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Saguaro National Park

Tucson, AZ

The staff at Saguaro National Park invite you to “Experience Your America” in a way that only the Sonoran Desert can offer. This unique desert is home to the most recognizable cactus in the world, the majestic saguaro. Visitors of all ages are fascinated and enchanted by these desert giants, especially their many interesting and complex interrelationships with other desert life. Saguaro cacti provide their sweet fruits to hungry desert animals. They also provide homes to a variety of birds, such as the Harris’ hawk, Gila woodpecker and the tiny elf owl. Yet, the saguaro requires other desert plants for its very survival. During the first few years of a very long life, a young saguaro needs the shade and protection of a nurse plant such as the palo verde tree. With an average life span of 150 years, a mature saguaro may grow to a height of 50 feet and weigh over 10 tons.

While most visitors to Saguaro National Park choose a leisurely drive on one of our scenic loop drives, those eager for an escape from the rigors of city life often opt to explore the park on one of our many trails. With over 150 miles of hiking trails, ranging from flat and easy strolls in the Sonoran Desert to steep and rugged hikes into the Rincon Mountains, visitors of every ability have a place to get out of the car and explore.

CONTACTS

Email - sagu_information@nps.gov

Fax- 520-733-5183

Write to
Saguaro National Park-Headquarters and Rincon Mountain District
3693 South Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730-5601

- or -
Saguaro National Park-Tucson Mountain District
2700 North Kinney Road
Tucson, AZ 85743

Phone
Visitor Information-Rincon Mountain District - (520) 733-5153
Visitor Information-Rincon Mountain District (TDD) - (520) 733-5153
Visitor Information-Tucson Mountain District - (520) 733-5158
Headquarters - (520) 733-5100

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Both districts of the Park are open daily from 7:00 am to sunset. Visitor centers are open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Both Visitor Centers are closed on Christmas Day.

Getting There
PLANE - Major airlines serve Tucson, Arizona.

CAR - The Rincon Mountain District may be reached from the City of Tucson by traveling east on Broadway or Speedway to Freeman Road; Take Freeman Road south (right) to Old Spanish Trail (4 miles [6.5 km] from Speedway, 3 miles [5 km] from Broadway). Turn left onto Old Spanish Trail heading south. Look for signs to the Park entrance. The Park entrance is approximately .25 miles [.4 km] from Freeman Road.

The Tucson Mountain District may be reached from Tucson by traveling west on Speedway Boulevard. At the junction with Camino de Oeste, Speedway Boulevard will change names to Gates Pass Road. From this junction, continue to drive west on Gates Pass Road until you reach the "T" intersection with Kinney Road (4 miles [6.5 km]). Turn right on Kinney Road and drive three miles [5 km] north to the Park entrance. The entrance is on the right side of Kinney Road.

BUS - Major bus lines serve Tucson, Arizona.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Amtrak serves Tucson, Arizona.

The City of Tucson operates public bus transportation services throughout the City of Tucson. These bus lines do NOT reach either district of Saguaro National Park. Public transportation is not available within the park.

Weather & Climate
Winters are very delightful with mild warm days averaging 65 degrees F. (19 degrees C.) and cool nights averaging 40 degrees F.(5 degrees C.). Summers can be extremely hot with daytime temperatures exceeding 105 degrees F.(41 degrees C.) in the shade, and evening lows averaging 72 degrees F. (22 degrees C.). Alway wear a hat and use sunscreen while hiking. Drink plenty of water. At least one gallon of water per person, per day is recommended.

Accessibility
Visitor centers, orientation programs (captioning available by request), bookstores, restrooms, picnic areas, cactus gardens, and one interpretive trail in each district are accessible. Inquire at the visitor centers regarding accessible interpretive programs.

There are six picnic areas in Saguaro National Park that can be reached by vehicle. Each of these picnic areas features one table with an overhang and a wheelchair accessible pit toilet. Mica View and Javelina Picnic Areas are available in the Rincon Mountain District. Sus, Signal Hill, Cam-boh and Ez-kim-in-zin Picnic Areas are available in the Tucson Mountain District.

