The United States Congress designated the Saguaro Wilderness
(map ) in 1976 and it now has a total of 70,905 acres All of
this wilderness is located in Arizona and is managed by the
National Park Service. The Saguaro Wilderness is bordered by the
Rincon Mountain Wilderness to the east. Sprouting in the shade
of another desert plant, the saguaro cactus grows only a few
inches in its first five years of life and a few feet in its
first 30 years. At age 75 the cactus stands 15 to 20 feet tall
and begins developing its first branches as it absorbs water
through an extensive root system. A mature cactus can live up to
170 years, often measuring in at over 30 feet tall, weighing 6
to 10 tons, and holding one ton of water. The saguaro is truly
king of the Sonoran Desert. Saguaro National Monument was
established in 1933 and given national parkland status in 1994.
The area contains 84,000 saguaro-preserving acres. Divided into
two units by Tucson, the western Tucson Mountain Unit includes
just over 21,000 relatively