Saguaro National Park is a beautiful park in southern Arizona showcasing the native Saguaro Cacti. The park encompasses two different sections. One on the west side and one on the east side of Tucson.

In this article I am going to break down each side of the park so you’ll be able to tell which one you’d rather visit on your trip there.

I’ve also made this Saguaro National Park quick reference guide so you can get a summarized view of both the west and east side of the park.

Feel free to download it or save it to your Pinterest for your next road trip through Arizona.

Saguaro – West Side of Tucson

More Saguaros, but They’re Smaller

The shining difference I noticed between these two parks is that the west side has a much larger number of saguaro cacti.

The cacti forests can be seen all over the park and it’s incredible to see how plentiful they are. There’s even an amazing lookout right in the middle of the visitor center showcasing a very large forest of saguaros.

The Red Hills Visitor Center has a lot of information about the Sonoran Desert and all the various plants and animals that live there.

I learned so much about the saguaros and how they thrive in this ecosystem so I highly recommend you check it out before you begin to explore the park. 

There may be more saguaros at this park, however all these cacti are much younger than the ones in the east park.

You can tell a saguaros’ age by how many arms it has and how long they are. Most of the cacti here were pretty tall but with no arms or if they did they were very short.

A bit less impressive than the saguaros in the east park but beautiful nonetheless. I look forward to seeing what these forests will look like 20 years from now! 

Feels More Remote

Another component of the west park is that it is much more out of the city than the east side is. It feels like you’re really out there in the desert which I really loved! You can’t see any distant buildings like you can in the east park.

This park is only a 30 minute drive from Tucson but it really doesn’t feel like you’re that close to the city.

There is a sense of remoteness and isolation here but I prefer that more when I go out hiking. 

No Entrance Fee Required

One more thing about this park, there is no entrance gate so essentially you can get in without paying.

There are signs saying that you have to pay at the Visitor Center but there is no one standing outside collecting payments. I’m guessing you have to go up to the front desk and pay there but no one hassled us for payment when we went.

It seemed like they were pretty lenient with it so that’s something to keep in mind if you don’t have a National Park Pass and are looking to keep your trip as cheap as possible. 

Scenic Drive in West Saguaro NP

There is a scenic loop drive here, but it is not a paved road. We got by just fine in our 4Runner without four wheel drive.

Taking a sedan on this road would work as well but you would definitely have to take it slowly to avoid the few pot holes. Having a high clearance vehicle would be much easier.

This loop is gated which closes at dusk each day, so make sure to be out of the loop by sunset to avoid getting locked in!

It’s also a one way only road so if you don’t hit everything you want to see the first time around, you’ll have to drive the entire loop again. 

You definitely don’t want to miss the scenic drive here because most of the hikes are off this road and the drive takes up a bulk of the National Park.

Best Hikes in West Saguaro NP

The Desert Discovery Nature trail is a great first trail to explore when you get to the park.

This is a short 0.4 mile paved loop that will give you just a taste of what this park has to offer. It’s short, sweet, and perfect for people of all ages and abilities who want to see the saguaros up close.

We ended up going during sunset and it was a beautiful place to watch the setting sun.

The Valley View Overlook trail was one of my favorite hikes we did.

It’s perfect if you’re short on time because this hike is only 0.8 miles round trip and leads to a beautiful view point overlooking a large valley with a forest of saguaros.

You’ll be in awe of the thousands of saguaros on this trail. The trail itself is fairly easy. It’s not completely paved but it’s easy to walk on and not super rocky.

This hike is a MUST DO in the park.

The Wild Dog trail is another great hiking option in the west park, coming in at a 2 mile round trip, this trail will take you down to a wash and back up.

You’ll get stellar mountain views while traveling through the never-ending saguaro forest. This trail is less popular than the ones mentioned above yet not too long so you can easily do this hike and still have the entire day to spend at the park.

The last hike I am going to mention here is the Hugh Norris Trail. This hike is a 9 mile round trip.

Make sure to bring plenty of food and water with you; you’ll need it as you hike uphill to Wasson Peak to get 360° views of the saguaro forests, Tucson, and the surrounding mountain ranges.

You will gain 2,000 feet in elevation! This is a beautiful and fun trail for the more experienced hikers. This hike is a beautiful way to spend your day in the Saguaro west park if you are visiting for multiple days.

Saguaro – East Side of Tucson

More Popular & Touristy

The park on the east side is definitely the more popular of the two.

If you type in directions to Saguaro National Park, your phone will most likely take you to this location first.

This park is bigger with more hikes and picnic areas to enjoy. Because of this, the east side has many more people visiting and the Visitor Center parking lot tends to fill up quickly.

I wouldn’t miss the Visitor Center though, similarly to the one in the west park, the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center has even more information on the saguaros with interactive exhibits.

Older & Larger Saguaros but Less Plentiful

Like I mentioned before, the west park has younger saguaros but here, you can tell the saguaros are older. The cacti in this park I noticed were taller with bigger arms shooting out of its base.

