Split into east and west districts, with Tucson, Arizona, smack dab in the middle, Saguaro National Park is home to the nation's largest cacti. One-armed or multi-armed, these giant cacti appear to be in a perpetual state of surprise with their upraised arms. Travel to this national park and you will not only see plenty of saguaro, but also cholla, prickly pear, pincushion, and barrel cacti, to name a few. Visit in April and May and there’s a good chance of spotting brilliantly-saturated blooms on those same cacti.

While Saguaro National Park is considered an urban park, take a hike here and it will feel like you are far from any metropolitan area as you gaze out upon the vast, rugged landscape. With Tucson so close, however, you won’t have any problems trying to find lodging, food, or fuel for your vehicle. This is a good thing because while the park offers six designated backcountry campgrounds for you to explore, but no frontcountry camping accessible by vehicle.

Bring your camera to photograph those cactus blooms, petroglyphs etched into the rocks as far back as 1,550 years ago, sunsets over the landscape, and any of a variety of animals who can survive the high desert temperatures well enough to call this national park home. What might you see? Depending upon when and what part of the park you choose to explore, you might spy road runners, Gambel’s quail, kangaroo rats, Gila monsters, javelinas, mule deer, coyotes, black bears, squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits.

Feel like a little two-wheeled adventure? You can enjoy the scenery from the perspective of your bicycle along the park’s two scenic loop drives: Cactus Forest Loop Drive (paved) and Bajada Loop Drive (gravel). E-bikes are welcome in the park too, but permitted only where traditional bicycles are allowed.

Feel like learning a little bit about the park? Saguaro offers ranger-guided programs on a monthly basis, so just check the schedule to find out what’s going on.

Saguaro National Park is always open, except under emergency conditions and on certain holidays. You can walk or bike into the park 24 hours a day. In the Western District, the Cactus Forest Loop Drive is open daily 5:00am - 8:30pm. In the Tucson Mountain District (West), the Bajada Scenic Loop Drive is open daily dawn to dusk (actual times vary throughout the year).

Traveler’s Note: The park’s busy season is early spring, when the temperatures are much cooler than they will be in the summer. This means parking lots will fill up quicker and visitor centers and trails will be filled with visitors. Get out there early or much later in the day, and always have a backup plan handy.

Traveler’s Choice For: Cactus, photography, Sonoran Desert ecosystems