Saguaro National Park

Show on map (520) 733-5153 sagu_information@nps.gov

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730

Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are protected by Saguaro National Park, to the east and west of the modern city of Tucson. Here you have a chance to see these enormous cacti, silhouetted by the beauty of a magnificent desert sunset.

Directions

Saguaro National Park has two districts separated by the city of Tucson. The address for the Saguaro National Park West District is 2700 N Kinney Rd. We do not recommend using mobile mapping applications to search for either district. Instead, please click the link to the directions page, determine which district you plan to visit, and enter that physical address into the mobile application.

Reviews

Saguaro National Park features diverse and scenic camping opportunities ranging from desert to pine forest environments, with well-maintained campsites and trails that offer peaceful and secluded experiences. Visitors benefit from helpful park staff and generally straightforward permit and reservation processes. Water availability is variable and can be a challenge in some areas, while trail and facility maintenance sometimes require improvement. Access roads can be rough, and some campsites have limited amenities, but wildlife and beautiful views enhance the overall experience.

Beautiful and diverse terrain and ecosystems

Well-maintained campgrounds and trails

Helpful and friendly park staff and rangers

Peaceful and secluded camping experience

Generally smooth permit and reservation process

Inconsistent or limited water availability requiring preparation

Some trails are difficult, poorly marked, or in need of maintenance

Rough or narrow access roads

Certain campsites lack amenities such as bear boxes or have cleanliness issues

Permit system can be time-consuming or difficult to navigate

235 reviews

5 stars

178

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 stars

Rudi L

Campground:Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits

Loop:Douglas Springs

Site:

Reviewed 16 days ago

I was able to get specific information quickly.

Aaron D

Campground:Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits

Loop:Douglas Springs

Site:

Reviewed 19 days ago

Douglas Springs campground was well appointed with bear boxes and a vault restroom. Water for filtering was nearby after a recent rain (3 days prior). Site 3 had a great sheltering mesquite tree that provided shade and shelter. The views of the surrounding mountains was spectacular.

Aaron D

Campground:Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits

Loop:Juniper Basin

Site:

Reviewed 19 days ago

Juniper Basin was incredibly well cared for with clearly signed sites, bear boxes, and functioning vault restroom. A beautiful location as well with lots of trees and a nearby stream bed. Need to bring water as the pools for sourcing were over a mile away and scant even after a recent rain. Highly recommend this spot for an overnight backpacking trip.

Michael C

Campground:Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits

Loop:Grass Shack

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

Fantastic experience. Italian Spring trail beware is tough trail in terms of gravel. Rocks and boulders. Campsites well taken care of.

Monique S

Campground:Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits

Loop:Douglas Springs

Site:

Reviewed 3 months ago

Each backcountry camping site had only a few spots, so they were very quiet. A couple of the sites had little shade and lots of ants, but I was able to camp on the edge and avoid them plus I arrived late enough that the sun didn't really bother me. It's definitely easiest to be have the near box right there since it serves as both a table / surface as well as food storage. One of the sites didn't have it, so that was challenging. Otherwise it was a great stay, would do it again..

Suzanne M

Campground:Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits

Loop:Manning Camp

Site:

Reviewed 6 months ago

I LOVE Manning! It is always a beautiful, peaceful and clean campsite! The Forest Service crew is soo friendly up there!!

Keep your options open

Watch for a matching campsite across monitored campgrounds in Saguaro National Park.