ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK

Sunset at Saguaro National Park - Red Hills Visitor Center — Sunset at Saguaro National Park – Red Hills Visitor Center

Welcome to Saguaro National Park, a wonderland of towering cacti and awe-inspiring landscapes that will leave you breathless. Saguaro is a unique and unforgettable destination that will satisfy any nature lover’s craving for adventure, exploration, and discovery. So pack your bags, grab your camera, and get ready to explore one of the most stunning natural wonders the United States has to offer.

ABOUT SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK

Saguaro Cactus - Saguaro National Park — Saguaro Cactus – Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park is located in southern Arizona, just outside of Tucson. This sprawling desert wilderness covers over 91,000 acres and is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna, including the iconic saguaro cactus, which can grow up to 60 feet tall and can live for over 200 years. Something we learned from the park rangers, was that it takes roughly 20-30 years for a cactus to grow a single arm. The more arms, the older the cactus. However, some cacti don’t grow any arms at all! So if you see an incredibly tall cactus with no arms, it can be just as old as one with many arms.

Saguaro National Park was established in 1933 to protect and preserve the saguaro cactus, which was being threatened by human development and land use changes. Today, the park which is split into two distinct areas, the Tucson Mountain District to the west and the Rincon Mountain District to the east, is a haven for wildlife and an outdoor playground for hikers, bikers, birdwatchers, and nature enthusiasts of all kinds. Both districts offer unique landscapes, wildlife, and recreational opportunities

WHERE IS SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK LOCATED?

As we mentioned above, Saguaro is located in southern Arizona, and is split up in to two distinct districts, with the city of Tucson laying smack dab in the middle of them. The good news is that the two districts are only about 1 hour apart from one another depending on the areas you are traveling two. Below you’ll find a rough breakdown of distances to Saguaro from a few various locations.

DRIVE TIME FROM:

Phoenix- 2 hours
Las Vegas – 6.5 hours
Los Angeles – 8.5 hours
San Diego – 6.5 hours
El Paso – 5.5 hours

MAP OF SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK

ENTRY TO SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK

Good news! No reservations or timed entries required! Also good news, no long lines of vehicles waiting to enter the park! Not having to worry about timed entry reservations or lines of vehicles, makes visiting this park so much easier than that some of the more popular parks. There is however still an entry fee required. You’ll find pay stations at both the East and West visitors centers if you arrive before or after hours, or you can pay inside the visitors centers during normal hours.

Saguaro has a standard fee of $25 per vehicle, which is good for 7 days, no matter the time of year you are visiting. If you are someone who lives in Arizona or the neighboring areas, and would like to visit Saguaro often, they do have a $45 annual pass that you can get as well. You can view all the entry and pass options HERE.

If you are someone like us who is either on a mission to visit every single National Park in the U.S., or plans to visit more than 2 or 3 U.S. national parks per year, then we’d highly recommend getting the America The Beautiful Pass. For $80, this annual pass gives you full access to all 63 National Parks in the U.S., as well as any federal recreational sites that charge a fee for entry. Stay at 3 National Parks and this easily pays for itself.

SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK ENTRANCES

The western side (Tucson Mountains District) of the park has one main road (N Kinney Rd) that runs through it, giving you two entry points. While the eastern side (Rincon Mountain District) has one main point of entry. We’ve noted all 3 locations in our interactive map above for reference!

Saguaro National Park Entrance Sign - Rincon Mountain District — Saguaro National Park Entrance Sign – Rincon Mountain District

Both sides of the park have visitors centers, the western side being the Red Hills Visitor Center, and the eastern side being the Rincon Mountain Visitors Center.

WHERE TO STAY IN SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK

Saguaro National Park offers a range of camping options for visitors, from backcountry camping to RV camping to group camping. The park has 6 campgrounds between the two districts. None of these campgrounds are accessible by vehicle, so you will need to book reservations and get permits for backcountry camping. You can find more information about them HERE.

If tent camping isn’t your thing, there are a number of nearby campgrounds like the Gilbert Ray Campground, which offer tent and RV sites, as well plenty of other lodging options in the surrounding area, including hotels, motels, and vacation rentals. Many of these accommodations offer easy access to the park and its many attractions.

There are also a number of Harvest Host locations around Saguaro National Park and Tucson. So if you are someone with a RV or camper, we’d highly recommend exploring these options!

THINGS TO DO IN SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK

Whether you’re looking for a leisurely stroll or a strenuous hike, Saguaro National Park has something for everyone. Here are just a few of the many things you can do while visiting, from hiking, to biking, wildlife and night sky viewing and more!

