Thanks for the recommendation. This is a great spot to enjoy the sunset, but it's great any time of day. From Phoenix, your trip will cover about 100 miles and should take around an hour and a half, depending on traffic. Years ago, I walked almost to the top of that butte on the south side of the road as you enter the park. Saguaro National Park Best Photography Spots 1. Learn how to put all of this together in our Arizona Road Trip Itinerary. Thanks Alex! . 1. The western section, also called the Tucson Mountain District, Best Things to do in Saguaro National Park, More Information for Your Trip to Arizona. It is adult only. Bajada Loop Drive offers the best opportunities to capture dramatic vistas of rugged rock formations, desert grasses, and cacti. 4. Along the way, and on the rocks on top of the hill, you get to see the rock art, or petroglyphs, drawn by the Hohokam people over 800 years ago. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. One day is all you need to visit Saguaro National Park, unless you plan to go camping in the backcountry. To help you plan your time, check out our One Day in Sedona Itinerary and Sedona Itinerary Ideas for 1 to 6 days. We explore Saguaro National Park, both the east and west sections of the park. IMPORTANT! The Tucson Mountain District (Saguaro West) is open from sunrise to sunset. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The Saguaro cactus flowers from mid-May through early June. Visitors will want to stay in the left lane when turning onto Bajada Loop Drive from Signal Hill Road or Leisure Lane in case cars come from behind. His photos have won awards fromNatures . If you are willing and able to make the hike in, you will need to find your favorite south-facing views and compositions if you want to include the Milky Way. It's about 3.2 miles in total. I LOVE the teddy bear cholla. Desert Ecology Trail. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Saguaro National Park Best Photography Spots. Saguaro National Park is a good place to visit at any time of year. This allows the East to have a much more diverse range of vegetation and wildlife at higher altitudes. Red Hills Visitor Center is on your left in 2 miles. Saguaro National Park Best Photography Spots. Additionally, try to find ways to capture the scale of these giant monsters. Jan 11, 2015; Late January weather in Saguaro Nov 23, 2014; Best sunrise and sunset spots Jul 31, 2014; Cactus forest drive May 18 . Monsoon season typically lasts through September. In the afternoon, we drove back to Phoenix. This events draw thousands of visitors each . East and West park are different but both have impressive desert scenes. Brooding sunset light surrounds a lone Joshua Tree from White Tank Campground. Saguaro National Park Best Photography Spots. Saguaro National Park, located near Tucson, Arizona, is home to the iconic saguaro cactus, a symbol of the American Southwest. This drive offers incredible scenic views of the jagged ridges and crevices atop the east slopes of this mountain. There are several ways to get to the top of Wassen Peak. On the easy-to-access Desert Discovery Trail off of Kinney Road in the West District, catch sunset views through a forest of saguaros. This section of the park is smaller and less visited the Saguaro West. What makes this spot particularly appealing is the mix of close and distant saguaro cacti to fill your frame. The standard fee for this is $80, but is discounted for seniors and free for active duty military, those with disabilities, and kids in the 4th grade. Seeing a bit over 1 million visitors annually, the park is much younger than its namesake resident cacti, only becoming a national park on October 14, 1994. Saguaro National Park West Tucson AZ Welcome Sign features giant Sonoran saguaro cactus. Thanks for . JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort and Spa. From the towering stands of saguaro cacti to the flower-filled grasslands, youll discover photographers greatest opportunities for picturesque scenes and unique photo opportunities along this well-maintained 16-mile loop. This bed and breakfast is located in eastern Tuscon, near Saguaro East. This trail stretches for around 3.7 mi. Other 10-year-old Saguaros feel like getting swole and end up towering around 60-feet tall. Photo by Catherine Parker. It is a whimsical location, and the hike is around 5.6 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 1200 ft. In fact, the entire East section is tucked so tightly into the Rincon Mountains that you will not even see the sun until an hour or so after it has risen. Day 3: Petrified Forest National Park. They are often humanized in cartoons. Love the blog. In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. Day 1: Arrive in Phoenix, Saguaro National Park. For current status and frequent updates, check outSaguaros current conditions. In the Rincon Mountains District (the East Side of the Park) head to the Tanque Verde . It was also a destination hike, which is rare in this national park. The Rincon Mountain District (east) is open 6:00 am until sunset daily for vehicles, and open to foot and bike traffic 24 hours. Here are driving distances and times from nearby destinations: There are no accommodations inside Saguaro National Park, unless