Top 7 Things to Do in Saguaro National Park

Explore Saguaro National Park in many different ways! From hikes and horseback rides to scenic drives and sunset views, there’s something for everyone to immerse themselves into the desert environment, right in Marana’s backyard.

Saguaro National Park West (officially known as the Tucson Mountain District) contains the namesake Tucson Mountains, and borders Marana to the south.

Saguaro National Park West is home to the largest concentration of saguaro cacti in the country and world, and is where you can find the some of the best panoramic desert and sunset vistas in the area. It has a different look and feel than its counterpart, Saguaro National Park East, which is located about an hour away, in the Rincon Mountains. While the East District includes alpine climates, waterfalls, and streams, the West District’s environment is much more what one would imagine a desert to be, with rugged mountains and cacti.

The Red Hills Visitor Center, located in the southern portion of Saguaro National Park West, is a great place to start your visit. It offers guided tours, presentations about the local environment and culture, indoor exhibits, a gift shop, restrooms, vending machines, and drinking fountains.

The Red Hills Visitor Center is also located close to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Old Tucson, so you can combine your visit to Saguaro National Park with two other top regional attractions.

Here are some of our favorite things to do in Saguaro National Park West:

1. Scenic Drives

Tour the Bajada Loop Drive in Saguaro National Park West for a great overview of the park and sweeping mountain and valley views. Everywhere you look, you’ll see hillsides studded with majestic and iconic saguaro cacti. There is a picnic area along the Bajada Loop Drive, as well as several others throughout the park, so you can drive in and enjoy a meal with amazing desert views. There’s the Signal Hill Picnic Area, easily accessible off of Golden Gate Road, the Cam-Boh Picnic Area off Picture Rocks Road, and one along the King Canyon Trail accessible only by hiking in.

Additionally, both Picture Rocks Road and Sandario Road run through Saguaro National Park West. These roads are major thoroughfares on the west side of the Tucson Mountains and make it easy to get to the park from Marana. Each road offers several pull-outs, where you can stop and take in the desert scenery. And don’t worry, although they are major roads, Saguaro National Park West still has a wild look and feel to it.

Visit Saguaro National Park’s website for a map of the park, including picnic areas.

2. Go Hiking

Saguaro National Park West is one of the top hiking destinations in Southern Arizona, with something for every skill level and desired length and difficulty. Enjoy mild treks across the gently-rolling desert floor, conquer mountain peaks, and everything in between.

Check out our Top 3 Hikes in Saguaro National Park West blog for some trail guides and itineraries for some of our favorite hikes in the park.

3. Go Stargazing

Saguaro National Park West offers some of the best stargazing near a major city in the country and even in the world. In fact, the park was named as an Urban Night Sky Place by Dark Skies International in 2022. This incredibly rare designation (there are only 12 Urban Night Sky Places in the world) is given to places that preserve dark skies and excellent stargazing, despite being located near major cities. The Tucson Mountains block much of the light from the city, which already undertakes efforts to reduce light pollution.

Stargazing in Southern Arizona is typically best during the summer (when the Milky Way can even be visible to the naked eye sometimes) but is good all year long. In Saguaro National Park West, there are several pull-outs along the roads through the park where you can pull over and take in the night sky.

Credit@kelvinaz_photo

4. Mountain Biking & Horseback Riding

Hiking isn’t the only way to hit the trails in Saguaro National Park West! Many visitors enjoy the park’s scenic loops on a bike or on horseback. Cyclists can enjoy the 6-mile gravel Bajada Loop, as well as the Golden Gate Multi-Use Trail, another gravel path, which can be accessed via Golden Gate Road or off of Picture Rocks Road.

Visit the Cycling section of Saguaro National Park’s website for more information.

Equestrians can also enjoy Saguaro National Park West’s trails! Riding through the desert on horseback gives your trip a uniquely southwestern feel and makes it that much more immersive. Horse trailer parking is available at several of the park’s trailheads. Visit the park’s website for more information.

CreditNational Park Service

5. See the Wildlife

Many different species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals call Saguaro National Park home. Look for roadrunners, a wide variety of lizards, kangaroo rats, and the cactus wren, Arizona’s state bird. The iconic saguaro cacti also act as a “motel” of sorts for a variety of birds, bats, small mammals, and other wildlife.

Visit the park’s page on wildlife for more!

Observe the park’s majestic wildlife from afar. Do not attempt to feed, approach, pet, or handle any wildlife.

PicturedA Gila Woodpecker, one of the birds common to Saguaro National Park West. You can frequently find them nesting inside Saguaro cacti.

6. View Ancient Petroglyphs

Petroglyphs, dating back hundreds of years to the Hohokam era and before, can be found all throughout Saguaro National Park West. The largest concentration can be found at Signal Hill, which is just a short walk up a hill from the Signal Hill Picnic Area. Dozens of ancient markings cover the rocks. Petroglyphs can also be found along the Coyote Pass Loop Trail, which is located closer to Marana.

Credit@rabbits_trails

7. Watch the Sunset

Arizona is famous for its sunsets, and Saguaro National Park West is one of the best places in the region to watch them. The park offers panoramic vistas of the Sonoran Desert landscape stretching out to the west. Experience the magnificent sunsets from anywhere in the park!

Here are some of the top locations to catch the sunset in Saguaro National Park West:

The Cam-Boh Trailhead Picnic & Parking area, located off Picture Rocks Road.
Signal Hill Picnic Area
Gates Pass, a steep, twisting road over the Tucson Mountains, located just to the south of the park. At the summit of the pass, there is a trailhead with a large parking area, shaded observation points, restrooms, and picnic tables. A short walk on any of the trails gives you an amazing view of the desert to the west and is one of the most popular places to watch a sunset in Southern Arizona. Gates to the trailhead close at 8pm.