Contribute to important park science while having fun in your national park!
Step 1: Take a look at the species checklists and associated photo galleries below. Species lists will vary depending on season, although you can see our full lists of plants and animals on our iNaturalist project page.
Step 2: Head out into the park, while following Leave No Trace principles by staying on the trail and not handling wildlife or picking plants, and see if you can find any of the Scavenger Hunt species! We've included some easy, medium, and hard species to find.
Step 3: Upload any photos you capture of the Scavenger Hunt species to iNaturalist, a free community science website, which helps our park biologists collect more data to study this unique ecosystem and its many inhabitants. As participants collect photos of these species, you can view our collection of them on the project page.
Seasonal Species Lists for Each of Our Districts
Desert tortoise (Gopherus marafkai)
These animals are common, yet often unseen at Saguaro National Park. Most of their long lives are spent in burrows where they escape the cold winter temperatures and extreme summer heat.
Parry's penstemon (Penstemon parryi)
A tall growing perennial with hot pink tubular flowers and pairs of blue-green leaves widely spaced along the stem.
Desert spiny lizard (Sceloporus magister)
Common in the desert, especially sunbathing on rocks. One of the largest lizards in the park, with very prominent scales. Often dark-colored, but can take on bright blue and yellow colors during mating season.
Ratany (Krameria sp.)
Low-growing bluish grayish shrubs with uniquely shaped bright pink flowers and spiky ball fruits. These plants are partial parasites, taking nutrients and water from the roots of nearby plants.The Tucson Mountain District contains two rhatany species, white rhatany (Krameria bicolor), which thrives in desert habitats, and littleleaf rhatany (Krameria erecta), which occurs in a variety of Southwestern habitats. Mapping more of both species will help the park better understand where each species predominates and where the two might overlap in the park!
Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum)
A long, slender, fast-moving snake that gets its name from its resemblance to stagecoach drivers, it is variable in color throughout its range and may be red, black, or a mix of both colors. If caught, a coachwhip may become aggressive.
Fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla)
A low growing shrub with dark green divided leaves and spherical clusters of reddish pinkish flowers that resemble pom-poms.
Desert iguana (Dipsosaurus drosalis)
This is a large, light-colored, fast-moving lizard found in sandy areas. Has a row of larger dorsal scales down the center of its back, as well as a long striped tail.
Mexican sandmat (Euphorbia gracillima)
A rare and easy-to-miss species that seems to thrive in the Tucson Mountains. Look for a tiny low-growing hairless plant with many thin reddish stems that branch in a zigzag pattern. Leaves are linear in shape, short and thin. The tiny flower structures are whitish to pinkish, followed by a small greenish 3-sided fruit. Get your magnifying glass ready for this one!
Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum)
Most active during daylight from spring through fall, but they spend up to 98% of their time in their burrows.
Wolfberries (Lycium species)
Dense woody shrubs with small linear or spoon-shaped leaves. Flowers are tubular, followed by bright red berries which are often present in the fall. The park has multiple species, most commonly L. berlandieri and L. andersonii in the west district. More observations will help us better understand where the different species occur!
Lesser earless lizard (Holbrookia maculata)
This small lizard is like the zebra-tailed and greater earless lizards. However, it is smaller and drabber in coloration, lacking black bands on the underside of its tail, and is more often found in rocky areas. It is uncommon in the park, and biologists hope to learn more about it.
Oreganillo (Aloysia wrightii)
A sprawling woody shrub with thin branches. Look for mint-like leaves with prominent veins and a wonderful aroma! Flowers are small and white, arranged in a dense spike.
Ornate tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)
This small lizard is found on rocks or trees and is typically brown or gray in color. Its markings blend well with tree bark to help it avoid predators.
Desert rosemallow (Hibiscus coulteri)
A slender perennial with thin woody stems and large striking flowers, mostly cream colored but with purplish spots in the middle.
Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)
The sidewinder, a native venomous snake, is usually found in sandy areas of the Sonoran Desert, where their unique form of locomotion comes in handy. Sidewinders can be easily distinguished from other rattlesnakes by the hornlike scales on top of their heads.
Desert tobacco (Nicotiana obtusifolia)
A robust herbaceous perennial with white tubular flowers and broad leaves. The entire plant is sticky with a musky aroma.
Zebra-tailed lizard (Callisaurus draconoides)
Look for the zebra-like stripes on its tail! Often spotted running or wagging its tail side to side on sandy surfaces.
Rock hibiscus (Hibiscus denudatus)
A low-growing woody shrub with grayish green leaves and stems. Easiest to spot are the gorgeous large pink flowers with a dark red spot in the middle.
Western ground snake (Sonora semiannulata)
This snake is usually a reddish-brown color, and some are crossbanded with black. A secretive, nocturnal snake, they prefer the loose soils of dry riverbeds. This snake is very rare; it has been found nearby, but never recorded in the Tucson Mountain District, so we hope you're the first to find one!
Christmas cholla (Cylindropuntia leptocaulis)
A cactus with very thin stems and long spines, often hidden and sprawling in other vegetation. Most visible when covered in the bright red fruits that contrast sharply with its green stems. You might also catch its pale yellow flowers.
Spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura sp.)
Not native to the area but occurs on the grounds of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and rumored to be in the park. Large brown-gray lizard with a row of larger dorsal scales down the center of its back. Juveniles are bright green.
Bladdermallow (Herrisantia crispa)
A low-growing viney shrub with cream/yellow flowers and hanging fruits that look like inflated lanterns.
Smith's black-headed snake (Tantilla hobartsmithi)
This snake has a black cap on top of its head with a cream-colored collar. It frequents brushy areas, especially near canyon bottoms and streams.
