A few miles west of Tucson, on the other side of the Tucson Mountains, and near Saguaro National Park West, lies a true Desert Gem. The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. I mainly go there to take photos of the cacti, but they also have native animal exhibits, native insect exhibits, Arizona mineral exhibits and several miles of hiking trails. For those less inclined to do that much walking, a semicircular paved path meanders through all the gardens and animal habitats. My favorite is of course the cactus garden, but I like the enclosed Aviary too. It has an artificial stream that runs through it and one can find some respite from the heat there. This gallery is a compilation of several visits. I usually go twice a year, once in spring to catch things blooming, and once again after the midsummer monsoon when the desert puts out it's most impressive growth spurt. There are actually two growing seasons here, spring and mid to late summer. At the height of summer, when it's hot and dry, most plants are dormant.