Saguaro National Park sits just outside of Tuscon, Arizona and a visit here is an excellent way to spend a day. What makes things slightly more difficult is the park is divided into two distinct sections of the park: Saguaro Park East and Saguaro Park West. While many people advise just sticking to one area of the park and exploring it in depth, I ignored this advice. With just one day in Saguaro National Park, I visited both sections.
Why Should You Visit Saguaro National Park?
The big draw of Saguaro National Park is to see the Saguaro cactus, which can only be found in a small portion of the United States.
Now, you may be saying “Cacti? Really? What’s so great about seeing them?”. I’ll admit I was one of those people. But since I have a goal of visiting all of the US National Parks, I had to visit. What surprised me most was how much I enjoyed my time. While there were other tourists, it never felt insanely busy (which is something I can’t say about other national parks). By the end of my visit, I realized, that cacti are pretty cool and it was definitely worth a visit.
Should You Visit Both Sections of Saguaro National Park?
The choice is entirely up to you, so you’ll need to decide what’s important to you. If you want to do a longer or more difficult hike, you should consider sticking to just one section of the park. If your goal is to see some highlights of each section and you know you’ll stick to only shorter hikes, you can reasonably visit both sections with one day in Saguaro National Park.
I think it’s totally valid to do both sections of the park as long as you understand that you can’t do anything too in-depth. For me, this was fine, but for others, this may not be.
One Day in Saguaro National Park
Get an early start. Unlike some parks, Saguaro National Park has set hours. In general, though, the park will open around sunrise, but you should verify the actual hours on the NPS website. Whenever the park opens on your visit, you’ll want to arrive shortly after opening to make the best of your one day in Saguaro National Park.
You can start at either park, but I recommend starting at Saguaro East. Why? Because the views are better at Saguaro West. By starting at Saguaro East, your views are going to get progressively better as the day goes on. That’s not to say Saguaro East isn’t good, but they aren’t as spectacular as what you’ll find at Saguaro West. Personally, I think I’d find it a little disappointing if I started at Saguaro West and ended at Saguaro East.
Saguaro National Park East
From the visitor center, you’ll start your drive on the one way Cactus Drive. This will loop you through the park and you’ll pass everything I have listed below. Whether you stop at each point is up to you.
Future Generations Point
This is the first overlook you’ll pass, so you’re likely going to feel the urge to stop. Honestly, I think it’s skippable. However, I was here just after sunrise so I was able to watch the sun crest over the tops of the surrounding mountain peaks. If you’re also here around this time, feel free to stop, but otherwise, just keep driving. There’s much better views elsewhere on this scenic loop.
Sonoran Desert Overlook
This is the second overlook that you’ll pass and I think this is a much better introduction to the park. It was not my favorite view point of the day, but I think it’s worth the stop just so you can get an idea of what you’ll be seeing today.
Cactus Forest Overlook
Next you’ll come to the Cactus Forest Overlook, which you might think would have a good view of some cacti. You see some cacti, but in general, I think this is skippable too. You’ll have much better views elsewhere.
Mica View/Cactus Trail
There are several trails that wind their way through the park and if you’re looking to just do a short hike, this is one to look at. The trail is approximately two miles long and lets you get closer to the cacti you’ve been seeing from a distance. This trail intersects numerous trails, so pay attention and keep following the signs for the Mica View Trail.
My hike of the Mica View/Cactus Trail was 2 miles and just 72 feet of elevation. This hike took me about 40 minutes. This short trail is the perfect way to add a little hiking to your one day in Saguaro National Park (although we’ll add one more hike later).
This was one of two hikes I did at Saguaro National Park. Admittedly, it was my least favorite of the two, but I think it is still worth it.
As a note, you will need to turn off of the main Cactus Drive scenic loop to get to this trailhead.
Desert View Trail
This is a very short, paved trail and it only takes 10 minutes. For that reason, I think it’s worth the stop. Plus, you can also get some really nice photos of cacti.
Riparian Overlook
When I stopped here, I noted that this was my favorite view point of the day. That would change as the day went on, but I do recommend stopping at this overlook.
Rincon Mountains Overlook
This has a good view of the surrounding mountains, but if you’re looking for good cactus pictures, just keep driving.
Javelina Rocks
This should be on everyone’s list to stop. There’s plenty of areas to walk and get some nice photos. You can even do some rock scrambling if you’re careful.
Desert Living Overlook
This is skippable and I just wasn’t impressed.
Final Thoughts on Saguaro National Park East
I was here bright and early and there were few people. In most places, I was the only person in the parking lot. If there were other people, was only one other car.
I mention this because when I talked to a ranger at Petrified Forest National Park, he mentioned that he was told to go to Saguaro West for solitude. I had the opposite experience, but I was also at Saguaro East early in the morning and Saguaro West around lunch time.
