Our travel goals have always centered around visiting all the U.S. national parks, so we were excited to check off another national park recently — Saguaro National Park!
A trip to the desert may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of nature or a vacation, but Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona is one of the most fascinating places on earth. There’s just something special about the serenity and desolation, often silhouetted by a colorful sky and towering saguaros, that takes my breath away.
About Saguaro National Park
There’s one very important thing to know before we dive deeper in Saguaro National Park. Saguaro is pronounced Suh-WAA-Row. You’re welcome! ?
Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation’s largest cacti, and is the perfect destination if you want to see iconic southwestern panoramic views. In fact, the giant saguaro – which can reach as high as 50 feet and can live longer than 200 years – is symbolic of the American west. Only found in a small area of the U.S., these massive plants became protected in 1933 as a National Monument, and later as a National Park in 1994. And rightfully so! Unique to the Sonoran Desert, these enormous cacti are incredible to see up close, especially when framed by a magnificent desert sunrise or sunset. It is also the ancestral home of the Tohono O’odham people.
There are two main sections of Saguaro National Park, which surround Tucson, the Tucson Mountain District to the West, and the Rincon Mountain area to the East. For us, we found that the West side of the park had better views, trails, and epic sunsets.
Cost to Get into the Park
It costs $25 to enter the Saguaro National Park for one week, or you can use your America the Beautiful National Park Pass, which is good for one year and only $85. It’s important to note that payment or a valid pass is required at all hours, whether staff is present or not.
When to Visit Saguaro National Park
We opted to visit Saguaro National Park in early November because of the moderate temperature. Even still, it got very warm during the daytime, averaging 82 degrees F! Winters in the Tucson area are the best time to visit, as the days are mildly warm at around 65 degrees and cool nights averaging 40 degrees F. On the flip side, summers can be extremely hot with daytime temperatures exceeding 110 degrees F even in the shade, and evening lows averaging 72 degrees F.
It’s entirely up to you as to how much time you want to spend in Saguaro National Park. You can easily see a lot within a half-day or day, if you’re only sticking to the East or West portions. We stayed longer simply because the dispersed camping is fantastic and the sunsets are out of this world!
Things to Do in Saguaro National Park
Check Out the Visitor Center
As with every park visit, our first stop was the Red Hills Visitor Center on the Westside. (There is also Rincon Mountain Visitor Center in the East.) Here we picked up a map, a hiking trail guide and our Junior Ranger books. We love visitor centers because it provides the opportunity to learn so much about the ecosystem, geology, geography, and history of a location. For our sons, it’s all about the wildlife! In Saguaro National Park, this desert landscape is the ideal habitat for coyote, javelina, quail, and desert tortoise. The visitor center is also the place to ask questions! We spoke to a couple rangers about the best trails for kids, which influenced our recommended trail list below.
Take a Hike
There are over 150 miles of designated trails in Saguaro National Park. Regardless of the time of year, always wear a hat and use sunscreen while outdoors. Drink plenty of water too. Saguaro park rangers recommend at least one gallon of water per person, per day. Trust me when I say that we packed a TON of water, even for the short trails below, and were down to the last drop by the time we ended each hike.
As a family, we love short and sweet trails to get warmed up in a new place — especially when it’s been a minute since our last hike and we’re in the desert. For the slightly longer hikes, we recommend going in the early morning or at sunset to help beat the heat. Here are a few family-friendly trails that we enjoyed on the West side!
Desert Wash Trail
Distance: 0.2 mile (out & back) | Elevation Change: 85 feet
This 0.2-mile loop gives you a quick idea of the landscape, with great views of the saguaro-covered hills nearby. It’s an easy trail to take in after checking out the Red Hills Visitor Center.
Cactus Garden
Distance: 0.2 mile (out & back) | Elevation Change: 85 feet
This is another family-friendly loop that is right off the Red Hills Visitor Center. This accessible paved trail navigates through a cactus garden with labels on the various plants. And it’s super short!
King Canyon Loop
Distance: 2 miles (loop) | Elevation Change: 312 feet
We absolutely LOVED this trail. We hiked it clockwise, taking the path through a sandy wash and small canyon. The elevation gain is mild, but the trail offers plenty of opportunities to scramble up rocks – many of which have a small water source flowing through it. (Be sure to stop where you see water. We saw so many small frogs and tadpoles here!)
Right before you veer to the right to complete the loop, be sure to check out the lookout building to your left. This old stone-walled building was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Nearby, we were told that ancient petroglyphs were etched into rocks between A.D. 300 and 1450. Unfortunately, we didn’t see the petroglyphs, which are etched on rocks along a sandy wash just downstream from the picnic area, as it was really hot in the day and we were just trying to keep it moving!
Sanctuary Cove Loop
Distance: 1 mile (loop) | Elevation Change: 180 feet
We discovered this cool trail on the outskirts of Saguaro National Park called Sanctuary Cove. There’s an easy one-mile loop on site that includes an outdoor labyrinth. We had never been to one before!
Walking this circular path is an ancient practice used by many different cultures from around the world, designed for prayer, meditation, or simply quieting the internal chatter to bring clarity. The boys and I walked slowly while quieting our minds and focusing on our own spiritual questions or prayers. This moving meditation truly is a total rejuvenation to all who walk through it. And the kids thought this was super cool!
Don’t forget to take in the views of Safford Peak. It makes a great photo op too!
Scenic, Passey & Packrat Loop Trail
Distance: 1.7 miles (loop) | Elevation Change: 265 feet
This is an awesome, easy trail to take at sunset as the views of Safford Peak are spectacular! It’s also very close to Sanctuary Cove, and both trails can easily be done in the same day. If you take the loop clockwise, it’s less steep. Bring your camera, and don’t be afraid to veer off the trail towards the top rocks for some scenic landscape photo opportunities.
Where to Camp Near Saguaro National Park
Dispersed Camping
There is plenty of camping near Saguaro National Park, just not inside the park boundaries. It’s an ideal place to boondock! We recommend checking out the Sekr app to find awesome campsites with reviews. If you’re new to dispersed camping, check out our post for everything you need to know.
Gilbert Ray Campground
This accessible, quiet, and clean campground is close to the westside of Saguaro National Park and has 130 campsites with individual 30-amp electrical hook-ups and five designated tent sites. It’s recommended that you book your campsite online before arriving, and sites are $10 per night for tents and $20 per night for trailers and RVs. There is a section that is first-come, first serve. There are ample hiking and bike trails that spur off from Gilbert Ray, making it a great location for active campers.
In Summary
Saguaro National Park is a must-see destination if you’re in Arizona, especially as it is home to the most diverse natural cacti garden in the U.S. There’s nothing quite like taking in millions of saguaros, especially as the Arizona sunsets paint the sky like cotton candy!
