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2h
Nice 4 mile loop hike that summits Brown Mountain, a lower hill that's just outside Saguaro National Park.
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Red Hills Visitor Center
10m · Admission ticket not included
This visitor center is a wealth of information about the west side of Saguaro National Park, the TMD. There are also good restrooms, a museum, activities, a gift shop, and a theatre.
Park entrance fee per vehicle
good for 7 Days
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Desert Discovery Nature Trail
30m
An interpretive trail near the park entrance that is paved, flat, and easy for strollers or wheelchairs. The 0.4 mile loop may have flowers and birds, as well as reptiles.
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15m
A 0.8 mile trail that leads to an impressive overlook above a large expanse of virgin Sonoran desert, with mountains in the background.
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30m
A placid picnic spot with vault toilets and nice desert views.
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1h 30m
This trail offers a stunning route to reach Mt. Wassen, the highest point of the TMD. Along the way one can see saguaros and other desert plants, as well as possibly wildlife as well, reptiles, birds, and possibly mammals, like jackrabbits and javalinas, or even mountain lions.
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35m
Stunning Hohokam culture petroglyphs with a backdrop of desert and mountains behind.
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Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
2h
Part zoo, part museum, part botanical garden, part art gallery, there's something for everybody at this unique institution, which is one of Tucson's top attractions. This place celebrates everything native to Arizona with natural exhibits and well-kept paths through gardens. Play areas, shows, and more keep the kids entertained as well. About 85% of the Desert Museum is outdoors.
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15m
A stunning scenic overlook of vast desert, with parking and stone structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
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5m
The Saguaro East portion of the tour begins past the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center, at the beginning of the Cactus Forest Drive scenic loop. This is a quick and easy overlook, one of the first along Cactus Forest Drive. For those that are anxious to get out of the car and take a look around, this is a quick introduction to the area. But if time is short, you can press on.
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5m
Another brief stop is in order at this overlook, which has a much more expansive view of the surrounding saguaro forest.
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30m
The Mica View Picnic Area has a few shaded places to enjoy a picnic, but the star is the Mica View Trail. It's an easy, 1.5 mile round trip hike through the saguaros. The path is flat, wide, and made of gravel, making this an ADA-accessible trail.
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Desert Ecology Trail
15m
This easy, paved trail is under a half mile long, and is one more ADA-accessible path through the desert flora. It doesn't take long to walk through, but you might linger longer to read the interpretive signs, or wait on a bench to see what wildlife appears.
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Loma Verde
1h 30m
This trailhead is the gateway to a tangle of trails that extend into the desert. But the most popular trip is to do a loop, combining the Loma Verde, Pink Hill, and Squeeze Pen trails. Together, it's about 3.5 miles round trip, through more saguaros, cacti, and small trees.
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5m
This overlook sits at the base of the Rincon Mountain range, with an open view of the desert ecosystem.
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Javelina Rocks
15m
Enjoy climbing around these ancient rock formations, which are a window into Saguaro's unique geological history. This is a particularly good spot for enjoying a sunset, with open views of much of the Cactus Forest Loop area.
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30m
This is an easy, one mile round trip hike to what's left of the Freeman family homestead. There's not much in the way of ruins other than the house's foundations, but it's an enjoyable hike nonetheless. The trail makes a loop in a densely vegetated area, where wildlife is abundant.
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2h
A picnic area with covered tables and a restroom, as well as the Tanque Verde trailhead. The entire Tanque Verde Trail is over 17 miles long, an adventure that crosses through multiple ecosystems between saguaro desert to alpine forest.
Even if you do the first couple miles, you'll see the saguaros disappear and replaced with scrubland. Wide open views, nearby mountains, and incredible scenery make this a fitting grand finale to the tour.