You can visit everything on this list in about two and a half hours. If you have more time, you can consider adding additional hikes in Saguaro East or venture across the city of Tuscon to visit Saguaro West.
Saguaro National Park West
Unlike Saguaro East, there is not one main loop that runs through the park. There is a scenic drive, but some of the best experiences are located outside of this scenic drive.
Valley View Overlook Trail
If you only hike one trail at Saguaro National Park, make it this trail. This gives you some of the best views of cacti. Plus the cactus population is much denser here than at Saguaro East, so the views are more spectacular (at least in my opinion). This hike is about a mile and has 50 feet of elevation change. This hike took me just over 20 minutes to complete. So even if you only have one day in Saguaro National Park, try to carve out enough time for this trail.
I can’t recommend this hike enough. It was my favorite experience at Saguaro National Park (regardless of Saguaro West or East).
Bajada Loop
This is the scenic drive that takes you through Saguaro West. There’s no scenic pull outs, but I liked it more than the Cactus Drive at Saguaro East. The cacti are more densely populated and that really does affect the scenery.
Desert Discovery Trail
I didn’t have high expectations, but I really enjoyed this short trail and recommend it if you’re passing by. While you will see cacti, there’s informational signs along the way so you can learn about what you’re seeing.
Javelina Wash Trail
I hiked this short trail, but was not impressed. Maybe I was jaded because I really loved the Valley View Overlook Trail. Plus the Desert Discovery Trail was better than expected. At the end of the day, this is a short trail, coming in at 600 yards, so it doesn’t take a lot of energy. If you’re really short on time, skip this and focus on the Valley View Overlook Trail or the Desert Discovery Trail.
Cactus Garden Trail
This trail right by the Visitor Center and it’s a great way to end your time at Saguaro. This path is paved and does nice recap, making it the perfect way to end one day in Saguaro National Park.
Final Thoughts on Saguaro National Park West
Saguaro East and West both have their merits, but I think Saguaro West is better. The overall scenery is better thanks to the higher cactus density. Since Saguaro National Park is all about the cacti, I think Saguaro West has the edge. Plus you have the Valley View Overlook Trail, which was my favorite experience of the day at Saguaro National Park.
You can visit everything at Saguaro West on this list in about an hour and a half. With more time, consider one of the other hikes in Saguaro West, or spending more time at Saguaro East.
An Itinerary to Visit Both Parks in One Day
7:30 – Arrive at Saguaro East
10:00 – Depart Saguaro East
11:00 – Arrive Saguaro West
12:30 – Depart Saguaro West
I took a longer break at Saguaro West to eat some snacks and relax a little bit, so the times above didn’t quite match what I did. However, if you move efficiently, this is a reasonable expectation if you’re just trying to get a brief overview of the park.
It should be noted that I could have spent more time at Saguaro National Park, but I still had a 2.5 hour drive to Globe, AZ so I didn’t want to stay too late.
Saguaro National Park Entrance Fees
Entrance to the park is $25 per vehicle and your pass is valid for 7 days. The America the Beautiful Pass is also accepted.
Saguaro National Park Hours
Unlike many national parks, there are set hours for visiting Saguaro National Park. In general, the park is open from sunrise to sunset, but hours may change throughout the year so it’s a good idea to verify park hours before your visit.
Also remember that Arizona does not follow Daylight Savings Time and remains on Mountain Standard Time all year round. If you’re coming from New Mexico, Utah, or one of the Native American Reservations, make sure you have the correct time.
Where to Stay at Saguaro National Park
The nearest city to Saguaro National Park is Tuscon, Arizona. You’ll have loads of hotel options in Tuscon for all budgets.
When Should You Visit Saguaro National Park
The park can be visited all year round. Expect high temperatures in summer and colder temperatures in winter. Spring and fall make an ideal time to visit.
I visited in early February 2023 and temperatures were in the low 70s, making it ideal for hiking.
Final Thoughts
I’ll be the first to admit that I like to travel at a fast pace. For me, spending one day in Saguaro National Park and visiting both sections worked well. However, it can feel rushed because you don’t have time to do any longer trails. I think it comes down to personal preference. If you don’t mind a fast paced itinerary, visiting both sections in one day. If you want to go slower, take your time, or do a longer hike, give yourself more time.
Continue Your Adventure
Arizona: Check out my Arizona Travel Guide for all of the best things to do in this state.
Petrified Forest National Park: If you’re road tripping through Arizona, Petrified Forest is an easy national park to incorporate.
Grand Canyon National Park: All the way across Arizona, you’ll find the stunning Grand Canyon.
Monument Valley: Also in the far north of the state, along the Arizona-Utah state line, you’ll find Monument Valley and it’s iconic rock formations.
Itineraries: For a quick break, check out my templates for 5 Days in Arizona.