Saguaro National Park is one of the most underrated National Parks in the USA. Located in southern Arizona, Saguaro National Park is filled to the brim with giant cacti, rugged mountains, and ancient petroglyphs.
You absolutely must stop by this desert paradise on your next Arizona road trip!
Before visiting Saguaro National Park, there are some things you should know. From camping info and hours to the park’s divided sections and RV rules, here are seven helpful things to know before visiting Saguaro National Park.
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SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK AT A GLANCE
Before diving in, here are a few highlights for planning a trip to Saguaro National Park.
- Getting There: The closest major airport to Saguaro is Phoenix Sky Harbor International. Find affordable flights here.
- Entrance Fee: $25/vehicle or FREE with an America the Beautiful Pass
- Where to Stay: Camp at Catalina State Park or stay right outside Saguaro in the town of Tuscon.
- How to Get Around: You’ll need to rent a personal vehicle to get around Saguaro.
- Best Time to Visit: October – April
- How Long to Visit: 1-2 days
7 Helpful Things to Know Before Visiting Saguaro National Park
1. The park is divided into two sections – east and west.
Saguaro National Park is divided into two sections – East and West. These sections are approximately 50 minutes from one another (visitor center to visitor center). The two sections are separated by the city of Tucson, Arizona.
Saguaro National Park East (Rincon Mountain District) is the larger, less-crowded side with more hiking trails, a paved scenic drive, and the only camping opportunities in the park. Due to the wider range of elevation, wildlife and weather here can differ from the East side.
Saguaro National Park West (Tucson Mountain District) is the smaller, more popular side with shorter, easier hiking trails, a dirt scenic drive, and the only petroglyphs in the park. This side sits at a lower elevation and contains a higher concentration of cacti.
For a full comparison of the two sides, including the hiking trails, crowds, visitor centers, cacti, scenic drives, and more, read my Saguaro National Park East Vs. West guide.
2. There is no car or RV camping in the park.
There are no frontcountry campgrounds in Saguaro National Park. Car and RV camping aren’t allowed.
If you’re interested in backpacking, Saguaro East has 6 backcountry campgrounds. All of these sites are hike-in only. I’ll put a chart below of the backcountry campgrounds and their details. You can read more about backcountry camping in Saguaro here.
| Wilderness Campground | # of Sites | Elevation | Distance From Nearest Trailhead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manning Camp | 6 | 7,920 feet | 7.5 miles from Turkey Creek |
| Spud Rock Spring | 3 | 7,400 feet | 5.3 miles from Turkey Creek |
| Happy Valley Saddle | 3 | 6,200 feet | 4.1 miles from Miller Creek |
| Juniper Basin | 3 | 6,000 feet | 6.9 miles from Tanque Verde Ridge |
| Grass Shack | 3 | 5,200 feet | 10 miles from Loma Alta/Hope Camp |
| Douglas Spring | 3 | 4,800 feet | 6.3 miles from Douglas Spring |
If you don’t want to camp in the backcountry but still want to camp near Saguaro, check out Catalina State Park! This beautiful state park has a super nice campground (this is where we stayed). The best part? They have HOT SHOWERS!
3. The park is open from around sunrise to sunset.
Saguaro is one of the rare National Parks that closes its gates overnight.
Both sides of the park (East and West) are open from around sunrise to sunset. I say “around” because times can vary slightly throughout the year. Check the current hours on the NPS website here.
4. You can hike or bike into the park 24 hours/day.
While Saguaro National Park is closed to vehicles from around sunset to sunrise, you can hike or bike into the park 24 hours per day!
This is a great option if you want to stay after the park closes to watch the sunset or if you want to enter the park before it opens to watch the sunrise.
Since the best time to visit Saguaro is in the winter months, the days will be a lot shorter, making your time in the park very limited. So I’d recommend driving around the park during the day, stopping at all of the overlooks and hiking the trails, and then before sunrise and/or after sunset, biking in to watch the sunrise/sunset.
Don’t forget your headlamp, though! It’ll be dark!
5. The park isn’t very RV-friendly.
Saguaro National Park is not very RV-friendly, but you still may be able to bring your camper. Let me explain.
There is no parking for RVs on either of the scenic drives. However, if you bring a trailer/RV shorter than 35 feet, you could drive the loops; you just wouldn’t be able to pull into any of the overlooks or park at any of the trailheads.
Saguaro National Park East’s visitor center (Rincon Mountain) has no parking for RVs, but you’ll find a few RV parking spots available at the Saguaro National Park West visitor center (Red Hills).
IMPORTANT: Trailers longer than 35 feet or wider than 8 feet are not permitted to drive either of the scenic loops at all.
6. Only one side of the park has an entrance station.
Saguaro East is the only side with an entrance station, but both sides have a visitor center. Since Saguaro West doesn’t have an entrance station, you’ll need to purchase your park pass at the Red Hills Visitor Center. There is a $25/vehicle fee.
If you already have an America the Beautiful Pass (which I’d highly recommend, especially if you will be going to the other Arizona National Parks) and you’re planning on perusing the visitor center, getting a map, asking the ranger questions, etc., make sure to bring your pass inside to show them. The ranger stationed inside will likely request to see it. We had to go back out to our car to grab ours.
7. There’s no food in the park.
There are no restaurants, concession stands, or snack/drink machines in the park. There are water fountains at each of the visitor centers, but you won’t find water anywhere else.
Be prepared by bringing in your own water. We always bring our 5-gallon collapsible water jug with us into the parks. This amount of water is enough for both of us to drink throughout the entire day, plus enough to boil water for hot tea/coffee and meals.
I’d also recommend bringing in your own food. Since there are seven picnic areas in the park – six that are accessible by vehicle – it’s easy to stay in the park and enjoy a meal with a great view.
While I’d suggest bringing in your own food and water so that you can spend the entire day in the park, there are plenty of dining options in Tucson should you decide to leave.
Discover Your Next Adventure
Where to next? I’ve got some suggestions!
- Death Valley National Park
- Sedona
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Horseshoe Bend
- Grand Canyon National Park
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