Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits

About Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits

Overview Wilderness campgrounds are the ONLY campgrounds in Saguaro National Park. For fit hikers interested in backpacking a minimum of 4.4 miles (7 km) into the rugged Rincon Mountains, six wilderness campgrounds are available. The Rincon Mountains in Saguaro National Park rise out of the Sonoran Desert to over 8000 feet (2438 m) in elevation and host vegetative communities ranging from desert cacti, desert grasslands, and oak woodlands, to mixed conifer forests. In 1976, congress designated 57,930 acres (23,443 ha) within these Mountains as the Saguaro Wilderness managed as "an area where the each and its community of life are untrammeled by humans, where people themselves are visitors who do not remain." None of these wilderness campgrounds is accessible by vehicle (including RVs). For car or RV camping, the only options in the immediate area are private or commercial campgrounds. Further away, there are campgrounds in the Coronado National Forest, some of which may be available to book on Recreation.gov. Recreation Solitude awaits you on these cool, forested slopes. A strenuous hike and the solitude of the wilderness are the primary forms of recreation in the Rincon Mountains. From cactus-covered desert to pine-cloaked mountain heights, the Saguaro Wilderness Area in the Rincon Mountains protects the last roadless ‘sky island’ mountain range in Southern Arizona. All within sight of the sprawling city of Tucson. Limited overnight livestock pack trips are permitted in the park. Please contact 520-733-5153 for additional information. Plant and wildlife viewing is also popular...a hike to any of the six wilderness campgrounds in the Rincon Mountains provides a stark chronical of plant and animal life as you climb from saguaro cactus forests at your trailhead to grasslands, manzanita and scattered juniper at Douglas Spring (minimum 6 miles/9.6 km and a 2000 foot/609 m climb) to a full stand of juniper trees at Juniper Basin (6,000 feet/(1829 m). By the time you reac

How to Get There

This is not car or RV camping! There are no campgrounds accessible by vehicle (including RVs) within Saguaro National Park. For fit hikers interested in backpacking a minimum of 4.4 miles into the rugged Rincon Mountains, 6 wilderness campgrounds are available. The six campgrounds within the Saguaro Wilderness are accessed only by hiking a minimum of 4.4 miles (7 km). Trailhead Driving Directions Five trailheads lead into the Saguaro Wilderness. To help you plan your trip, we have separated these trailheads by the level of difficulty it takes to reach a particular trailhead. Access to the Saguaro Wilderness is available from the south boundary of the park, at Camino Loma Alta Trailhead. There is NO public access to Madrona, which is permanently closed and is not staffed at any time. Access to the Saguaro Wilderness via the Miller Creek, Turkey Creek and Italian Spring Trailheads is through US Forest Service (USFS) lands (driving directions below). For more details, visit the Coronado National Forest Hiking web page. Trailhead Elevation Douglas Spring 2,750 feet (838 m) Tanque Verde Ridge 3,100 feet (945 m) Miller Creek 4,200 feet (1280 m) Turkey Creek 4,250 feet (2343 m) Italian Spring 4,800 feet (1463 m) Easy Access The Tanque Verde Ridge Trailhead is located of the park’s scenic loop drive, within the Javelina Picnic Area. Vehicle access to the Tanque Verde Ridge Trailhead is available from 7:00 a.m. to sunset daily. The scenic loop drive is closed and locked nightly from 8

What to Pack for Your Stay

Tuned to the live forecast for this park.

Plan Your Visit to Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits

Heading to Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)