This Is The Best National Park In Arizona For 2025

Arizona is residence to 3 nationwide parks, every uniquely showcasing its pure magnificence and variety, from the world-famous Grand Canyon, one of many most beautiful destinations in the U.S., to Petrified Forest, one of many best national parks near Sedona. The Grand Canyon is without doubt one of the hottest nationwide parks within the U.S., and the world’s most-visited natural wonder, attracting almost 5 million vacationers yearly.

Nonetheless, proper within the coronary heart of the Sonoran Desert is Saguaro, one of many most overlooked national parks in Arizona, which is simply as scenic, and undoubtedly value your time. Many issues make this underrated gem an unbelievable vacation spot, together with the truth that it homes the biggest cacti species within the U.S. Discover out why that is the very best nationwide park in Arizona for 2025.

Saguaro Nationwide Park Is The Finest In Arizona For 2025

It’s two parks in a single—the one U.S. nationwide park divided into two parts by a significant metropolis

First established in 1933 as a nationwide monument, Saguaro was formally designated as a nationwide park in 1994, and immediately covers 91,327 acres. Nestled within the coronary heart of Tucson, one of many least-populated main U.S. cities, the park’s breathtaking surroundings consists of desert landscapes and rugged mountain ranges. Climbing or taking a scenic drive by means of this underrated nationwide park will make you neglect the actual world for a second.

The park is split into two districts; the Rincón Mountain District (Saguaro East), the bigger space, and the Tucson Mountain District (Saguaro West), separated by the Metropolis of Tucson. The truth that it’s the one U.S. nationwide park break up by a significant metropolis, contributes to its uniqueness.

The proximity to Tucson (solely 20 to half-hour away), means you may entry all of the unique things to do in the city, from museums to botanical gardens to golf programs. Tucson can also be identified to have a number of the most scrumptious Mexican meals within the U.S., and its lodging choices make it the proper base for exploring Saguaro Nationwide Park.

Saguaro Nationwide Park Is Residence To The Largest Cacti Species In The U.S.

The park’s cacti develop as much as 50 ft tall

Saguaro Nationwide Park’s identify is derived from saguaro, a big cactus dominating the panorama. The park’s saguaro cactus forest is without doubt one of the densest on the planet, making it a one-of-a-kind vacation spot and a bucket-list national park in Arizona.

The saguaro cacti, which grows as much as 60 ft tall, is the biggest cactus in the US and may stay as much as 150 years. They’re an iconic image of the West, a defining plant within the Sonoran Desert, and stay one of many world’s most recognizable cacti.

You possibly can see these distinctive vegetation within the hills, canyons, valleys, and mountains—and standing beneath one, particularly the oldest ones, every with its distinctive form, may have your jaws dropping. Additionally, getting an up-close view of saguaros will make vacationers love and respect their resilience and skill to deal with the tough situations of probably the most bio-diverse desert on the planet.

The Arizona desert takes maintain of a person’s thoughts and shakes it. – David W. Toll.

The Park Is Residence To An Unbelievable Selection Of Crops and Uncommon Wildlife

The park boasts distinctive plant and animal species, together with the coati, which is related to the tropics

Regardless of its location within the Sonoran Desert, Saguaro Nationwide Park is residence to an abundance of plant and animal life, together with distinctive species that you simply wouldn’t look forward to finding there. And saguaros aren’t the one cacti in Saguaro Nationwide Park.

The park homes an incredible number of different cacti—25 distinctive species, together with barrel and prickly pear. Saguaro Nationwide Park is brimming with biodiversity, with over 3,500 totally different species of vegetation, together with 80 non-native species, calling it residence. Bushes and shrubs take advantage of this unbelievable biodiversity.

With such an unbelievable plant selection comes an abundance of wildlife that additionally thrives on this lovely desert panorama. One of the vital acknowledged animals is the Gila monster, a singular lizard species that may solely be present in a small space of Southwestern America and northern Mexico. It’s the biggest lizard within the U.S. and one of many few venomous lizards on earth.

Different wildlife species you’ll discover within the park embody kangaroo rats, roadrunners, horned lizards, and collard peccaries. The park additionally homes coati, wildlife species identified to develop within the tropics.

As a result of it is venomous, guests are suggested to keep away from touching or agitating Gila monsters. Though the venom is not as harmful as rattlesnake venom and infrequently causes demise, it is nonetheless harmful. Since Gila monsters are slow-moving, you may nonetheless handle to take a transparent image of them with out inflicting disturbance.

Issues You Can Do In Saguaro Nationwide Park

Discover the scenic climbing trails

Among the best methods of getting in contact with Saguaro’s breathtaking landscapes is by exploring a few of its must-do hikes. The park is residence to 79 climbing trails, largely ranging between straightforward and average.

Wasson Peak via Kings Canyon, Hugh Norris, and Gould Mine is without doubt one of the greatest trails you may discover to get a number of the most scenic views of this breathtaking desert panorama. You stand an important likelihood of seeing Gila monsters alongside this route. The hike follows the Gould Mine Path and connects to the Hugh Norris Path, which leads hikers to Wasson Peak. You possibly can observe the King Canyon Path to come back again.

One other lovely path you may hike is the Bridal Wreath Falls Trail, one of many top-rated waterfall hikes in Arizona. This path not solely results in the breathtaking Bridal Wreath Falls but additionally walks you thru the enduring saguaro cacti. Go to in spring to see the waterfall at its most spectacular.

Lastly, hike King Canyon Trail to Wasson Peak, a well-maintained route that provides a number of the most spectacular mountain and desert vistas.

Take scenic drives by means of Saguaro Nationwide Park

You possibly can admire the fantastic thing about Saguaro’s surroundings by exploring its main scenic drives; the dust Bajada Loop Drive on the west facet and the paved Cactus Forest Drive on the east.

The Bajada Loop Drive is ideal for vacationers trying to discover the Tucson Mountain District or Saguaro West’s foothills. The loop drive, starting at Hohokam Street, winds across the Sonoran Desert, providing loads of scenic pullouts, picnic spots, trailheads, and extra. The drive ends on the junction of Golden Gate Street and Sandario Street.

The paved Cactus Forest Drive, which meanders by means of the guts of an unlimited saguaro forest, provides vacationers an opportunity to see the extremely various Sonoran Desert life. You’ll go by means of a number of trailheads and scenic pullouts.

Biking is allowed on each scenic drives, but it surely’s value noting the distinction within the districts’ terrains. Additionally, trailers longer than 35 ft and all autos wider than 8 ft aren’t allowed.

Go tenting in Saguaro Nationwide Park

Saguaro Nationwide Park presents a number of the greatest tenting, which is just allowed within the six designated campgrounds within the Saguaro Wilderness Space. Sadly, not one of the campgrounds are accessible by car, which suggests vacationers must hike to them, with Spud Rock being probably the most remoted.

Solely as much as six persons are allowed per website and campers are charged $8 per night time. Vacationers tenting in teams can have as much as 18 folks in a single.

Though the Grand Canyon simply grabs everybody’s consideration with its deep canyons and sweeping views, Saguaro is exclusive in so some ways. Apart from being the one nationwide park within the U.S. break up by a significant metropolis, and along with internet hosting America’s largest cactus, it’s residence to various vegetation and wildlife.

In contrast to the Grand Canyon, it’s an Arizona park that offers scenic views with minimal hiking. Add to the actual fact it’s not crowded—Saguaro is the very best nationwide park in Arizona for 2025.