TUCSON MOUNTAINS DISTRICT (WEST SIDE)

The west side of the park has the most concentrated areas of Saguaro cacti. If you are only visiting for one day, this would be the side to visit. Most of the activities and hiking trails run off of the Badajo Loop Scenic Drive making many of the activities easy and accessible for a one day visit. Should you desire to get a little more activity in, there are some longer more strenuous hikes that would allow you to truly get out in to the backcountry and experience this park.

BADAJA LOOP DRIVE

The Badaja Loop Drive is a 6-mile dirt loop made up of two roads (Hohokam Road and Golden Gate Road) that loops through the park giving you some of the best viewing experiences of the saguaro. You’ll find a number of pullouts with valley views, as well as some hiking trails that get you up close and personal with the cacti. Let’s get in to those!

VALLEY VIEW OVERLOOK TRAIL

Valley View Overlook - Saguaro National Park West — Valley View Overlook – Saguaro National Park West

This is our favorite hike in the entire park, both sides included. From Hohokam Road, there is a small pullout for parking, with the trailhead to this hike. The trail itself is only about 0.8mi / 1.3km long, out and back. But the overlook gives you one of the best views of the surrounding area which is littered with saguaro. An absolutely must-do hike if you’re visiting.

DIFFICULTY – Easy
LENGTH – 0.8mi / 1.3km
TIME NEEDED – 30 min – 1 hour
PET FRIENDLY – NO

SIGNAL HILL

As you continue on the Badajo Loop, you’ll turn off of Hohokam Road and on to Golden Gate Road. There will be a turnoff for Signal Hill Rd which takes you to the Signal Hill Picnic Area. Here you’ll find a bathroom, and a number of picnic tables and sitting areas scattered around the area. But the true gem of this spot, is the short 0.5mi / 0.8km hike to Signal Hill which has petroglyphs etched in to the rocks from the Hohokam people from over 800 years ago. An easy but incredible experience.

DIFFICULTY – Easy
LENGTH – 0.5mi / 0.8km
TIME NEEDED – 30 min – 1 hour
PET FRIENDLY – NO

DESERT DISCOVERY TRAIL

This last trail is a short and easy one. But if you own a dog or a cat, this is the perfect trail, as the pets are allowed on this one. Also 0.5mi / 0.8km, this paved trail highlights many of the different plants and animals that are native to this park and the surrounding area. If you’re looking to get a few steps in, AND learn something along the way, this is the trail to do.

DIFFICULTY – Easy
LENGTH – 0.5mi / 0.8km
TIME NEEDED – 15 min – 30 min
PET FRIENDLY – YES!

RINCON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT (EAST SIDE)

The east side of the park is MASSIVE compared to the west side. But the concentration of cacti is much smaller. Here you’ll find more open spaces, and over 250 miles of backcountry hiking trails to explore. But if you’re not looking to backcountry hike or camp, no worries, much like the western side of the park, there are a number of easy to moderate activities to do that are absolutely worth checking out!

CACTUS FOREST DRIVE

Just like the western side of the park, there is a one-way looped road (Cactus Forest Road) that many of these activities are located on. You’ll also find many pullouts with incredible views of the valley and park. The speed limit is slow on this road, so take your time and soak in the views!

MICA VIEW TRAIL

Mica View Road - Saguaro National Park East — Mica View Road – Saguaro National Park East

This was probably our second favorite hike in the entire park. Why? It’s a little bit longer than the hikes we’ve noted previously, AND pets are allowed! WIN!

Mica View Trail - Saguaro National Park East — Mica View Trail – Saguaro National Park East

From the visitors center, you’ll turn on to Cactus Forest Road, and enjoy a nice slow drive through the much more luscious landscape of the eastern side of the park. As we drove this part of the park, we very much felt like we were driving through a botanical garden, and less of a desert. At the northern end of the loop, you’ll come to a dirt turnoff with signage to the Mica View Picnic Area. From there, it is a 0.9mi 1.45km hike which takes you to all the way to Broadway Blvd, and a 0.9mi / 1.45km hike back.

DIFFICULTY – Easy
LENGTH – 1.8mi / 2.9km
TIME NEEDED – 45 min – 1.5 hours
PET FRIENDLY – YES!

DESERT ECOLOGY TRAIL

Despite the massive change in cacti concentration, you’ll find a lot of similarities between the two districts. This Desert Ecology Trail is very similar to the Desert Discovery Trail on the western side of the park where you’ll learn about the plant and animal life on this side of the park.

