Saguaro National Park’s proximity to Tucson, Arizona, makes it a safe bet you’ll find plenty of lodging, and that’s a good thing, since there is no in-park lodging at Saguaro and the park’s six designated campgrounds must be hiked to as they are not accessible by vehicles.

Visit Tucson has a wealth of nearby lodging, including hotels/motels, resorts, bed and breakfasts, RV parks, private campgrounds, and vacation rentals.

If you feel like really exploring the Saguaro backcountry and getting away from the crowds, then the park’s six designated campgrounds in the Saguaro Wilderness Area will help you with that goal. A wilderness permit for backcountry camping is required through recreation.gov. The cost is $8 per campsite per night. The maximum number of people allowed per campsite is 6, with the maximum size of any one group of 18 people.

Manning Camp, Saguaro National Park / NPS-T. Wiewel

Manning Camp - Built by former Tucson Mayor Levi Manning, this camp was his family's summer home. Now, this camp serves as a high elevation base for many of the park’s fire and natural resource studies. At 8000 feet, Manning Camp exists in a completely different climate from the desert scrub experienced down at the Visitor Center. The area is mostly shaded by the ponderosa pines, making it a cool escape from the desert sun. A perennial water source near the cabin means water is almost always available. Fires are permitted within the fire rings.

Spud Rock Spring – This is the most isolated of the six campgrounds, sitting on the east side of the range at 7200 feet. Access is generally from the east, but Turkey Creek trailhead is very difficult to drive and requires a lifted truck or a jeep. At the very least, you will need a vehicle with four-wheel drive. Also, make sure to check the conditions of the road before heading out as it can become muddy and treacherous after some rain. Water is available at multiple areas along the trail during wetter months. During the winter, this area is often under feet of snow. Please call before heading out for information on current conditions. If water sources are dried up, nearby Manning Camp offers year-round water (most years).

Happy Valley Campground - Take exit 297 from Interstate-10 (Mescal Road). Be advised this is a rarely maintained dirt road that has multiple stream crossings. During wet winters and the monsoon season, this road may be impassable. This is the shortest hike to a campground, covering 3.9 miles and over 2000 feet of elevation gain. Water at this campsite is variable, only occurring during wet times. 

Juniper Basin Campground - This campground is a strong day hike up the Tanque Verde Ridge over 6.9 miles and 3000 feet of elevation gain. Water here is very seasonal, and it is often dry during the spring and fall. When there is water, sources can be found west of site 1 (following a footpath to pools of water) and north of sites 2 and 3. Fires are allowed here only from collecting dead and downed wood.

Grass Shack Campground - Two of the larger streams in the Rincon mountains (Chimenea Creek and Madrona Creek) run through and by the campground, providing water most of the year. Fires are not allowed here as this campground is in a fragile, riparian ecosystem surrounded by a thick grassland.
The easiest access to Grass Shack is from the Camino Loma Alta trailhead, and this 10-mile hike climbs 2200 feet to the campground, which is often not affected by winter storms. Cell service is limited. If you need to make contact, climb 0.5 - 1 mile in either direction of the campsite. This is the first of two campgrounds on the Arizona Trail.

Juniper Basin Campground, Saguaro National Park / NPS file

Douglas Spring Campground – This is the lowest campground and as such is ideal during winter storms that blanket the higher elevations with feet of snow. Water is seasonal so you will want to check water reports at the visitor center before heading out. Fires are not allowed here due to the lack of firewood and the extremely fire-prone grasslands that occupy the area. Cell service is not guaranteed, and you may have to wander around a bit or head east on the trail (uphill) to get a signal.