Saguaro National Park
Trip Assistant
How Much Time?
Each unit is relatively small, with short scenic drives. It’s easy to drive them and stop at a few viewpoints in a day. It’s definitely worth sticking around for sunrise/sunset. Saguaro make excellent silhouettes! If you like hiking and/or backpacking, stick around longer. Hiking up to Wasson Peak (multiple routes, I like Hugh Norris) in the West Unit and backpacking to Manning Camp in the East Unit are worthwhile endeavors. It gets cold (and occasionally snows) at Manning Camp, so be prepared for it.
Need to Know
- Each unit is open roughly from sunrise to sunset.
- Saguaro don’t bloom until June.
- Be prepared for the heat. It can be hot any day of the year.
- Backpackers headed to Manning Camp must be prepared for the cold. Things are a little different around 8,000 feet!
Highlights
- Cactus Forest Loop
- Bajada Scenic Loop
- Red Hills Visitor Center
Activities
- Hiking
- Backpacking
- Biking
- Horseback Riding
Favorite Trails
Easy
Moderate/Strenuous *Links to AllTrailsWhen To Go?
Weather
Visitation
Remember temperature decreases about 3-5°F with every feet of elevation gain and Manning Camp is right around 8,0000 feet elevation. It’s a good place to cool off in summer. Even then, mornings will be cool. Winter is most popular due to comfortable weather and migrating northerners.
Park Map Downloads
Road Trips
Helpful Tools
Below you'll see a Google Map to help plan road trips from the east (White Sands), north (Grand Canyon), and west (San Diego, CA). It’s a good start, but I’d highly recommend making your own. Google My Maps, Wanderlog, and TripIt are incredibly useful trip planning tools. Find what works best for you!
There’s much more to our country. Here’s another Google Map with points of interest across all types of public land.
For campers, here’s a Google Map with National Forest campgrounds. National Park campgrounds are difficult to reserve (there are about 200!). With nearly 5,000 national forest campgrounds, you can usually pull in and find a spot.
Highlights
Sedona (Coconino National Forest), the Superstition Mountains (Tonto NF), and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument are particularly good.
If you like this, please check out my books or Buy Me a Coffee (more likely some fuel 🙂