DIFFICULTY – Easy
LENGTH – 0.3mi / 0.48km
TIME NEEDED – 15 min – 30 min
PET FRIENDLY – YES

ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES

While hiking is our preferred activity, there are a number of other activities you can do in the park. Here’s a few notable options:

Biking: If you prefer two wheels to two feet, Saguaro National Park offers miles of scenic roads and trails perfect for mountain biking or road cycling. The Cactus Forest Loop Drive is a favorite among cyclists, offering stunning views of the park’s iconic saguaro cacti. Don’t have a bike of your own? Rent an e-bike!

Wildlife Viewing: Saguaro National Park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including coyotes, javelinas, bobcats, and over 200 species of birds. Keep an eye out for hawks and eagles soaring overhead, or head to the park’s many watering holes to catch a glimpse of desert bighorn sheep.

Night Sky Viewing: Saguaro National Park is a designated International Dark Sky Park, meaning that it offers some of the best stargazing in the country. On a clear night, you can see thousands of stars twinkling overhead, as well as the Milky Way and other celestial wonders.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Saguaro National Park is located in the Sonoran Desert, which means that temperatures can vary widely depending on the time of year. Summer temperatures can soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, while winter temperatures can drop below freezing at night. The best time to visit Saguaro National Park is in the spring or fall, when temperatures are mild and the park’s wildflowers are in bloom.

You can keep up with park updates HERE.

SEASONS

SPRING

Avg Low temps: 46ºF / 8ºC
Avg High temps: 82ºF / 28ºC

SUMMER

Avg Low temps: 71ºF / 22ºC
Avg High temps: 100ºF / 38ºC

FALL

Avg Low temps: 65ºF / 18ºC
Avg High temps: 94ºF / 34ºC

WINTER

Avg Low temps: 40ºF / 4ºC
Avg High temps: 65ºF / 18ºC

HOW MUCH TIME IS NEEDED

How much time you need to plan for in a place, is one of the most important questions to answer when planning a trip. Saguaro National Park is not a large park, but given there being two distinct districts that are separated by Tucson, you’ll want to plan accordingly. Luckily, almost everything we’ve outlined above, is relatively easy to get to, making it easy to road trip around. Based on our visit and experience, we feel 2-3 days would be an ideal amount.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

CELL PHONE SERVICE

Good news! Cell service inside the park is actually quite good. Between us and our friends, we had ample service with Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T. Depending on the hikes you choose, and how far off the main roads you get, service can be spotty at times. But overall we were quite pleased with the amount of service we had, on both sides of the park.

That being said, always good to download offline maps, trail info, and make sure to share your plans and itinerary with someone outside of the park in case of emergency.

GAS STATIONS & OTHER SERVICES

Because the park is separated by a major city, there is no shortage of gas stations, grocery stores, and pretty much anything you could possibly need on a visit to this park. That being said, it gets quite hot in the spring to fall months, so make sure you’ve packed all the essentials before arriving inside the park.

PET FRIENDLY?

Our short answer to this is YES. Dogs and pets are allowed inside the park, but they are not allowed on any non-paved trails. So there are limited options. They are however allowed in developed areas like parking lots, and main roads. All of the trails that dogs are allowed on, are noted above in the THINGS TO DO section. The trails aren’t long, but they at least allow your furry friends to get out, stretch their legs, and sniff some stuff!

You can find more info on the NPS website HERE.

LEAVE NO TRACE & 10 HIKING ESSENTIALS

This park is full of unique landscapes and fragile environments, both for plant life, and animals alike. So it is incredibly important to practice the 7 PRINCIPLES OF LEAVE NO TRACE, and follow the posted signage and guidelines of the park. If you aren’t familiar with Leave No Trace, here’s a breakdown:

Plan ahead and prepare
Travel and camp on durable surfaces
Dispose of waste properly
Leave what you find
Minimize campfire impact
Respect wildlife
Be considerate of others

There are additional and more in-depth details of what each of these means on the LNT website, so make sure to take a look at that!

Similarly, because of how harsh the weather conditions can be, and because there is virtually no cell-phone service anywhere, it is important to hike with the 10 Essentials of Hiking. If you aren’t familiar, here’s a breakdown:

NAVIGATION – maps, guides, compass, GPS locator
HEADLAMP – flashlight and extra batteries or charger
SUN PROTECTION – body sunscreen, lip sunscreen, and clothing protection
FIRST AID – including animal and bug repellents
KNIFE – as well as knife repair kit
FIRE – matches, lighter, tinder and striker
SHELTER – tent, cover, or anything to protect and cover you
FOOD – snacks and extra meal
WATER – more than the minimum recommended amount
CLOTHES – enough to handle night-time elements

Interested in knowing what gear we use for all our adventures? Check out our Rock Porch lockers which list all of the gear we use, and where to shop it!

SHOP OUR GEAR!