Saguaro National Park East

Saguaro National Park is physically two different parks located on the opposite sides of Tucson, AZ.  Although both are within short driving distance from Tucson downtown, to me, the west side of the park is slightly more accessible since one does not have to drive all the way across the town. After I took the Valencia exit on I - 10 and stopped near the Jack in the box the google map went crazy asking me to go the opposite way on Valencia. Finally after I canceled the navigation and restarted it started giving the proper directions. Compared to most other National Parks this park seems to be low key including the street signs.  Before the pay station there is a big visitor center with a mid size parking lot. The visitor center staff are very friendly and eager to answer any questions. 
One of the new staff members enlightened me about the geology of the surrounding area and I was surprised to learn the Tucson desert is a very young dessert, only few tens of thousands years old.  I was not able to confirm that upon later research but then I could have misinterpreted what he meant.

Shortly after the pay station the road becomes a one way loop and it is little bit windy but not too bad, the only thing to bear in mind is occasional pedestrian or a jogger on the road.  There are few parking lots in the first few miles of the loop road for accessing the hiking trails.  Today I chose to do the Loma Verde loop which is probably close to 3.5 miles. It is very well marked and well maintained trail with minimal elevation gain a delight for a lazy hiker like myself.  There are plenty of saguaros peppered throughout the loop with limbs going every which way reminding me of what one of the staff members at the visitor center said jokingly "Saguaro National Park West has more number of saguaros but here on the east side we have saguaros that have more personality with more limbs going in all different directions.  He even showed me a picture of saguaro with prickly pear growing out of it.  Within the first half mile one can see a saguaro swooping down like a dinosaur with a little bit of imagination I guess.

This is a great trail to spot birds. It was a overcast day so it was a great day for hiking and not so great for photos still I was able to spot few different species of birds.  After hiking in the dessert a bit I have become familiar with Gila Woodpecker which seemed to be everywhere on the trail with occasional phainopepia. The rest of the birds I still need to learn the names.  I hardly met anyone on the trail, probably because it was a weekday. I tried to extend the loop by going on the monument wash and hooking up with Deer Valley wash trail which seemed like bit of a mistake since hiking in the sandy wash was bit difficult and hard on the ankles but still it was fun.  When I returned back to the the trailhead I did see few cars parked although I did not meet them on the trail probably because it is a loop trail.
On the way back I stopped by Javalina Rock which is a great place to enjoy the surrounding landscape as well as to enjoy the sunset.