Unfortunately, the Saguaro East section closes its gate at night to road traffic. Sorry in advance if you want to buy a ranch after staying here. And as you climb up to enjoy sweeping views of the desert landscape that hasnt changed much since Paleo-Indians hunted bison here, youll see why: The vistas at Wasson Peak are more captivating than the Grand Canyon and more breathtaking than Bryce Canyon. In the afternoon, we drove back to Phoenix. more. Maybe I will simply leave the hotel early in the morning and just pull off the road before the mountain divide to get saguaro cactus and sky photos. The Red Hills Visitor Center (Saguaro National Park West/Tucson Mountain Park District) is located at: 2700 N. Kinney Rd. Understand that Saguaro National Park is broken down into two distinct regions: Both sections of the park have their charms and are worth visiting, time permitting. Be sure to check out our additional. This park protects the Saguaro cactus on a tract of land through the Sonoran Desert. Valley View Overlook Trail in the west section was one of some favorite hikes in Saguaro National Park. Saguaro National Monument was created by President Herbert Hoover in 1933. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. I give all the details in the post under the Bajada Loop Drive section. row, these tree-like blossoming desert cacti are kind of hard to define. Here are the best things to do in Saguaro National Park, organized by location. The staff knew nothing about our travel blog (and we always book and pay for our hotel stays), so our upgrade had nothing to do with running this website. Both districts of the park are open to hikers and bikers 24 hours a day every day except Christmas. This events draw thousands of visitors each . In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. The Hazboy chillin' with the cactus at Saguaro National Park (the evening version) Old Tucson at Sunset. The elevation gain for this trail is 291 feet, and it is located in the west district of Saguaro National Park. 14-24mm or similar. Thanks so much for writing in with these updates and information! Sunrise photography at Saguaro National Park can be challenging as the mountains often obstruct your views to the east. 2. Arizona desert landscape with Saguaro cactus at sunset. If you dont have the lens you need, do not fret, the same lens should perform just fine. It is also far less crowded. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. From here it is a 30-minute drive to both Saguaro West and Saguaro East. Learn more on the official national park website. Saguaro National Park (East) is always on the list of places to go. There are LOTS of petroglyphs for such a small area. Required fields are marked *. Why you should camp here: Sleep among giant saguaro cacti with electrical hookups and views of Tucson Mountain Park. . In the summer, Javelina Rocks is a perfect location for shooting. Saugaro National Park encompasses two separate sections: the Saguaro National Park West (Tucson Mountain District) and Saguaro National Park East (Rincon Mountain District). Ask . Its one-way only, starting and ending at the visitor center. On day 2, we visited Saguaro West, getting an early start to avoid the hot midday temperatures. 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. If you only have half of a day, we recommend visiting Saguaro West. For sunset in the east unit, Javelina Rocks is a good area. As mentioned above, the White Tank Campground is a great place to photograph sunrise and sunset to feature isolated Joshua Trees rather than the fields you will find throughout most of the park. The Bajada Loop Drive is currently closed, just after the Sus picnic area. Saguaro National Park is a fantastic desert park encompassing over 92,000 acres and an uncountable amount of Saguaro cacti. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. This allows unlimited access to all Federal fee areas for one year from the date of purchase. There are some low hills to the east, but nothing like the mountains along Ina. Hey it is a National Park look at those Saguaros! In the Rincon Mountains District (the East Side of the Park) head to the Tanque Verde . However, there are some places in Saguaro West that are spectacular for sunrise photography as well. Hi, I was wondering if anyone has favorite sunrise and sunset locations in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Day 2: Saguaro National Park. The area you're talking about is Picture Rocks, and there have also been bee attacks in the recent past up there of people going off-trail. This area has the most Saguaro Cacti and dense . To complete the loop, turn left onto Golden Gate Road and then drive until it ends at N Sandario Road. The Saguaro cactus flowers from mid-May through early June. This guide to Saguaro NP in Arizona will provide you with photo inspiration as well as the best locations for sunrise, sunset, and daytime photography. There are numerous other hiking trails in Saguaro National Park to choose from but this is the one that stood out the most to us. Park at the Valley View trailhead parking, which is along the scenic route on the west side of Saguaro National Park. In the Tucson Mountain District (west), the park is open to vehicles from . For links to all of our Sedona articles, check out our Sedona Travel Guide. Despite its name, youll soon realize the Gila Monster is actually adorable. Crater Lake National Park Spring Highlights. But for sunset, I can go anywhere and will explore the area. Take I-10E to Avra Valley Road, exit 242. Yuma's restored wetlands of cottonwood, willow and mesquite trees are a great spot for both sunrise and sunset. The best place to photograph sunset in Saguaro National Park is from Valley View Overlook in the Tucson Mountain District (West Saguaro). . 