The main feature in – and reason to go to – Saguaro National Park is to see the saguaro (pronounced SaWAro) cacti that give the park it’s name. These are the classic cartoon cactus – think Bugs Bunny and the Road Runner. Before I visited the southwest, I thought that these cacti were everywhere, but in fact they aren’t.
You can see them in other parts of Arizona, but there’s a large concentration of cacti in the national park and they are HUGE! Try to time your visit for late May when the cacti bloom!
Table of Contents
Saguaro National Park at a Glance
⭐ State: Arizona
⭐ Main attractions: Saguaro cacti (the classic ‘cartoon cactus’)
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Saguaro National Park Travel Guide
Use these free guides to help you plan your next trip to Saguaro National Park. Click on the links below to go to detailed guides and answers to your questions.
Entrance Fee for Saguaro National Park
There is an entrance fee for the park. Find the latest fees on the NPS website.
There’s an entrance station at the east side of the park. The west side operates on an honor system – you should go into the Visitor Center to pay the entrance fee if you didn’t already visit the east side and pay it there.
To avoid long lines and save money, if you are planning to visit more than just Mount Rainier this year, it can be great value to purchase an America The Beautiful pass.
The one-year pass includes standard entrance at all sites managed by the National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and Army Corps of Engineers. The pass covers the entrance fee for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle or up to 4 adults at sites that charge per person.
Get an America The Beautiful pass here
There are other types of passes available for seniors, veterans, etc.
Read More: NATIONAL PARKS PASSES
Saguaro National Park Visitor Centers
Saguaro National Park is separated into two districts: Rincon Mountain District (East) and Tucson Mountain District (West).
There are two Visitor Centers – one on each side of the park.
ℹ️ The Rincon Mountain Visitor Center (East) is open daily except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
ℹ️ The Red Hills Visitor Center (West) is also open daily except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Best Tours In & Near Saguaro National Park
🎧 Get a self-guided audio tour of Saguaro National Park
Things to Do in Saguaro National Park
There are two main things to do in Saguaro National Park:
Scenic Drives
⚠️ Trailers longer than 35 feet or any vehicle wider than 8 feet are not permitted on either of these drives.
Bajada Scenic Loop Drive (West):
The east side has the largest concentration of cacti and is generally more popular than the west side.
The 6-mile drive is the most popular way to experience the east side of the park. It’s an unpaved, graded dirt road, and is generally fine for regular vehicles. There are several scenic pullouts and trailheads along the way.
There’s a one-way section between the Hugh Norris Trailhead and Golden Gate Road, so if you want to drive the full loop, you need to drive in a counter-clockwise direction.
There are picnic areas and restrooms at Sus and Signal Hill along or just off the drive.
Cactus Forest Loop Drive (East):
The 8-mile drive is paved and is one-way in a clockwise direction. There are several pullouts and hiking trailheads along the drive. There’s a picnic area and restrooms at Mica View, which is at the end of a short side road.
Hikes
Hikes on the West side include:
🥾 Desert Discovery Nature Trail (0.5 miles)
🥾 Valley View Overlook Trail (0.8 miles)
🥾 Bajada Wash Trail (1.9 miles)
🥾 Wild Dog Trail (1.8 miles)
🥾 Signal Hill Petroglyphs Trail (0.5 miles)
Hikes on the East side include:
🥾 Desert Ecology Trail (0.25 miles)
🥾 Javelina Rocks Overlook (0.1 miles)
🥾 Mica View Trail (1.5 miles)
🥾 Cactus Forest Trail (5 miles)
🥾 Hope Camp Trail (6.6 miles)
Where to Stay In and Near Saguaro National Park
⛺ There are no lodges or hotels and no front country campgrounds inside the national park. The only option for staying inside the national park itself itself wilderness camping.
However, the park is split into two sections with Tucson in the middle, so there are plenty of accommodation options nearby:
➡️ Find a hotel in Tucson on Expedia.
➡️ Find a vacation rental in or near Tucson on VRBO.
➡️ Find a campground in or near Tucson on Campspot
How to Get To Saguaro National Park
There’s an airport in Tucson. However, depending on connections, it may be quicker (and cheaper) to fly into Phoenix, which is a much larger airport, and drive to Tucson from there. It’s just a 1.5-hour drive. This is what I’ve done – but always check connections and flight prices.
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How to Get Around Saguaro National Park
There are no roads on the islands, so the only way to get around is to hike or to take a boat from one port to another. Book a ferry with Island Packers.
🚗 If you need a rental car to get to the port, find one on RentalsCars.com
The Best Time to Visit Saguaro National Park
The park is open all year.
In general, winter (late November – late February) has the coolest temperatures, so this is a nice time to visit the national park.
Spring (late February – April) is when most of the desert wildflowers bloom. Temperatures are still not too bad.
Early summer (May – June) has hot temperatures, but from late April – mid-June is when the Saguaro Cactus bloom.
Late summer (July – September) is also really hot and this is monsoon season, so this is the absolute worst time to go.
Fall (October – late November) is dry and cooler. Sometimes the ocotillo have a second bloom in the fall. So, this isn’t a bad time to go.
How Long to Spend in Saguaro National Park
How many days you should go to Saguaro National Park for depends on when you have time off, how much time you have, your budget, and your interests. However, for most people , one day is enough to see the park’s highlights.
If you like to hike and want to cover more trails, then you could easily spend 2 or 3 days here – especially if you’re visiting in the hotter months and limiting your hikes to the early morning and late afternoon.
Travel Insurance for Saguaro National Park
In addition to working out the logistics of your trip using this travel guide, Saguaro National Park planning should also include travel insurance. Protect yourself against trip cancellation, loss or theft of your property, or any medical emergencies.
A great insurance option is Travelex. It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can compare Travel Insurance plans here or get a quote right now:
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About the author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Newsweek, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.