The brochure, For All To Enjoy, is available free at both visitor centers. If you would like a copy of this brochure sent to you by mail, please call (520) 733-5153 or write the Park at Saguaro National Park, 3693 South Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, Arizona 85730-5601.

Getting Around
Most visitors to Saguaro National Park use private vehicles to get around. Public transportation is NOT available within the Park. All roads with Saguaro National Park are open to bicycle use; however, they must abide by the same laws as motor vehicles.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
RINCON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT - ENTRANCE
$6.00/private car for 7 Days
$3.00/individual for 7 Days
$20.00 for Annual
The optional annual pass is for Saguaro National Park only. It is good for one year from the month of purchase.

TUCSON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT - ENTRANCE
Free!
No entrance fee required, however, National Park passes are available in the Visitor Center.

CAMPING

Rincon Mountain District- Backcountry Camping Area
Open All Year
Backcountry camping is permitted in the Saguaro Wilderness Area located in the Rincon Mountain District.This backcountry area consists of 59,930 acres and was designated as a wilderness area in 1976. Overnight camping requires a free permit, which can be obtained through the mail or in person at the RMD visitor center. Permits are not available after noon on the day of departure. There are six wilderness campgrounds, which are only accessible by foot or horse. All of these campgrounds are a minimum of six miles from the nearest trailhead. Water is available seaonally in the wilderness area. Check with the RMD visitor center for a current water report. Manning Camp has a permanent spring, however, it may be frozen over during the winter months. It is stongly recommended that all water be treated before drinking. Saguaro National Park does NOT offer drive-in camping facilities on either district. Camping is available in nearby county and state parks and in the Coronado National Forest. Pima County Parks and Recreation information is available at www.azstarnet.com/~pcrp/tmp.htm. Information on Colossal Cave Mountain Park may be found at www.colossalcave.com/explore.html. Information on Catalina State Park may be found at www.pr.state.az.us/parkhtml/catalina.html. Campgrounds of the Coronado National Forest can be researched at www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado/scrd/.

Tucson Mountain District
No camping is available within the Tucson Mountain District of Saguaro National Park.

LODGING

None available in either district.
Contact the Tucson Visitor's Bureau for information on lodging and dining in the Tucson area. Their address is 130 South Scott Avenue, Tucson, Arizona 85701. They may also be contacted at (520) 624-1817 or www.visittucson.org.

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
RINCON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Phone - (520) 733-5153
Location - The Rincon Mountain District visitor center is located 15 miles (24 km) east of downtown Tucson, Arizona. See the "Getting There" section under Travel Basics for detailed directions.
Closures - The visitor center is closed on Christmas Day.
Special Programs - Ranger guided programs are offered throughout the year. Several different programs are available daily during the busy winter months (November to mid-April). Please call the visitor center for more information.
Exhibits - Exhibits focus on the natural and cultural history of the Sonoran Desert. "A Home in the Desert", a fifteen-minute orientation program to Saguaro National Park, is shown throughout the day. Captioning is available on request.
Available Facilities - Southwest Parks and Monuments Association (SPMA) operates a bookstore in the visitor center offering a large selection of books on the Sonoran Desert and the Southwestern United States. Wheelchair accessible public restrooms are available at the visitor center.

TUCSON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
Open All Year 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Phone - (520) 733-5158
Location - The Tucson Mountain District of Saguaro National Park is located 15 miles (24 km) west of downtown Tucson, Arizona. See the "Getting There" section under Travel Basics for detailed directions.
Closures - The visitor center is closed on Christmas Day.
Special Programs - Ranger guided programs are offered throughout the year. Several different programs are available daily during the busy winter months (November to mid-April). Please call the visitor center for more information.
Exhibits - Exhibits focus on the cultural and natural history of the Sonoran Desert. "Voices of the Desert", a fifteen-minute program exploring the Native American perspective of the Sonoran Desert, is shown (captioned) throughout the day.
Available Facilities - Southwest Parks and Monuments Association (SPMA) operates a bookstore in the visitor center offering a large selection of books on the Sonoran Desert and the Southwestern United States. Wheelchair accessible public restrooms are available at the visitor center.

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