Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Park Closure Bajada Loop Drive Closure in West District

Much of the west district's Bajada Loop Drive is currently closed due to storm damage.Hohokam Road is open to Sus Picnic Area only. The Javalina Wash Trail is also closed due to storm damage. The Red Hills Visitor Center remains open and many trails are still accessible. The east district is fully open.

Caution Vehicle Break-Ins

Vehicle break-ins have occurred at the King Canyon Trailhead, as well as at other trailheads throughout the park. Hide valuables and consider taking them with you, secure your vehicle, and report any suspicious activity. Please call 911 to report criminal activity or the Pima County Sheriff's Department Non-Emergency number at 520-351-4900.

Information RV and trailer precautions: be aware of vehicle restrictions before visit.

As the busy season ramps up, traffic will be denser and can result in delays and complications particularly for owners of longer vehicles. The Tucson Mountain District (west side) of the park can accommodate vehicles up to 40ft in total length on the loop drive and has RV parking available at the Visitor Center, and the Rincon Mountain District (east side) can accommodate vehicles up to 40ft in length on the loop drive but has no RV parking available at the Visitor Center.

Information Rideshare services should be used with caution if visiting the Tucson Mountain District

Rideshare services will drop visitors off at the park, but usually will not pick them back up. To avoid being stranded in the park, coordinate two-way trips before using rideshares to visit the West side. No major trails start at the visitor center.

Overview

Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are protected by Saguaro National Park, to the east and west of the modern city of Tucson. Here you have a chance to see these enormous cacti, silhouetted by the beauty of a magnificent desert sunset.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Arts and Culture
  • Auto and ATV
  • Scenic Driving
  • Astronomy
  • Stargazing
  • Biking
  • Camping
  • Backcountry Camping
  • Guided Tours
  • Hiking
  • Backcountry Hiking
  • Front-Country Hiking
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Park Film

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Saguaro National Park: The park is always open, except under emergency conditions. You can walk or bike into the park 24 hours a day. The Visitor Centers are open daily from 9:00am - 5:00pm from Oct. 1st to May 31st, & switch to 8:00am - 4:00pm from June 1st to Sept. 30th. In the Tucson Mountain District (West), The Bajada Loop Scenic Drive (Golden Gate Road & Hohokam Road) is open to vehicles during daylight hours. In the Rincon Mountain District (East), the Cactus Forest Loop Drive is open from 5:00am - 8:30pm.

Fees and passes

  • Entrance - Private Vehicle — $25.00
  • Entrance - Per Person — $15.00
  • Entrance - Motorcycle — $20.00
  • Annual Entrance - Park — $45.00

The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at federal recreation lands across all four agencies.

Getting there

Saguaro National Park has two districts separated by the city of Tucson. The address for the Saguaro National Park West District is 2700 N Kinney Rd. We do not recommend using mobile mapping applications to search for either district. Instead, please click the link to the directions page, determine which district you plan to visit, and enter that physical address into the mobile application.

Visitor centers

Campgrounds

  • Grass Shack
  • Douglas Spring
  • Juniper Basin
  • Happy Valley Saddle
  • Spud Rock Spring
  • Manning Camp (6 sites)

Weather

You can expect the Winter Season to have daytime temperatures from the low 50's to the high 70's. Whereas the Summer Season can result temperatures ranging from the mid-90's to low 110's. During the Summer season, it is highly recommended to restrict outdoor activities to before 10am, or after 4pm. Late Summer into early Fall is usually accompanied by heavy monsoon rains, resulting in cooler but more humid afternoons and evenings. Flash flooding is a concern around this time of year.

Phone: 5207335153

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

A flowering fishhook pincushion cactus
Flowering Fishhook Pincushion Cactus · NPS Photo/ Bolyard
Two coyote pups captured on a wilderness camera
Coyote Pups · NPS Photo
Lightning strike captured on camera with saguaros in the background
Saguaro National Park Lighting Storm · NPS Photo
Rare Sight of snow in Saguaro National Park East Visitor Center (Rincon Mountain District)
Weather at Saguaro National Park · NPS Photo
A group of Phrynosoma solare, or regal horned lizards.
Group of Regal Horned Lizards · NPS Photo

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