation areas comprise approximately 5,000 acres of desert wilderness – only a small, yet easily accessible, sliver of the sprawling Sonoran Desert, which covers vast regions of Arizona, California, and northwestern Mexico. www.nps.gov/sagu; www.blm.gov/az

Smart Splurge Hotel: The secluded, sand-colored JW Marriott Starr Pass Tucson Resort & Spa neighbors Saguaro National Park and opens out to a cacti forest. Hike, mountain bike, or stroll on onsite trails, or unwind at the Southwestern-influenced Hashani Spa. www.jwmarriottstarrpass.com

Great Value Hotel: Located at the base of the 9,000-foot Santa Catalina Mountains, the 80-acre Westward Look Resort offers guests a range of guided nature and hiking excursions on the grounds, including a unique night-vision goggle tour for a nocturnal glimpse of desert wildlife. www.westwardlook.com

When to Go: Mid-February to April is ideal for bird-watching amidst cactus blooms and wildflowers, as well as for daytime viewing of such desert animals as bighorn sheep, mule deer, and javelinas (who are most active from mid-October to mid-April). Skip the desert during summer, when wildlife takes cover from oppressive temperatures, which easily top out over 100 degrees.

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