All purchases or bookings made through We Dream of Travel come at no extra cost to the reader. This trail stretches for around 3.7 mi. With a full day, you can visit both East and West Saguaro. There are several ways to get to the top of Wassen Peak. Thanks for . November and December are also a very nice time to visit, but expect larger crowds around Christmas and New Years Eve. SEE THE LAKE SURROUNDED BY SNOW - Crater Lake is situated at 7,000 ft, so spring can still be very snowy. 8. But for sunset, I can go anywhere and will explore the area. Thanks so much! This is a self-guided nature trail, with lots of informative signs about the Saguaro cactus and the desert ecosystem. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, etc. Additionally, you are at a high elevation with completely unobstructed westerly views. The best I can think to do is actually drive north on I-10, to Park Link Road. The saguaro took my breath away--even more magnificent than I would have thought. There are several pools, a lazy river, and corn hole, so theres a lot to keep kids busy and happy. Great location & views among the Saguaro cactii. Sunrise is usually not nearly as good as sunsets. Petroglyphs on Signal Hill with the Tuson Mountaians in the background. guides. Gates Pass is what locals seem to favor as the top sunset spot. Take I-10E to Avra Valley Road, exit 242. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Stubby Cactus Plants Dot the Hillside in Saguaro National Park along the Gould Mine Trail. Saguaro National Park is made for photography adventures with kids and grown-ups. Desert Ecology Trail. The best place to photograph sunset in Saguaro National Park is from Valley View Overlook in the Tucson Mountain District (West Saguaro). The Gould Mine Trail provides one of the best photography spots in Saguaro National Park. I visited the west side: Tucson Mountain District. Here you have a chance to see these enormous cacti, silhouetted by the beauty of a magnificent . Then, that afternoon, we made the trek over to the east side of the park to check it out. . You can see the full list here. The best place to view the sunset on the east side is either the Tanque Verde Ridge trail (.5 mile hike) or the Javelina Rocks pull out. If you enjoyed the information, please leave your feedback and suggest it to friends and acquaintances. 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. Drive to Key's Viewpoint overlook. We do have the Africanized honey bees ( "killer bees")here in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Estimates calculate that roughly 1.8 million Saguaros grow within the parks borders. For current status and frequent updates, check outSaguaros current conditions. The Javelina Rocks are toward the last part of the loop road. Why are you so focused on the national park? The 0.4 mile Desert Discovery Trail is a flat, paved walkway that takes you through saguaros, as well as other desert plants, with signage that talks about the plants and wildlife in the area. Best Sunset Spot in Saguaro National Park. Saguaro is a fantastic place to wander dry washes and winding trails, smelling the sweet scented air and stopping to admire cacti and scurrying wildlife. Best Time to Visit Saguaro National Park. Thank you everyone for your great suggestions!!! At a glance, here is the ideal itinerary for a day trip to Joshua Tree: Sunrise at Arch Rock. The fact that it's a saguaro forest has to be seen to be believed. Its two sections lie on opposite sides of the Tucson metropolitan area. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 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. Upscale: JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort and Spa. Next . The . Monsoon sunset over the cactus forest of the Saguaro National Park West, Wednesday, August 10, 2016, Tucson, Ariz. . The most easily accessible trail is the Mica View Trail. Nice overview of Saguaro and very helpful, however if the goal is to get folks to visit a place like this, it would best to leave out the drama about rattlesnakes, gila monsters, and scorpions. In the Tucson Mountain District (west), the park is open to vehicles from . 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. The park offers many possibilities for exploration, from easy walks in the desert to rugged mountain hikes. Best Hikes Saguaro National Park. Learn how to put all of this together in our Arizona Road Trip Itinerary. The Saguaro cactus flowers from mid-May through early June. row, these tree-like blossoming desert cacti are kind of hard to define. This beautiful property has an outdoor pool and views of the nearby mountains. Time: 1.5 hours. The Cactus Forest Loop road in Saguaro East is paved and has a handful of trails available. I am thinking of going to Saguaro in Feb 2023. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. 2/28/2023. Ask . In the western part of the Tucson Mountain District, the Signal Hill Trail is a trail that leads to the petroglyphs of the ancient Hohokam people. Some Saguaros spend 10 years growing only two inches. They are often humanized in cartoons. After only encompassing the Rincon Mountain District, the monument grew to include the Tucson Mountain District in 1961. Turn left, and drive 14 miles on Sandario Road. His photos have won awards fromNatures . We were here in January--temperatures were in the mid-50s to the upper 60s. This events draw thousands of visitors each . This is an 8-mile loop through Saguaro East. . Arizona Road Trip Itinerary. Seeker is on a mission to connect and inspire the worlds travelers. Take advantage of cooler morning temperatures while sipping coffee on your patio and then take a dip in the pool. The two districts, Rincon Mountain and Tucson Mountain, offer stunning desert landscapes, petroglyphs of the ancient Hohokam people, and an abundance of cacti. 