Saguaros abound in Saguaro National Park ~ Anie Wayman-Trujillo
Straddling the western and eastern sides of the City of Tucson lies a gem of a National Park known as Saguaro National Park. Incorporating over 91,000 acres, the Park is known for its stunning landscapes and is home to the Giant Saguaro Cacti, which are only found in the southern/central portion of Arizona and the Northern part of Mexico. The elevation in the park varies from 2,670 ft to 8,666 ft and includes desert scrub at the lowest elevations to desert grassland, oak woodland, pine-oak woodland, pine forest and mixed conifer forest at the highest elevation.
Created in 1994 to protect this towering giant and bring awareness to the fragile desert ecological setting, this lesser-known park attracts over 1 million visitors per year, with many of those visiting in the winter and spring months.
Throughout the year, Saguaro NP is adorned with many different colors of the changing weather patterns and seasons but there is no other season more colorful to experience than the spring when the wildflowers are in bloom.
With the winter of 2023 being one of the wettest winters on record, the outlook for the spring to usher in a bouquet of colorful wildflowers is high.
The usual times to catch the wildflowers in bloom are late February through April with the Saguaro Cactus flowers blooming in mid-May to June.
Along with catching the wildflowers in bloom, Saguaro NP offers many other unique opportunities for its visitors. Hiking and bike riding are the main activities within the park as well as bird watching and the chance to get up close to Petroglyphs.
Things to know if you are going to Saguaro NP.
The Tucson Mountain District of the Park lies to the west off of I-10 and is known as Saguaro West while the Rincon Mountain District of the Park lies to the east and is accessed off of I-19 and is called Saguaro East. Although the districts are located approximately 30 miles apart, it can be difficult to view both sides of the Park in one day.
It is recommended that you do not use the names of the districts on GIS mapping devices to get to the parks as they are continually mixed up. Use the addresses instead to get the proper directions to the parks.
The address for the east side of the park is 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail, Tucson Arizona 85730 while the west side address is 2700 N. Kinney Rd. Tucson, Arizona 85743. Park hours can vary depending on the time of year but usually, the west side of the park is open from sunrise to sunset while the Eastern side of the park is open from 7:00 to sunset.
The Eastern District is bigger and more mountainous and roads wind up into the pine trees. Along with many hiking trails, Saguaro East has a paved eight-mile one-way loop road.
Saguaro West has a denser concentration of the saguaro forest. The West District has several paved roads. There are more educational trails and the trails are shorter in length.
The 800-year-old petroglyphs are located within Saguaro West and can be accessed by walking a short distance along the Signal Hill Trail which is located at the Signal Hill Picnic Area.
This Park does not have any lodging within its boundaries. There are six small campgrounds within the park. They are mostly at higher elevations, ranging from 4800 feet at Douglas Spring to 7920 feet at Manning Camp. All require a minimum of a 4-mile hike to reach them and are not accessible by motorized vehicle.
On the west side of the park, 4 miles south of the Red Hills Visitor Center (Saguaro West) is the Gilbert Ray campground. A Pima County-maintained campground, 130 R.V. sites with individual 30 amp electrical hookups are available on a first-come basis.
There is an abundant number of hotels, motels, resorts, and rentals within a few minutes drive from both the Eastern and Western entrances to the park. The cost varies on the time of year and type of accommodation.
The temperature varies from in the low 30s at night in the winter and spring months to over 100 degrees in the summer. Check the current weather conditions before visiting the park There are no restaurants or snack shops within the park. Plan appropriately and take plenty of water and snacks for your trip.
Saguaro NP is home to various wildlife, snakes, and insects. Caution should be taken at all times when any animals are encountered.
Fees are required to enter Saguaro National Park. If you are 62 or over you are eligible for a Senior Park Pass. Learn more about the Senior Park Pass at https://cowgirlhippie.com/national-parks/
For up-to-date information, road closures or weather updates visit https://www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm
