Places to See Cactus, SE UT, NM, W TX, etc.

[cactoman]

Hi, was wanting to know good places to see the following list of plants in habitat on the following route:
US6 Spanish Fork-Price
US191 Moab-US491 (Cortez CO)
4 corners area
Farmington-Santa Fe
Santa Fe-Roswell/Carlsbad
Park Highway and I-10, Carlsbad-El Paso-Las Cruces

GRUSONIA CLAVATA
OPUNTIA AUREA
SCLEROCACTUS MESA-VERDE
PEDIOCACTUS KNOWLTONII
ECHINOCACTUS TEXENSIS
ECHINOCACTUS HORIZONTHALONIUS
ECHINOCEREUS COCCINEUS, TRIGLOCHIDATUS, DASYACANTHUS

If any of these are in confidential areas that we don't want plant rustlers to know, a PM will work. I do not intend to swipe habitat plants, will be stopping by in Tucson and Phoenix for plants...now if I find an uprooted pile of horse cripplers still alive at the edge of a pasture along the road after being dug/discarded by a rancher, then that's probably different. Just want to see these, especially the Mesa Valley cactus.

Thanks..

Ed J
the CACTOMAN

[A. Dean Stock]

Most of the plants on your list can be seen along your route, with perhaps a few side trips, and at your destination but Opuntia aurea is not going to be anywhere near your route. It occurs mainly in south central Kane Co., Utah and as a "pure" species is confined to a fairly small range.
Dean

[peterb]

I used to share habitat data on some of the more rare stuff on your list, but I no longer do, not with anyone. I have had a few bad experiences where people I thought were trustworthy have either dug plants or shared info (against my specific request) with people who dug plants. It's infuriating. The more common species on your list are fairly easy to find and cool to see in habitat!

peterb

[hegar]

You should be able to find good numbers of Echinocactus horizonthalonius, Echinocereus coccineus, and Echinocereus dasyacanthus in the Las Cruces, New Mexico - El Paso, Texas area.

Harald