Canyon treefrog (Hyla arenicolor)
Saguaro National Park is a desert park, but has beautiful desert streams in Wildhorse and other canyons where sharp-eyed observers can find this amazing desert frog. Rarely found in trees, they are typically very well-camouflaged, clinging to boulders and bedrock.
Soaptree yucca (Yucca elata)
A tall growing tree-like yucca with narrow leaves, topped by a tall stalk with large white flowers followed by brown papery seed capsules. A common plant regionally but rare in the park where it's known around the visitor center and portions of the Cactus Forest Loop Drive.
Long-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia wislizenii)
Long-nosed leopard lizards are believed to occur, but are very rare, in Saguaro National Park’s east district. These lizards are large and fast and can even run on their hind legs. They eat other lizards as well as insects.
Leafy mistletoes (Phoradendron spp.) Native parasites that grow on a variety of local trees including legumes, oaks, junipers, and deciduous broadleaf trees like cottonwoods. Most but not all of these mistletoes are leafy themselves. Small white, pink, or reddish fruits are eaten and dispersed by birds. We are especially interested in species found on non-legume trees like oaks, junipers, etc. The only species that's super well-known in the park is the desert mistletoe which grows on mesquites, palo verdes, acacias, and other desert legumes. A fun scavenger hunt for visitors to our middle elevations and riparian zones!
Western groundsnake (Sonora semiannulata)
We are seeking photos of this small, colorful, and elusive snake that seldom emerges from underground – hence the name!
Dwarf mistletoes (Arceuthobium spp.)
Native parasites that grow on conifer trees, they are scaly and leafless unlike the more well-known "leafy mistletoes". The only species commonly seen in the park is A. vaginatum which grows on Ponderosa and Arizona pines. Sightings on pinyon pine, Chihuahuan pine, Southwestern white pine, douglas fir, and white fir are all possible and would be very significant findings! A fun scavenger hunt for visitors to our forested Rincon Mountain high country.
Saddled leaf-nosed snake (Phyllorhynchus browni)
This snake is very rarely seen in the park. It is characterized by a pattern of saddle-shaped blotches and a peculiar nose. The “leaf” on the nosed is believed to aid in digging up lizard eggs for food.
Hibiscuses and rose mallows (Hibiscus spp.)
Small woody shrubs with slender stems and eye-catching flowers, either cream or pink colored with a darker red spot in the middle. Our Rincon district has 3 species: the cream flowered H. coulteri and H. biseptus, as well as the pink flowered H. denudatus.
Ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornate)
Unlike the much larger desert tortoise, this colorful land turtle can completely close its shell. In the desert it is found primarily along (but not in) streams, and is considered by some to be the rarest reptile in Saguaro National Park.
Scaly cloak ferns (Astrolepis spp.)
Scaly cloak ferns tend to grow from rocks as dense clusters of many upright stems. Each stem has a central axis with oval wavy-edged leaflets on either side. Always photograph the underside of the leaf blade - that's where the spore producing structures are, often essential for ID! There are 4 species in the park, often difficult to separate, but luckily iNaturalist has a lot of great fern identifiers!
Madrean alligator lizard (Elgaria kingii)
This lizard has tiny legs and can look as much like a snake as a lizard. Not common anywhere in the park, it is found near streams at low elevations and in grasslands and forests higher on the mountain. When seen, it typically disappears into the leaf litter.
Lip ferns (Myriopteris spp.)
The most species-rich genus of desert adapted ferns, lip ferns tend to have thick, intricately lobed leaves and grow from rock crevices. They can be fuzzy, hairless, or scaly depending on the species. Always photograph the underside of the leaf blade - that's where the spore producing structures are, often essential for ID! There are currently 9 species known in the park, often difficult to separate, but luckily iNaturalist has a lot of great fern identifiers!
Arizona black rattlesnake (Crotalus cerus)
Saguaro National Park represents the southern end of this northern Arizona species. It is a highly venomous but attractive rattlesnake that is typically a jet-black color with thin golden bands. It occurs almost exclusively at high elevations, up to more than 8,000 feet.
Wolfberries (Lycium spp.)
Dense woody shrubs with small linear or spoon-shaped leaves. Flowers are tubular, followed by bright red berries which are often present in the fall. The park has multiple species, most commonly L. berlandieri and L. exsertum in the east district. More observations will help us better understand where the different species occur!
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
The eastern district of Saguaro National Park has two types of deer – the white-tailed deer and the much rarer mule deer. Mule deer once dominated the desert areas, but now quite rare. Whereas white-tails like to hide, mule deer typically run from their predators and “stot” in a distinctive bouncing gait.
Arizona beggarticks (Bidens aurea)
A yellow sunflower with 5 "petals" (ray flowers) per flowerhead surrounding a central disc of tiny darker flowers. They grow upright with long leaves that are often divided into narrow lobes. Look for it around canyons and other wet habitats.
Round-tailed ground squirrel (Spermophilus tereticaudus)
Saguaro National Park has several ground squirrel species, but this squirrel is distinct in being tannish in color and small in size. They live in colonies of close relatives in open desert areas, much like prairie dogs.
Yellow bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum) Invasive non-native species of growing concern along waterways and roadsides. A wiry perennial grass with a distinctive reddish flowerhead, appearing like slender fingers branching from a palm. Stems often grow in a spreading horizontal manner rather than upright. As plants dry out, leaves at the base turn reddish. Look around washes and canyon crossings. Our Resources division is trying to get a better picture of its distribution in the park, so your observations will assist future invasive species management!