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. Day 7: Grand Canyon. Saguaro is pronounced sa-WAH-roh.. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to Your Places, click Maps, and you will see this map on your list. Your email address will not be published. Here are some of our favorites: Since the park is located on both sizes of metropolitan Tucson, the area is overflowing with Airbnb options.. To capitalize on the desert experience, stay at the Central and Stylish Midcentury Pool House. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In just 15 minutes, you can travel within 15 minutes of the Hampton Inn & Suites Tech Park to the eastern region of Saguaro National Park. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-60136795', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Tucson is really pretty, and it creates some really nice shadows in the mountains and on the cacti, but you very likely won't catch any colors, if that's what you're looking for. We recommend a high-quality camera, which is one of the holy trinity. One of our awesome readers recommends Gilbert Ray Campground. If you are spending significant time in the American Southwest, we also have a collection of travel & photography guides to some of the best destinations in the region. One of the best photography spots in Saguaro National Park, the Arizona desert is an ideal location for hiking, camping, and birdwatching. 1. The Ironwood Forest Trail is also west of the divide (I think I hiked this many years ago and it was all flat). The first morning I will be driving in to the west side from Wade Road and I see there are several trails in that section of the park (Ringtail, Ironwood, Panther Peak Wash), but I don't know if they are good for sunrise. Also don't forget to catch the sunrise (or sunset) at Delicate Arch. If you stay on the trail though, you're generally fine. Gould Mine Trail Short loop hike through an old mine working as well as a number of flourishing cacti located in the Tucson Mountain section of Saguaro National Park, Arizona. See Ancient Petroglyphs on Signal Hill Trail (west) This short 0.3-mile hike takes you to ancient petroglyphs that are more than 800 years old. Saguaro National Park Best Photography Spots. It would be very easy to spend at least half of a day here, to tour the entire property. I never would have known about that road. A 10 year old plant may only be 2 inches tall. About Saguaro National Park: Saguaro National Park is open 365 days per year. Each side of the park offers a prime sunset viewing spots so try to celebrate the sunset during your visit. Lunch at Live Oak Picnic Area. If you enjoyed the information, please leave your feedback and suggest it to friends and acquaintances. Climbing, hiking, and exploring the Sonoran Desert is one of the best ways to experience its beauty. Saguaros don't just grow in the park; they're all over the area, including along that road. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Saguaro National Park West is rugged and sharp, beautiful cacti-clad mountains all around you. Years ago, I walked almost to the top of that butte on the south side of the road as you enter the park. If it has rained, or if rainfall is in the forecast, check conditions on the national park website or at the visitor center to see if the road is open. Here you have a chance to see these enormous cacti, silhouetted by the beauty of a magnificent desert sunset. From the scenic Tumacacori National Historical Park to informative museums like Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Sonoran Desert Museum, there are plenty of opportunities to learn about this areas rich history. Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. On May 5th, the Saguaro National Park in southern Arizona shared a photo featuring a gorgeous sunset overlooking a field of cacti. The Tucson Mountain District (west) is open sunrise to sunset daily for vehicles, and open to foot and bike traffic 24 hours a day, 356 days a year. Their basic shape and sheer number of arms are fascinating to witness. It is a paved road with plenty of pull-outs and viewpoints along the way. Saguaro National Park released the following schedule: January 14 3:45 p.m. Moonlight Reflections Hike: 3 hours, 2 miles. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Best Sunset Spot in Tucson/Saguaro National park I'm going to be driving through Tucson/Saguaro NP as part of a larger road trip and I was wondering if anyone new a spot that is great for viewing the sunsets with lots of saguaros and not a lot of people. 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