Saguaro National Park is named for the Saguaro cactus, which grows only in the Sonoran Desert. This is an easy park to visit, with scenic drives and short walks among the towering cacti. A half day is all you need to see the highlights, but with more time you can tour the entire park, go on a day hike, or camp in the backcountry.

OVERVIEW OF SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK

The park is located in southern Arizona near Tucson. This park protects the Saguaro cactus on a tract of land through the Sonoran Desert.

There are two separate sections to the park.

The eastern section, also called the Rincon Mountain District, has a lower concentration of cacti. However, the Rincon Mountains form a nice backdrop for photography. This is also the only place to camp inside the park and it offers miles of backcountry trails, perfect for those who want to leave the crowds behind.

The western section, also called the Tucson Mountain District, has a denser population of cacti. This is the more popular section of the park so expect to share the trails and roads with more people here.

To get between these two sections of the park, it is a one hour drive through the city of Tucson.

Saguaro National Park officially became a national park in 1994.

Many people mispronounce “Saguaro.” We did too, before our visit. Saguaro is pronounced “sa-WAH-roh.”