A first-time guide to Saguaro National Park

04.01.2025 - 13:05 / lonelyplanet.com

Jan 3, 2025 • 7 min read

Set on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona, Saguaro National Park invites visitors to drink up the rugged beauty and charm of the Sonoran Desert. Home to the towering saguaro cactus – the largest cactus in North America – the park is a testament to the remarkable resilience of desert life.

Expansive mountain landscapes and iconic cacti as far as the eyes can see set the stage for an unforgettable experience. If you’re lucky, you may even spot the rare and mysterious crested saguaro. Remember to watch your step – prickly cacti don’t mess around. Here’s your guide to making the most of a visit to Saguaro National Park.

Summer at Saguaro National Park can be hot – like, really hot. Temperatures often climb above 100°F. Then, there’s monsoon season, which can run from mid-June through September. Early morning and late evening explorations are your best bets for exploring the park in the summer months.

For more comfortable temps, aim for early spring (March and April) or late fall (October and November). These seasons offer mild weather, with temperatures ranging from the high 50°Fs to the low 80°Fs. Spring in particular is a wonderful time to see wildflowers, chollas and saguaro cacti in bloom.

At 92,000 acres, Saguaro National Park is among the smallest national parks in the United States. Uniquely, this park is split into two distinct units on either side of Tucson. To the west, you’ll find the Tucson Mountain District, where the Red Hills Visitor Center is located. On the east side, the Rincon Mountain District is home to the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center.

The Tucson Mountain District tends to be the more popular of the two, thanks to its dense forest of tree-like saguaro cacti. You could easily explore this area in half a day by watching the park’s film, checking off a couple of short hikes and motoring along the six-mile Scenic Bajada Loop Drive.

Saguaro National Park is easy to reach and explore, but you will need your own wheels since there is no shuttle service in the park. From downtown Tucson, it’s a 30–40-minute drive to either of the park’s two districts. Flying in? Tucson International Airport is 20 minutes away from downtown and receives direct flights from 19 US cities, including Chicago, Seattle and Salt Lake City.

There are no drive-in campgrounds inside the park, but adventurous backpackers can camp in the Saguaro Wilderness Area in the Rincon Mountain District at one of six hike-in backcountry sites. Note that you’ll need to get a permit online at Recreation.gov. There are nearby private campgrounds, too, like the Tucson/Lazydays KOA Resort.

Tucson itself has plenty of hotels and Airbnbs to fit any budget, which is good to know since you won’t find any lodging inside the