_(1080x715).jpg%3F1460400623&w=3840&q=75)
Auto Touring
It's easy to get a feel for the beauty of Saguaro National Park without leaving your car.
Plan Around Auto Touring
A good stop is not just something to read about. Once it belongs on the day, move into a saved trip and build the route around it.
Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.
Auto Touring Details
It's easy to get a feel for the beauty of Saguaro National Park without leaving the comfort of your air-conditioned car. In the Rincon Mountain District in the east, the paved eight-mile Cactus Forest Scenic Loop Drive varies from one to two lanes. Before starting out, stop by the Rincon Mountain District Visitor Center for a natural and cultural history guide to the drive; it costs just $2. Scenic vistas, such as lookouts toward the Santa Catalina Mountains and Rincon Mountains, are stunning, and you'll also come to terrific vantage points overlooking the park, with fields of cacti marching towards the horizon. You'll also find pullouts and picnic areas to enjoy along the drive, as well as hiking trailheads to stretch your legs. In the Tucson Mountain District in the west, the Bajada Loop Drive is an unpaved six-mile loop that also varies from one to two lanes. Just off of the graded dirt road you'll find picnic spots, scenic pullouts, and more hiking trailheads. Don't worry, though: you don't need a four-wheel or high-clearance vehicle to traverse the drive. Stop by the Red Hills Visitor Center before embarking on the drive to pick up a natural and cultural history guide for just $1. And, even though the loop doesn't require high clearance, it is best to check on the accessibility of the road before you decide to tour the loop. During the summer, monsoons sometimes wash out the roads and it can be closed. The Rincon Mountain District and the Tucson Mountain District are about 30 minutes apart, depending upon traffic.
Difficulty
Open
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
N/A
Region
Activities
Nearby Parks Around Auto Touring
Compare nearby parks around Auto Touring when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Auto Touring
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Auto Touring while the map context is still fresh.
0.0 mi away
Jessie Benton Fremont
An early advocate of the Park, without her work behind the scenes, Yosemite might not exist today.
0.0 mi away
ZERO LANDFILL IN THE PARKS:
THE YOSEMITE, GRAND TETON AND DENALI PROGRAM
0.0 mi away
30-Minute Helicopter Ride
Fly rim-to-rim in a half-hour.
0.0 mi away
50-Minute Airplane Tour
The ultimate Canyon airplane tour.
0.0 mi away
50-Minute Helicopter Tour
Offering aerial tours of the North and South Rims as well as the Grand Canyon's East Rim.
