King Canyon Trail in Saguaro National Park

King Canyon Trail

Hike to the top of Wasson Peak, the highest point in the Tucson Mountains.

Plan Around King Canyon Trail

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King Canyon Trail Details

The trailhead for the King Canyon Trail is easily accessible off of Kinney Road, across from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which is two miles east of the Red Hills Visitor Center. To start the hike, you'll make a gradual 0.9-mile climb to the Mam-A-Gah Picnic Area. The trail gets steeper for these 1.4 miles, until you reach the junction with the Sweetwater Trail. From here, switchbacks over the next 0.9 mile brings you to the Hugh Norris Trail, which you'll follow for the final 0.3 mile to the top of Wasson Peak (elevation: 4,687 feet). Congratulations- you've made it to the highest point in the Tucson Mountains!

Difficulty

Moderate

Distance

6.8 miles

Estimated time

3 hours

Region

N/A

Nearby Parks Around King Canyon Trail

Compare nearby parks around King Canyon Trail when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.

25.6 mi away

Saguaro

National Park · AZ

210.4 mi away

Petrified Forest

National Park · AZ

268.8 mi away

Grand Canyon

National Park · AZ

293.3 mi away

White Sands

National Park · NM

324.9 mi away

Joshua Tree

National Park · CA

357.4 mi away

Zion

National Park · UT

Nearby Points of Interest Around King Canyon Trail

Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond King Canyon Trail while the map context is still fresh.

0.2 mi away

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

A world-famous zoo, natural history museum, and botanical garden.

1.8 mi away

Cactus Garden Trail

This short trail is an ideal introduction to Saguaro National Park.

1.8 mi away

Overview

Located west and east of Tucson, Ariz., the two units of Saguaro National Park protect deserts inhabited by 1.6 million saguaro cactuses, the iconic multi-limbed giants of the Southwest.

1.8 mi away

Saguaro National Park

Located west and east of Tucson, Ariz., the two units of Saguaro National Park protect deserts inhabited by 1.6 million saguaro cactuses, the iconic multi-limbed giants of the Southwest.

1.8 mi away

Red Hills Visitor Center

The entrance into Saguaro National Park's Tucson Mountain District is also where you'll find a Visitor Center.