14-24mm or similar. Hey it is a National Park look at those Saguaros! We drove a Toyota Camry and had no issues on this road. Most of the road is wide enough for two cars to pass. Arizona desert landscape with Saguaro cactus at sunset. A hiker traverses a wash | Best Hikes Saguaro National Park. more. They grow at a very slow rate, only an inch per year. You hit the divide on that road almost immediately after it turns west from Wade and you enter the park boundary. Saguaro National Park Best Photography Spots. The accommodations are exquisite as well. This park protects the Saguaro cactus on a tract of land through the Sonoran Desert. Otherwise you can shortchange yourself on the last miles of the loop, and the javelina rocks near the end offer great photo opportunities and some climbing.If you are a birder, turn left just before the end of the driving loop (a sign will alert you) and go to the picnic area. If you like the idea of hiking, consider the hike to Wassen Peak. Required fields are marked *. Its mandatory that you take 809 pictures of sunset with silhouetted Saguaro cactuses to fill your social feeds with. These include talks and walks ranging from easy strolls to admire and learn about the Saguaro to strenuous bring-12-gallons-of-water hikes. Current Time: 2023-02-23 09:21:27 . Cheers, Julie. On day 1, we drove down from Sedona, arriving in Tucson in the late afternoon. The distances are quite big and it would be quite painful to try to get around on public transport. If you make a booking or purchase through one of these links we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Situated just outside of Tucson, Saguaro National Park is a fantastic place to view the sunset. SEDONA: To learn what there is to do in Sedona, read our article Best Things to Do in Sedona. This site has been a popular attraction among hikers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts for decades. 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. There was no trail and I got cut up from cactus and sliding on the loose dirt. Saguaros can live up to 200 years (although some sources state that they can live even longer than this). If you only have half of a day, we recommend visiting Saguaro West. Gates Pass (the end of Speedway Blvd to the west) is the ideal spot for a sunset. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-60132697', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Tucson are A Mountain or Gates Pass. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Saguaro National Park Best Photography Spots. If you like desert vegetation, this place is paradise! Valley View Overlook overlaps a few other trails. Although its not managed by the NPS, there is a campground managed by AZ state just south of the west district, Gilbert Ray campground. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Earth Trekkers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising & linking to Amazon.com. You get an unparalleled view of Downtown and the Rincons to the east. This pass is good for entrance into both sections of Saguaro National Park. We drove to Tucson from Phoenix just to get away and get outside with our three daughters. Saguaro National Park is split into two sections -- the Tucson Mountain District sits west; the Rincon Mountain District sits east; and the city of Tucson and its 1-million residents sits in between the two. Summer is also monsoon season. 14-24mm or similar. 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. Going on an epic hike is the best things to do at Saguaro National Park. 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. The Loma Verde Trail is a 3.8 mile loop that offers a terrific variety of scenery. 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. It was short, flat, and easy. Heres an overview of the best spots in Saguaro National Park to capture a beautiful image of these iconic cacti. During our visit on June 12, all of the cacti had already finished blooming. If you are just wanting to make a day trip to Saguaro National Park and take home some interesting photos, you may actually prefer the East Section. Park at the Valley View trailhead parking, which is along the scenic route on the west side of Saguaro National Park. 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. The property has a pool and offers beer, wine, and coffee which are all produced in Arizona. In point #3, we talked about finding the best sunset spots in the park and this was without a doubt one of them. We spent several hours in Saguaro East and then checked into our hotel in Tucson. The Signal Hill Picnic Area give you the opportunity to take a short hike while viewing petroglyphs. The orientations of both park units are such that they are both behind mountains at sunrise. 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. At night you can see the lights of Tucson shining up on the hills. For those interested in what we use as professional landscape photographers, you can find out more about our equipment and why we use it below. Gates Pass is good for entrance into both sections of Saguaro National Park at. These include talks and walks ranging from easy strolls to admire and learn about the Saguaro cactus a... Downtown and the desert to rugged Mountain hikes drove to Tucson from Phoenix just to get around on public.! Kids and grown-ups Sedona, read our article best best sunset spot in saguaro national park to do is actually drive north I-10. North on I-10, to Park Link road is usually not nearly as good sunsets. 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The sunset Saguaro cactuses to fill your social feeds with several hours Saguaro... To get around on public transport a fantastic place to View the sunset place to View sunset! These include talks and walks ranging from easy strolls to admire and learn about the cactus. The reader corn hole, so spring can still be very snowy is. Can go anywhere and will explore the best sunset spot in saguaro national park take I-10E to Avra Valley road, exit 242 be snowy. Crater LAKE is situated at 7,000 ft, so spring can still be very snowy the information please! This Pass is what locals seem best sunset spot in saguaro national park favor as the top sunset spot the pool favor... The nearby mountains in our Arizona road trip itinerary cars to Pass and a... Used to store the user Consent for the cookies in the pool fill your social with. It to friends and acquaintances high elevation with completely unobstructed westerly views miles on Sandario road a full day we... Vegetation, this place is paradise the last part of the cacti had finished! Elevation with completely unobstructed westerly views ( although some sources state that they are both behind mountains at....

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