NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Foundation Document Saguaro National Park Arizona April 2014 Foundation Document Saguaro National Park Saguaro East–Rincon Mountain District I ta l ia CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST n 0 1 2 Kilometers S Speedway Boulevard p r i n g 0 1 Mile 2 T r ng a ri Douglas Spring i p l s S Tr North ougla ail il D ra T Spud Rock e Mica Mtn op To Tucson To l There are many hiking trails in S 8666ft Broadway Boulevard 2641m this area. Detailed maps are h available at the visitor center. rt o Helens N Dome Mica View Reef Rock W ail I Tr LD e H dl OR N ad 22nd SE C O S ANY Head Desert Ecology Trail St Cow Manning Spud Rock Cow Head Saddle Camp Freeman Road e v i r Tur SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK ke l y h D is i n T C a r O a r ee l p a r t Tanque Verde Peak k Golf d S T i s l T N ra e 7049ft O i Y l r N E H Links o 2148m Grass A N R G C O F Y e D I N a I Road R Shack A t s C r N t s u b e t DE r VER Juniper il r C c ra e o T a one-way F a ng i k O C Basin n p n a m Trail M C a E N U e A R Q g i 4 d E d - Escalante Road N i w R N g two-way A e one-way E h T rd e e A e M e s I V N l- u H d t C O T r c i e R r v a qu a e n D C a i T l A r o M a Rincon Mountain d Visitor Center Javelina N YO N A C k e e r C 4408 X O Miller Freeman Tra B il Homestead l i a Trail r T Happy Valley M Saddle O Madrona Area 35 uilter U Q T l ra i i Deer l a k N r e Camp e T n r co C T T rail Rin w mp e a A i R C V il i n a e I c e p r o T o N g n Houghton Road H d i z S i R u R P e Hope a k Camp North Coyote Wash Trail T r a i l P O a 35 n ld ek t e a r n C o S Rincon p a Rincon Peak n 8482ft is h 2585m W a T s r h a Y i LE l AL RINCON V Camino Loma Alta To Colossal Cave Mountain Park To 10 and 10 CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST Avra Valley Rd 0 5Km Saguaro West–Tucson Mountain District 10 S a 0 5Mi n CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST Exit 246 Rd t S d a 0 1 2 Kilometers a a S n Rd Ina Road il ta o ks ve R Sandario c d Pi o rb ctur R C R North e e r 0 1 2 Miles ll C u n y r 10 Sunrise Drive o w u z y H R z Saguaro 77 n o a North Not all trails are shown. o r a R C a Safford Peak a d i n Panther t National v o i Detailed maps are available 3563ft r R e Skyline Drive l Peak o ive r n a at the visitor center. 1086m r Park i t C b a To 10 a C (WEST) Grant Rd S Tanque Verde Rd Ina Road exit 248 Pass To 10 exit 242 K s Rd Speedway Blvd in te n Ga e Broadway Blvd y 22nd St R Road Wade d Saguaro Pict TUCSON National ure Ro TUCSON MTN cks Ro Belmont Road COUNTY PARK Park ad (EAST) Kolb Rd ay Valencia Rd O o W ld Rudasill Road Aj Cam-Boh S private p d 86 a Tucson n a ish o International R T Airport Houghton Rd r 10 a TOHONO O’ODHAM i l e 19 ail Rd t RESERVATION V a G Sandario Road SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK To Silverbell n Road Signal Hill e d Manville Road l Ez-Kim-In-Zin o G two-way C rro am Ce Apache Peak ino del l i Scenic a AVRA VALLEY AVRA Valley View r two-way T Bajada Overlook Trail Wasson Peak Loop one-way a 4687ft z Drive d Amole 1428m Sus a n o a Peak R r e l p l i s i m ra Tra a E T k H o u s r h g ri te o h or a N w H et e Sw two-way o r l i e a d r n T e T S U Desert Discovery Red Hills n C Nature Trail yo S Can Visitor Center O K LS in IL N DESERT STATION n H e UNIVERSITY OF y D E R R Mam-A-Gah Park Boundary ARIZONA oa d g in K Mile Wide Road Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Ki nn e M y O U TUCSONR MOUNTAIN N o a T To Tucson and d A 10 exit 257 COUNTY PARK IN S d oa McC s R TOHONO ain Loop R Pas d Gates O’ODHAM Old Tucson RESERVATION Studios To 86 Gilbert Ray To 86 and 19 exit 99 Saguaro National Park Contents Mission of the National Park Service 1 Introduction 3 Part 1: Core Components 4 Brief Description of the Park 4 Park Purpose 5 Park Significance 6 Fundamental Resources and Values 7 Other Important Resources and Values 8 Interpretive Themes 9 Part 2: Dynamic Components 10 Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments 10 Special Mandates 10 Administrative Commitments 10 Assessment of Planning and Data Needs 11 Analysis of Fundamental Resources and Values 11 Analysis of Other Important Resources and Values 42 Identification of Key Issues and Associated Planning and Data Needs 43 Planning and Data Needs 45 Part 3: Contributors 52 Saguaro National Park 52 NPS, Intermountain Regional Office 52 NPS, Inventory and Monitoring Program 52 NPS, Denver Service Center 52 Partners 52 Appendix A: Proclamations, Enabling Legislation, and Legislative Acts for Saguaro National Park 53 Appendix B: Inventory of Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments 59 Inventory of Special Mandates 59 Administrative Commitments 59 Limited Concession Permit 60 Appendix C: Basics for Wilderness Stewardship 61 Wilderness Background Information 61 Wilderness Character Narrative 61 Natural Quality of Wilderness Character 61 Undeveloped Quality of Wilderness Character 63 Untrammeled Quality of Wilderness Character 63 Solitude or a Primitive and Unconfined Type of Recreation Quality of Wilderness Character 64 Other Features of Value 65 Issues for Wilderness Planning 66 I Foundation Document II Saguaro National Park Mission of the National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. The NPS core values are a framework in which the National Park Service accomplishes its mission. They express the manner in which, both individually and collectively, the National Park Service pursues its mission. The NPS core values are: · Shared stewardship: We share a commitment to resource stewardship with the global preservation community. · Excellence: We strive continually to learn and improve so that we may achieve the highest ideals of public service. · Integrity: We deal honestly and fairly with the public and one another. · Tradition: We are proud of it; we learn from it; we are not bound by it. · Respect: We embrace each other’s differences so that we may enrich the well-being of everyone. The National Park Service is a bureau within the Department of the Interior. While numerous national park system units were created prior to 1916, it was not until August 25, 1916, that President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act formally establishing the National Park Service. The national park system continues to grow and comprises 401 park units covering more than 84 million acres in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These units include, but are not limited to, national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, and the White House. The variety and diversity of park units throughout the nation require a strong commitment to resource stewardship and management to ensure both the protection and enjoyment of these resources for future generations. The arrowhead was authorized as the official National Park Service emblem by the Secretary of the Interior on July 20, 1951. The sequoia tree and bison represent vegetation and wildlife, the mountains and water represent scenic and recreational values, and the arrowhead represents historical and archaeological values. 1 Foundation Document 2 Saguaro National Park Introduction Every unit of the national park system will have a foundational document to provide basic guidance for planning and management decisions—a foundation for planning and management. The core components of a foundation document include a brief description of the park as well as the park’s purpose, significance, fundamental resources and values, other important resources and values and interpretive themes.