How do you feel about a road trip? That was the question that started a family trip to Saguaro National Park this past December. As I finish up my Master’s Degree in Louisville, KY I don’t often get large amounts of time with my family out in Phoenix, AZ. Especially now that my grandmother lives there, it makes spending time with family much more accessible. So when I found out that I was going to be in Phoenix for an entire week before my sister could arrive for Christmas, my grandmother said that she would take me anywhere I wanted to go (within reason). And that’s how my mom, grandmother, and I ended up at Saguaro National Park (SNP).

On this specific trip, we decided to stick to the East Rincon Mountain District of SNP. The Rincon Mountain District is perfect for those with accessibility needs, with young children, or vehicles with low clearance. See #2 below for more information on the specifics between the Saguaro National Park East and Saguaro National Park West Districts.

Saguaro National Park has no shortage of amazing views or peculiar looking cacti and its teeming wildlife. But there is plenty more to this National Park that makes it worth a visit. Let’s dig in!

Top 7 reasons you should be visiting Saguaro National Park East and Saguaro National Park West

1. Amazing Landscapes

Saguaro National Park was set aside as a National Monument on March 1, 1933. The original land area of the National Monument is now known as the Rincon Mountain District. It wasn’t until later in 1921 that President John F. Kennedy added the 16,000 acres now known as the Tucson Mountain District to the National Monument. After the additions by President Kennedy the total land area under the protection of the National Park Service to 24,818 acres. It wasn’t until 1994 that the United States Congress finally declared the protected lands as a designated National Park.

The original protection of the Saguaro Cactus lead the conservation efforts of the National Monument lands. Not until arriving at Saguaro National Park do you feel the full impact and importance of protecting the cacti. From sprawling fields of Saguaro and other desert flora, the landscape is teeming with beautiful life. On multiple occasions, I wished that I could just stand at an overlook to take in all that the landscape had to offer.

From the second half of the Cactus Forest Loop (read more about it below), you can see the Tanque Verde Ridge and Rincon Mountain in the distance. At the higher elevations, Saguaro is home to lush vegetation, including trees. This means that there are separate ecosystems based upon the elevation within the park.

If all of that is not enough to convince you, the entire park is perfect for photography as well. All of the photos contained here were taken inside the Rincon Mountain District boundaries.



2. Two Parks in One

As mentioned above, Saguaro National Park actually resides in two distinct districts that are east and west of Tucson. While technically one single park, there is an extensive amount of land to take in.

Saguaro National Park West Tucson Mountain District

The west district of Saguaro National Park is far more lush in Saguaro Cacti (from what I have read and heard). Much of this district is home to lower elevation hiking trails that are surrounding by cacti that are too numerous to count. Don’t get me wrong, Wasson Peak comes in at an elevation of 4,687 feet and would be a great accomplishment for any hiker.

Just before the visitors center for the Tucson Mountain District is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and would be a great stop for anyone wishing to learn more about the desert environment. It also houses a great art gallery and provides educational opportunities for individuals young and old.

In the west district, you will also find the Bajada Scenic Loop. Unlike the Desert Forest Loop it is an unpaved road, so you’ll want to keep that in mind when planning your visit.

Saguaro National Park East Rincon Mountain District

The Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro boasts an incredibly different ecosystem than that of the west district. Here you won’t find fields of Saguaro after Saguaro but you will be experiencing the same wilderness and protection area from when the National Monument was first protected in 1933.

While the west district is often the go-to hiking location for Saguaro National Park , the east district often finds more backpackers hitting its trails. The Arizona Scenic Trail runs right through Saguaro National Park . Because of this Manning Camp, which is found in the Rincon Mountain Wilderness is set up for tent camping as well as for those traveling through the wilderness by horse.

The higher elevation profile of the Rincon Mountain District is the defining beauty of the east district.



3. Wildlife

Like many of the other National Parks, Saguaro is home to a wide variety of wildlife. While making a visit to the visitors center didn’t provide much opportunity for wildlife spotting, the park is a teeming ecosystem. The Cactus Wren that you see in the photos was the only wildlife I saw on my visit. That doesn’t mean that Saguaro isn’t home to numerous animals.

When working on my Not-so-Junior Junior Ranger booklet one of the animals I had never heard about was the Javelina. The Collared Peccary (or Javelina) can be found in abundance in Saguaro National Park . It’s animals like this that aren’t found in such numbers across the U.S. that are given a safe environment within the National Park.

Saguaro’s website states that “roadrunners, horned lizards, Gila monsters, kangaroo rats, and collared peccaries are all seen regularly by visitors.” I don’t know about anyone else, but I think spending time in Saguaro to try and see a roadrunner would be incredibly worth it! My next visit I hope to spend more time in the wilderness in an attempt to see more of the ecosystem of the park.

Luckily the NPS provides a complete animal listing (pages of PDF files) of all the amphibians, birds, and mammals. Those PDF files can be found at SNP’s website.