Although there aren’t as many saguaros here and the cacti are more spread out, your jaw will still drop at the size and impressive structure of these saguaros.

Conveniently Located Closer to Tucson

The east park is located just outside of Tucson on its eastern border snuggled in between the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains. You won’t have to drive very far to get back into town from this park.

Definitely more convenient, but it doesn’t feel as remote as the west park. 

Entrance Fee Required

Also, unlike the park on the west, there is a gate at the entrance that charges a $25 fee per car.

Since it’s a National Park you can use your America the Beautiful Pass like we did for free admission. There isn’t any other way around it but $25 is even a little cheaper than what the rest of the National Parks usually charge so I say it’s much worth it.

Scenic Drive in East Saguaro NP

There is a scenic drive loop in this park as well called the Cactus Forest Loop Drive.

This road starts at the Visitor Center, and takes you around a small section of the park. This drive is much longer than the loop in the west park with several viewpoints along the way overlooking cacti forests and the distant mountains.

There’s also little infographics along the way at each lookout to tell you a little more about the land and the history behind it.

 Similarly to the other park, Cactus Forest Loop Drive is a one way only road so make sure you stop everywhere you want before heading back out.

I would say I enjoyed this drive more than I did the scenic loop in the west park. You can see Mount Lemmon, Mica Mountain, and Rincon Peak all from the road.

These huge mountains make for a gorgeous backdrop to the saguaro forests that is sure to impress anyone. There’s much more to see while you’re driving and more parking available at all the hikes and lookouts.

Best Hikes in East Saguaro NP

There are many more trails in the eastern park because of how much more land this park encompasses. 

The Desert Ecology trail is a great option for people of all abilities as this is just a 0.3 mile paved loop.

You’ll see all different kinds of cacti on this trail. Anyone will enjoy this quick walk and it’s a great addition to add to your itinerary if you’re short on time.

I really enjoyed walking on the Mica View trail as well in the east park. This trail isn’t paved but it’s flat and goes by quickly for being almost 1.5 miles.

You get clear and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains both going to the turnaround point and coming back.

The Freedman Homestead trail is another short hike option that’s just about a 1 mile round trip.

This hike is unique because it leads you to the remains of what was a man named Frank Freedman’s home in the 1930’s. There are infographics telling you the history behind this area which are interesting to read about. 

The Tanque Verde Ridge trail is a beautiful hike that will take you along the ridgeline of the mountain while slowly creeping up in elevation.

You can really hike as far as you want on this trail. The total mileage up to Tanque Verde peak is about 17.5 miles.

If you don’t have the time or stamina to do the entire trail, it’s perfectly fine to turn around anywhere you want on the mountain. No matter how far up you go, you’ll still get wonderful views of the cacti forests.

From base to peak you would gain about 4,000 feet in elevation so I would only recommend this entire hike if you are prepared for higher altitude and are a more experienced hiker.

This hike I found on AllTrails is only a 3 mile round trip but does not even cover a fourth of this entire trail.

However, I am sure it’s a much more doable hike for those of you who are only visiting for a short time while still getting the experience of hiking up the ridge. 

Best Time to Visit Saguaro National Parks

If you aren’t acquainted with the weather in southern Arizona, it gets extremely hot in the summer. Temperatures can soar well over 100 °F.

Because of the intense heat, it is not advised to be outside hiking during the daylight hours here in the summer.

The good thing about these parks is that they both have beautiful scenic drives where you’re able to see the saguaros from the comfort of your air conditioned car. 

I visited the east park in August and it was still too hot to hike more than about 5 minutes.

We did the scenic drive and got out periodically for a few minutes to look at the cacti on a few trails and lookouts but that was pretty much it.

If you choose to visit in the summer, expect to stay in your car and not to go out on any long hikes. 

I visited these parks again in the winter when the weather was very pleasant. It can be chilly in the morning but once the sun comes out, it can get up into the 60s or even 70s. Perfect weather for hiking!

I think the winter is one of the best times to visit because of how great the weather is.

Springtime is also a great time to visit these parks.

In the spring, the saguaros bloom with flowers on their crowns (top of the cactus). It’s a beautiful and unique phenomenon to witness. Your best chance to see them in bloom is from late April to early June.

Plus, the weather isn’t getting to be too hot yet.

If you want to explore all the trails I’d definitely recommend coming in any other season besides summer.

But if all you’re looking to do is the scenic drive, then any time of year would be great!

My Final Thoughts

If you have more than one day to visit Tucson, I would highly encourage you to visit both Saguaro National Parks on the west and east side.

They are largely different from each other and each offer their own unique experiences.

It’s amazing to witness the saguaros in all different stages of their life in both these parks.

But if you’re short on time and only have time for one, I would probably say visit the west park. I just personally liked that side better.

But again, it is totally up to you and which you feel would better suit your trip. I hope you were able to learn some information about the parks from this article so you can better decide which one is better to visit based on your preferences. Thank you for reading!

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