Saguaro National Park, East Unit, Southern Arizona - ca. 1935

This camera station is located on a hill within the newly established Saguaro National Monument near Tucson. The view is northeast toward Agua Caliente Hill and looks down a gentle incline that drains into Tanque Verde Creek. The saguaro stand pictured here is a particularly memorable one because of the many large individuals and absence of small ones. It is an example of the Arizona Uplands at its upper colder elevation limit on level to rolling terrain. The dominant plants here are brittlebush, foothill paloverde, velvet mesquite, and saguaro. In the distance, on the floodplain of Tanque Verde Creek, saguaros become infrequent and mesquite predominates. On the banks of Tanque Verde Creek at right, the large trees are cottonwood and Goodding willow. The elevation is 3,050 feet. (photographer unknown)