7 Accessible Places to Find the Rare and Unusual Crested Saguaro

The complete article was published in Travel Awaits on May 18, 2021.

Arizona’s truly iconic symbol, the saguaro. can have whimsical forms. I was so
intrigued when I first saw one that I pursued a private quest to see them. In
this article, I share with you my list of places where you can easily see crested saguaros so you don’t have to go deep into the desert to see them. 

What They are

“Once in a
while, a saguaro can produce a fan-like form, and then it is called a crested
or cristate saguaro. ‘Crests’ generally measure between three and five feet in
diameter with convoluted patterns and folds. Biologists disagree as to why
saguaros do this. Some speculate that it is a genetic flaw or a hormone
imbalance. Others say it is the result of triggers like a lightning strike or
freeze damage. The crests occur when the cells in a regular saguaro stem divide
outward rather than continuing in their normal circular pattern.

“Crested
saguaros do not last long because of their shallower and more delicate root
systems. In fact, a crested saguaro can be killed by excessive foot traffic at
and around its base. So when you inspect one up close, please stay at least 10
feet away. Being more top-heavy, they are also vulnerable to strong winds.” These are the reasons why crested saguaros are rare. Most of the
surviving crested saguaros are tucked away in the interior of preserves and parks. The Crested Saguaro Society has documented over 2,200.

Where To See Crested
Saguaro Around Phoenix

1. Desert
Botanical Garden. It is almost at the
end of the trail of one of the garden’s five sections. 

2. Carefree
Desert Gardens, at the center of the small suburban town of Carefree, Arizona. It is tucked in the southeastern corner of the garden plaza,
near the children’s playground. 

3. Cave
Creek Regional Park in Cave Creek, the twin town of Carefree. “From Carefree Desert Gardens, drive
southeast on Cave Creek Road for about 14 miles, turn right in North Bartlett
Dam Road, turn left after six miles on North Horseshoe Dam Road, and drive for
a little over 3 miles. The road is paved except after Mile 3. Stop, look to
your left, and you will see a very mature but beautiful single shield crested
saguaro about 50 yards up the small hill.” (headline photo)

4. Arizonian
RV Resort

At the entrance of the Arizonian RV Resort, just a few
miles from the entrance of the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, the largest botanical
park in Arizona in the town of Gold Canyon. 

Where To See Crested
Saguaro Around Tucson

5. Sabino
Canyon Recreation Area

“Before reaching the visitor center and just after
the separate building of rest areas, turn right on the walk that leads to the
Bajada Loop Nature Trail. At the end of the short walk, turn left to go to the
trail. About a quarter of a mile along the trail, you will find a magnificent
new-growth crested saguaro.” 

6. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

About 30
minutes from downtown Tucson is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. This crested saguaro is right off the
parking lot before you even enter through the outdoor museum gates.  

7. Saguaro
National Park

“There are over two million saguaros in both districts of
the park. It is estimated that there is one crested saguaro for every 10,000
regular ones. Thus, this park has the largest treasure trove of crested
saguaros. At least 27 have been documented on the east district and 30 on the west side. Most of them are accessible through
hikes on trails but a couple can be viewed from the loop road around the park.
If you love to hike, this is the best place to see them.”

Other species of cacti and even some varieties of succulents are also more than capable of developing the same mutations. At Carefree Desert
Gardens, for example, we found a low organ pipe cactus that is crested just
beside the crested saguaro.