National park

Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park is a national park in Pima County, Arizona. Entrance is $25 per vehicle.

Check current closures and fire restrictions for Saguaro National Park on the managing agency's own page.

Saguaro National Park
Photo: Saguaro Pictures, CC BY 3.0

Saguaro National Park map

Saguaro National Park boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.

View larger map Open in Google Maps Directions

Fire restrictions

No fire restriction recorded for this unit as of Sept. 30, 2026. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders below before you go.

Common questions

Entrance costs $25 per vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, and $15 per person on foot or bicycle. Interagency (America the Beautiful) passes are accepted.
No. Saguaro National Park has no developed campground. Sites cost $8 a night. Campsites must be reserved ahead. No vehicle or RV camping; six hike-in wilderness campgrounds require Recreation.gov permits (as of September 29, 2026). Each site holds up to 6 people. No hookups; no showers. Camping outside campgrounds is not allowed.
Pets are allowed in Saguaro National Park on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
No. Launching, landing or operating a drone is not allowed in Saguaro National Park.

Fees, passes, and hours

Entrance costs $25 per vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, and $15 per person on foot or bicycle. Interagency (America the Beautiful) passes are accepted.

Source: nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/fees, checked 2026-09-28.

Entrances and visitor centers

  • Rincon Mountain Visitor Center3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85730
  • Red Hills Visitor Center

Source: nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/basicinfo, checked 2026-09-29.

Camping in Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park has no developed campground. Sites cost $8 a night. Campsites must be reserved ahead. No vehicle or RV camping; six hike-in wilderness campgrounds require Recreation.gov permits (as of September 29, 2026). Each site holds up to 6 people. No hookups; no showers. Camping outside campgrounds is not allowed.

Campfires: Campfires prohibited at Douglas Spring and Grass Shack; elsewhere use only dead and downed wood and extinguish fully.

Reserve a campsite

Source: nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/camping, checked 2026-09-29.

Pets

Pets are allowed in Saguaro National Park on a leash no longer than 6 feet.

Source: nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/pets, checked 2026-09-28.

Scenic drives

  • Cactus Forest Drive8 mi, paved, vehicles over 40 ft not allowed on part of itOpen: Open 5 am to dusk daily
  • Bajada Loop Drive6 mi, graded gravel, vehicles over 40 ft not allowed on part of itOpen: Open dawn to dusk; high clearance not required

Source: nps.gov/sagu/faqs, checked 2026-09-29.

Getting there

  • Nearest town: Tucson, AZ
  • Limited cell service

Source: nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/basicinfo, checked 2026-09-29.

Trails

  • Freeman Homestead Trail(1 mi loop, easy)Homestead foundation, large saguaros, and interpretive signs for kids.
  • Loma Verde Loop(3.8 mi loop, easy to moderate)Mesquite grove, bajada, and Pink Hill overlook of the cactus forest.
  • Hope Camp and Ridge View Trail(2 mi round trip, moderate)400 ft gain to panoramic views of Rincon Peak and Box Canyon.
  • Garwood Dam and Wildhorse Tank(6.4 mi loop, moderate)Cactus forest hike to 1950s Garwood Dam and perennial Wildhorse Tank.
  • Tanque Verde Ridge Trail(6.9 mi one way, strenuous)Strenuous climb to Juniper Basin (6.9 mi) or Tanque Verde Peak (8.7 mi).
  • Wild Dog Trail(1.8 mi one way, easy to moderate)West district link from Valley View toward Signal Hill picnic area.
  • King Canyon / Gould Mine Loop(2.4 mi loop, moderate)380 ft gain via wash and old mining road in the Tucson Mountains.
  • Sendero Esperanza to Wasson Peak(8 mi round trip, strenuous)Up to 1,600 ft gain via Hugh Norris Trail to the west district summit.

Source: nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/saguaro_hiking, checked 2026-09-29.

What to see

  • Scenic driveCactus Forest Drive8-mile paved loop through dense saguaro forest in the Rincon Mountain District.
  • Scenic driveBajada Loop DriveUnpaved graded loop through thick saguaros in the Tucson Mountain District.
  • PeakWasson Peak4,687 ft high point of the west (Tucson Mountain) district.
  • PeakMica Mountain8,666 ft high point of the east (Rincon Mountain) district.

Source: nps.gov/sagu/faqs, checked 2026-09-29.

Public lands next to Saguaro National Park

Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.