It’s so hot in Arizona, park rangers baked cookies on dashboard. See the results
As temperatures reached well above 100 degrees, rangers at an Arizona national park dusted off their baking sheets.
Each summer, rangers at Saguaro National Park “have a tradition of baking in the car,” according to an Aug. 7 Facebook post from the park.
“While we have fun, and pastries are also tasty, this is meant as an illustration of how hot the car really gets,” rangers said.
A photo shared by rangers shows two baking sheets with cookie dough rolled into balls sitting in a closed car atop a dashboard with a stuffed octopus and Bob Ross air freshener hanging just above.
In a photo taken about 1.5 hours later, the dough is spread out as it bakes in the hot sun.
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“During the summer, with outside temperatures 100°F and up, the ambient air inside your car can reach over 143°F within an hour,” rangers said. “And the dashboard can climb over 200°F!”
Displaying the final product, a ranger holds a fresh plate of cookies in a photo shared by the national park.
Rangers commented that they baked the cookies for 3.5 hours, noting “they were a tad overcooked.”
“Three hours is probably better for that crisp edge/soft center type of cookie,” rangers said.
Facebook users were quick to comment on the baking session.
“I bet that car smelled amazing,” one user commented. “Best air freshener ever, and you can eat it.”
“I’m only here for the cookies....” another user quipped.
Rangers said the summer heat “can lead to life-threatening heat illness to anything living left in the car be it people, pets, etc.”
Even with a partially opened window, “temperatures inside the car can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
“Remember that all park staff are allowed to remove any child or pet from a locked car using whatever means necessary,” rangers said.
Aside from living things, park rangers noted that property “left in a hot car” can also be at risk.
“Electronics (particularly those with lithium-ion batteries) can heat up and explode,” rangers said. “Sealed cans such as soda, paint, etc. can pressurize and burst.”
This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 11:49 AM with the headline "It’s so hot in Arizona, park rangers baked cookies on dashboard. See the results."
