Greetings from Saguaro National Park

Bittersweet are my memories of this day. As we get ready to embark on a beautiful trek into the scenic beauty of Arizona for a night under the stars, my uncle snapped this picture of me at the trailhead. This was a trip my Dad and I had planned for quite some time and he was suddenly taken from us by a massive stroke a little over a year prior.

Knowing he would want me to continue the many adventures we shared, his brother and I went and did this in his memory. I felt like he was there as I walked and let the desert lift my spirits and restore my soul.

I love the west and have been a lot of places but something about the desert seems to beckon to me, luring me farther into its enchantment and mystique. I came back to Indiana knowing that I will return, perhaps alone, but return I will and feel the healing power that I felt this day.

Sincerely,
Bobby

Saguaro National Park

It’s the iconic image of the American Southwest: The giant saguaro cactus, standing tall amid the arid desert, arms perpetually raised to the sky. At Saguaro National Park, you can see more than 1.6 million of these giant saguaro — the largest forest of its kind on the planet.

State(s): Arizona

Established: 1994

National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!

{{ active ? "Cancel" : "Begin"}}

Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.

In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!

Here’s your unique story page link:

{{ storyUrl }}

* indicates Required fields

Click to choose a file to upload

Submitting your story means that you agree to our Terms of Service

More Stories

  • Greetings from Saguaro National Park

    I am fortunate to live near the East HQ, park and national forest (Rincon Mountain district) just outside Tucson, AZ. For the past five years the neighbors that care deeply for this glorious preserved area have been fighting a developer (El Cortillo LLC and Bike Ranch LLC), their attorneys and…

  • Greetings from Saguaro National Park

    It was a breathtaking day seeing the most majestic gentle giants. We will never forget the beauty of the park and the friendliness of the rangers.

  • Greetings from Acadia National Park

    amazing!

Donate

Preserve Our Parks

Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.

Donate Now