you plan to camp in Saguaro East. In addition to the convenient area, the rooms and amenities such as a pool will provide you with the relaxation youve been looking for. Alternatively, you may use, JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa. This is a self-guided nature trail, with lots of informative signs about the Saguaro cactus and the desert ecosystem. Took the road over Gates Pass into the west park entrance. The trail spans around 2.2 miles, and it is an out and back trail type. Total hiking amount so far: 1.4 miles, one . The varied route includes low-lying desert washes cut by flowing water, steep canyons with lush riparian plant life, scenic vistas overlooking the city of Tucson, and dramatic rock formations. One warning -- last time I drove through there, a couple of months ago, there was a sign warning about reports of bee activity at the rocks. We were able to take . For amazing views of the Grand Canyon, check out our guide to the Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours. The parks name comes from the saguaro-sized cactus native to its desert surroundings. Turn left, and drive 14 miles on Sandario Road. Discover those in our Southwest Guides section. Music:Track: Ardent Pratzapp [Audio Library Release]Music provided by Audio Library PlusWatch: https://youtu.be/DU50EpGbwvcFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/ardentSpotlights by Niwel https://soundcloud.com/niwel-516897768Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/Spotlights-NiwelMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/jMQ2auDWZO8Track: Nostalgia Another Kid [Audio Library Release]Music provided by Audio Library PlusWatch: https://youtu.be/dJU6zQEdpRMFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/nostalgiaArtist: Audionautix - https://goo.gl/dZg3UsGenre: Country \u0026 Folk - https://goo.gl/OL0HjiMood: Happy - https://goo.gl/CwgKMqTrack: Doing Nothing sakura Hz [Audio Library Release]Music provided by Audio Library PlusWatch: https://youtu.be/o5ivAJQ_iHQFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/Doing-nothingAcoustic/Folk Instrumental by Hyde - Free Instrumentals https://soundcloud.com/davidhydemusicCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/acoustic-folk-instrumeMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/YKdXVnaHfo8 Visit the petroglyphs at Signal Hill [West] There's some fascinating history at Saguaro National Park with people who have inhabited the region hundreds of years ago. Here are the best things to do in Saguaro National Park, organized by location. Valley View Overlook overlaps a few other trails. Panther Peak Wash would be an almost definite no just because it's a wash and it's on the west side of the divide. Campsite type: RV, tent, car camping. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Bajada Loop drive is a 6-mile graded dirt road. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Sunrise photography at Saguaro National Park can be challenging as the mountains often obstruct your views to the east. Drive the Bajada Loop drive and hike to Valley View Overlook and Signal Hill and do the Desert Discovery Walk. On this short trail you will walk uphill to a nice little viewpoint over the park. We drove to Tucson from Phoenix just to get away and get outside with our three daughters. Also don't forget to catch the sunrise (or sunset) at Delicate Arch. You will discover they are much larger than they tend to appear in photos. If you need more information about the park itself, we have written an ultimate guide to Saguaro National Park with everything you need to know for first-time visits. There is a pullout at the high point of the loop, about 5.2 miles out, that is ideal for a magnificent desert sunset shot, if the cloud conditions are present. Sunset at Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Arizona, US. Call the park's visitor center at 520-733-5158 for updates the day of the program. Cost: $25 per vehicle. Why you should camp here: Sleep among giant saguaro cacti with electrical hookups and views of Tucson Mountain Park. This is more of a zoo than a museum, with animal exhibits, an aquarium, and botanical gardens, and it also has a natural history museum. Saguaro National Park - Tucson, Arizona. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Be advised: the park is split into an east side and a west side, with Tucson in between. Cactus Forest Loop Drive: The Cactus Forest Loop Drive is a scenic adventure that skirts the west side of Saguaro National Park and visits the base of Sentinel Peak, this gigantic mountain that rises to 4,392 feet. Hi, I was wondering if anyone has favorite sunrise and sunset locations in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The Saguaro is one of the most creative cacti on the planet, and to thank them for their beauty, we gave them their very own spot: Saguaro National Park. Signal Hill is a great place to get some fantastic park views. This will help you have the perfect one day in Saguaro west. Difficulty: Easy - Moderate. Both districts of the park are open to hikers and bikers 24 hours a day every day except Christmas. Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive: Best Stops, Hikes & Permit Info. 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