Discover History at the Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park
Remains of Garwood Dam in Saguaro National Park
The Garwood Trail leads you through quiet desert slopes toward the old Garwood homestead, where saguaros frame wide views of Tanque Verde Ridge and the Rincons. As you climb, the landscape opens and the story of the Garwood family’s remote life on this rugged terrain comes into focus, making the hike both scenic and historic.
Nelson and Josephine Garwood bought the property (about 450 acres) from two original homesteaders in 1945. Though they named the property the Bar G Ranch, the property was never stocked with cattle but used only as a residence. Nelson constructed a makeshift road by using dynamite and dragging railroad ties to flatten the rough terrain. Nelson began construction of the dam in 1948 primarily to supply water to the one room house that was started the same year. The dam eventually became a steel framed, poured concrete structure that fed two 20,000-gallon storage tanks supplying water to a second larger home that was built in 1950.
Little by little the Garwood’s sold off parcels of the property to various entities. In 1959 they sold the remaining acreage. The purchaser spent little time on the property, and the houses and other buildings fell into poor condition. In the 1960s the abandoned buildings were vandalized and in the 1970s fire consumed what remained of them. Shortly thereafter, through Eminent Domain laws, the Park Service purchased the property from the owners.
Bar G Ranch Holding Tanks near Garwood Dam in Saguaro National Park
Other metal storage tanks can be found in the area. These tank sites were originally natural rock pool sites that were able to hold water most of the year. Historically, these natural pools were used by Indigenous Americans and cattle ranchers, the latter leasing the land for grazing. The last grazing lease from the park expired in 1979.
By the way, the Garwood Dam is in close proximity to the famed Tanque Verde Ranch. The term tanque verde (green tank) refers to the reservoir tanks used by ranchers that would stagnate and fill with green algae. Ranchers would often fill the tanks with goldfish or carp to eat the algae.
Garwood Ranch – National Park Service, Rincon Mountain District Resource Brief, 2015
Garwood Ranch – by Green Valley Recreation Hiking Club
Garwood-Carillo Loop Day Hike – Arizona Trailblazers Hiking Club