4. The Saguaro Cactus

The entire reason that Saguaro National Park exists in the first place, for the protection of the Saguaro Cactus.

While photos of the Saguaro may seem pleasing to the eye, there is really nothing like experiencing them in person. To look out over a field that is populated entirely by cacti, young and old, is something that needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

Fun fact: did you know that some Saguaro don’t even grow an arm until they are 100 years old? With it taking so long to grow an arm, many of the Saguaro that have no arms seem so young in comparison.

Don’t let those Saguaro fool you. Even a 10-foot tall Saguaro can be at least 60 years old, which is double my age!

My favorite fact that I learned when completing my Not-So-Junior Ranger booklet was about the Saguaro seeds. Each Saguaro produces somewhere around 40 million seeds during its lifespan. This often only results in 1 to 5 new cacti growths over those 200 years. Oh, by the way, each cactus can live to be at least 200 years old.

With so many cacti, it’s hard to find two that look exactly alike. By experiencing all that this National Park has to offer you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see how crazy and wild the Saguaro can be during its growth.



5. Hiking & Backpacking

I must admit that I have zero experience in this department. But the map of the hiking trails in Saguaro National Park shows the extensive trail system in place. The west district seems more suited to those who prefer day hikes and not staying overnight in the park. The west district would be perfect for individuals who enjoy backpacking, as the trail system is much longer. Getting to locations such as Rincon Mountain would require a multi-day backpacking trip through the Saguaro Wilderness.

The big hike in Saguaro National Park West is the Kings Canyon Trail which is a 7-mile trail but has access routes to several other trails along the way. Tanque Verde Ridge is the big draw in Saguaro National Park East. This hiking trail will take you from the floor of the valley along a 3,000-foot ascent along to the highest point of the ridge.

For those daring enough to push their limits of hiking and backpacking, Saguaro National Park provides the perfect challenge. It also is an easily accessible park for those seeking to get out and just experience the park by foot.



6. The Cactus Forest Loop

The Cactus Forest Loop is found within Saguaro National Park East Rincon Mountain District. It is a paved, one way, road roughly 8 miles in length. There are multiple stops along the loop to get out, read about the desert ecology, and to take photographs. The loop is a beautiful scenic introduction to Saguaro National Park East and should be on everyone’s to-do list if visiting the Rincon Mountain District.

On my visit to Saguaro National Park, I also witnessed quite a few cyclists taking on the loop. There are a couple of sections that have pretty steep hills if you’re not a full-time cyclist, so bring lots of water. However, it would a great activity for a family. Remember to keep in mind that the visitor’s center is outside the fee entrance station for the park. If you wish to drive or cycle the loop, you’ll need to pay a park entrance fee. Or better yet, bring your America The Beautiful Annual Park Pass!

While on the Cactus Forest Loop Drive you will find a great trail on the north end of the loop. This is the Desert Ecology trail and provides a great opportunity to learn about the desert ecosystem. The trail is paved, which means that it is fairly accessible for those with disabilities or other physical needs that the other hiking trails can’t provide. The signs that you see to the left are a great example of all the reading material you will find along the quarter-mile trail. They even provide information that may be useful during pub trivia one day. For example, did you know that desert mistletoe (phoradendron californicum) is actually a native parasite?



7. Food

Two words: Tucson Tamales.

By no means have they endorsed my support of their amazingly delicious and wonderful tamales. However, Tucson Tamales is the perfect example of how wonderful the local food is.

Being incredibly close to the border with Mexico has its benefits. Tucson is home to some pretty amazing Tex-Mex restaurants, as well as many authentic Mexican restaurants. There is even one breakfast location on the list below.

With Tucson being a hub for Saguaro National Park and the Catalina Mountains, there is no shortage of hiking trails. This means that after countless miles put in on the local trails, you might as well keep it local by partaking in all the local cuisine.

Here are some of the suggestions from locals, and from my parents who live in Phoenix:

Tucson Tamale Company

The Little One

Cafe Poca Cosa

Mi Nidito

El Charro Cafe

Prep & Pastry

If you can’t make it to the Tucson Tamale Company yourself, you can still experience tasty Tamales right from home thanks to Amazon! (note, these are affiliate links. Read my full legal disclosure here.)

|| Box of Happiness || Box of Hot Mess || Box of Veggie Tamales || Box of Vegan Tamales ||

As previously mentioned, the Tucson area has no shortage of hiking trails. There are multiple hikes that are on my wishlist for my next visit to the area. My hiking wish list for the area includes (but is not limited to):

Tanque Verde Trail to Rincon Mountain (Saguaro National Park East District)

Wasson Peak (Saguaro National Park West District)

Seven Falls (Catalina Mountains)

Mt. Kimball (Catalina Mountains)

Hopefully this time next year I’ll have more stories from my second visit to Saguaro National Park. And don’t forget that you can go to Saguaro National Park East and Saguaro National Park West to get double the bang out of your trip! If you’re finding this post after my next trip, I’ll be sure to provide the link right here.