Tour to Saguaro National Park Tucson

The Saguaro National Park, located on the Tucson city's edge, protects magnificent forests of Saguaro cactus, an endangered species. Just to grow a single arm of a Giant Saguaro, it takes 50 to 100 years and these cacti are considered a national treasure. There are plenty of guided tours and hiking trails available at the Saguaro National Park.

The Saguaro National Park consists of 2 districts, Saguaro West or the Tucson Mountain District and Saguaro East or the Rincon Mountain District which are located 30 miles apart. Though both the areas are similar in terms of animals and plants, there are subtle differences which makes both of them worthy of a visit.

Tour of Tucson Mountain District (Saguaro West)

- You can visit the Signal Hill Picnic Area, where you can view hundreds of ancient petroglyphs.
- Take a short hike on the park's Valley View Overlook Trail, where you can view the distant mountain ranges and the Aura Valley.
- Visit the Red Hills Visitor Center where a great orientation program is shown daily offering the Native American perspective on Saguaro cactus.

Tour of Rincon Mountain District (Saguaro East)

- Take a hike along the Freeman Homestead Trail and learn about homesteading in modern Tucson and the desert.
- You can take an auto or bike tour around the scenic Cactus Forest Drive which offers picturesque Rincon Mountain views.
- Those having a taste of adventure can take a trip to the Manning Cabin in the Saguaro Wilderness Area.

Accommodations

The Saguaro National Park doesn't have any campsites but a number of hotels and Tucson city are located nearby. One of the closest hotels is the Holiday Inn Express Tucson which is situated close to the park's west section.

To know more about the Saguaro National Park you can visit:

http://www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm

http://www.saguaro.national-park.com/

http://www.saguaronationalpark.com/

http://www.pickatrail.com/sun/s/america/saguaro_national_park.html