Saguaro National Park
Unless you're ready for a long desert hike, the best way to see Saguaro is from the comfort of your car.
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1. Bajada Loop Drive
This 6-mile drive winds through thick stands of saguaros and past two picnic areas and trailheads to a few short hikes, including one to a petroglyph site. Although the road is unpaved and somewhat bumpy, it's a worthwhile trade-off for access to some of the park's densest desert growth. It's one-way between Hugh Norris Trail and Golden Gate Road, so if you want to make the complete circuit, travel counterclockwise. The road is susceptible to flash floods during the monsoon season (July and August), so check road conditions at the visitor center before proceeding. This loop route is also popular among bicyclists, and dogs on leash are permitted along the road.
Saguaro West, Arizona, 85743, USA -
2. Cactus Forest Drive
Saguaro EastThis paved 8-mile drive provides a great overview of all Saguaro East has to offer. The one-way road, which circles clockwise, has several turnouts with roadside displays that make it easy to pull over and admire the scenery; you can also stop at two picnic areas and three easy nature trails. This is a good bicycling route, but watch out for snakes and javelinas crossing in front of you.
Cactus Forest Dr., Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85730, USA -
3. Hope Camp Trail
Saguaro EastWell worth the 5-mile round-trip trek, this Rincon Valley route rewards hikers with gorgeous views of the Tanque Verde Ridge and Rincon Peak. The trail is also open to mountain bicyclists. Moderate.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85730, USA -
4. Hugh Norris Trail
Saguaro WestThis 10-mile trail through the Tucson Mountains is one of the most impressive in the Southwest. It's full of switchbacks, and some sections are moderately steep, but the top of 4,687-foot Wasson Peak treats you to views of the saguaro forest spread across the bajada (the gently rolling hills at the base of taller mountains). Difficult.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85743, USA -
5. Signal Hill Trail
Saguaro WestThis ¼-mile trail in Saguaro West is a simple, rewarding ascent to ancient petroglyphs carved a millennium ago by the Hohokam people. Easy.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85743, USA -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Valley View Overlook Trail
Saguaro WestOn clear days you can spot the distinctive slope of Picacho Peak from this relatively easy 1½-mile trail with a gentle ascent in Saguaro West. There are splendid vistas of Avra Valley and signs describing the flora along the way. Moderate.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85743, USA -
7. Cactus Forest Trail
Saguaro EastThis 2½-mile one-way loop is a moderately easy walk along a dirt path that passes historic lime kilns and a wide variety of Sonoran Desert vegetation. It's one of the only off-road trails for bicyclists. Moderate.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85730, USA -
8. Cactus Garden Trail
Saguaro EastThis 100-yard paved trail in front of the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center is wheelchair accessible and has resting benches and interpretive signs about common desert plants. Easy.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85743, USA -
9. Desert Discovery Trail
Saguaro WestLearn about plants and animals native to the region on this paved path in Saguaro West. The ½-mile loop is wheelchair accessible, and has resting benches and ramadas (wooden shelters that supply shade). Dogs on leash are permitted here. Easy.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85743, USA -
10. Desert Ecology Trail
Saguaro EastExhibits on this ¼-mile loop near the Mica View picnic area explain how local plants and animals subsist on limited water. Dogs on leash are permitted. Easy.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85730, USA -
11. Douglas Spring Trail
Saguaro EastThis challenging 6-mile trail, steep in some parts, leads almost due east into the Rincon Mountains. After a half mile through a dense concentration of saguaros, you reach the open desert. About 3 miles in is Bridal Wreath Falls, worth a slight detour in spring when melting snow creates a larger cascade. Moderate.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85730, USA -
12. Freeman Homestead Trail
Saguaro EastLearn a bit about the history of homesteading in the region on this 1-mile loop. Look for owls living in the cliffs above as you make your way through the lowland vegetation. Easy.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85730, USA -
13. Junior Ranger Program
In the Junior Ranger Discovery program, young visitors can pick up an activity pack any time of the year at either visitor center and complete it within an hour or two. During June, there also are daylong camps for kids ages 5 through 12 in the East district.
Rincon Mountain and Red Hills visitor centers, Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85730, USA520-733–5153 -
14. King Canyon Trail
Saguaro WestThis 3.5-mile trail is the shortest, but steepest, route to the top of Wasson Peak in Saguaro West. It meets the Hugh Norris Trail less than half a mile from the summit. The trail, which begins across from the Arizona–Sonora Desert Museum, is named after the Copper King Mine. It leads past many scars from the search for mineral wealth. Look for petroglyphs in this area.Difficult.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85743, USA -
15. Mam-A-Gah
Saguaro WestThis is the most isolated picnic area in Saguaro West. It's on King Canyon Trail, a good area for birding and wildflower viewing. It's about a mile walk to reach the site, and the undeveloped trail isn't wheelchair accessible.
King Canyon Trail, Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85743, USASight Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards -
16. Manning Camp
Saguaro EastThe summer home of Levi Manning, onetime Tucson mayor, was a popular gathering spot for the city's elite in the early 1900s. The cabin can be reached only on foot or horseback via one of several challenging high-country trails: Douglas Spring Trail to Cow Head Saddle Trail (12 miles), Turkey Creek Trail (7.5 miles), or Tanque Verde Ridge Trail (15.4 miles). The cabin itself is not open for viewing.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85730, USA -
17. Mica View
Saguaro EastTalk about truth in advertising: this picnic area gives you an eyeful of Mica Mountain, the park's highest peak. None of the tables are in the shade.
Cactus Forest Dr., Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85730, USASight Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards -
18. Orientation Programs
Daily programs at both park districts introduce visitors to the desert. You might find presentations on bats, birds, or desert blooms, and naturalist-led hikes (including moonlight hikes). Check online or call for the current week's activities.
Rincon Mountain and Red Hills visitor centers, Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85730, USA520-733–5100Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
19. Ranger Talks
The assortment of talks by national park rangers are a great way to hear about wildlife, geology, and archaeology.
Rincon Mountain and Red Hills visitor centers, Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85730, USA520-733–5100Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Nov.–Apr. -
20. Red Hills Visitor Center
Saguaro WestTake in gorgeous views of nearby mountains and the surrounding desert from the center's large windows and shaded outdoor terrace. A spacious gallery is filled with educational exhibits, and a lifelike display simulates the flora and fauna of the region. A 15-minute slide show, "Voices of the Desert," provides a poetic, Native American perspective on the Saguaro. Park rangers and volunteers hand out maps and suggest hikes to suit your interests. The bookstore sells books, trinkets, a few local items like honey and prickly pear jellies, and reusable water bottles that you can fill at water stations outside.
2700 N. Kinney Rd., Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 85743, USA520-733–5158Sight Details
Rate Includes: Daily 9–5
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