Saguaro National Park

Established in 1933, Saguaro National Monument was the first federal monument created to protect a specific plant. President Bill Clinton confirmed this mission in 1994 when he signed a bill establishing Saguaro National Park. What’s so special about this cactus, now an iconic symbol of the West? For starters, its habitat is limited to the Sonoran Desert, which stretches across southern Arizona, southeastern California and northern Mexico. Slow-growers, saguaros take 50 to 80 years to reach a height of 10ft, so they’re not quickly replaced. The white saguaro blossom, the state flower, lives less than 24 hours.