Recently, when a work trip had Tim traveling to Phoenix, Arizona, we made the last-minute call for me to fly down and meet him for a quick, one-day jaunt into Saguaro National Park (about a 1.5 hour drive from Phoenix).

Last year, Tim and I made a bold decision to visit every National Park in the United States. (Yes, really – ALLLL 63). We’re still feeling half-crazy for embarking on this adventure, but less than a year in, we are fully team #noregrets. The magnitude of beauty found in the National Parks has been downright surprising and nearly overwhelming at every turn. What a privilege to be able to be in the presence of such grandeur multiple times a year.

Here’s a recap of our adventures, including where we chose to stay, the hikes we prioritized, and reasons why we love Sagauro National Park (and maybe you will, too!)

How We Got Around

As first-time visitors to the park, we wanted to make the most of our short time there, so we started off by choosing to ride in style. If your budget allows, a convertible is a lovely way to see the individual terrain of the parks, and well, it’s just fun and fancy. Like us. (j/k, j/k). But really, getting the full view of mountains and sky has created some unforgettable memories for us, driving in the moonlight sing/yelling our favorite songs. 

We rented the car, and in truth, it was only $40 extra to upgrade to a convertible, so be sure to ask when you check out! 

CLICK HERE to watch a little reel we made of the highlights! (I’d love to hang out with you on Instagram!)

Where we Stayed

Hacienda Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona

It was recommended to us by someone who knows the area well that we stay at the Hacienda Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona. Let me be clear: this was a splurge. It did indeed have a beautiful view of the area and Sonoran Desert/Mountains. I’d love to go back at some point and spend more time in this beautiful location.

There are two restaurants on site, and fortunately for us, we arrived to the hotel JUST in time for our 6:00pm dinner reservations at the Grill. The Terrazzo Garden Patio and Lounge also looked like a great time and appeared to be highly desirable as well (both restaurants were fully booked that evening). The food was awesome, and we were serenaded by a piano player which made for a lovely ambiance.

About Saguaro National Park

The first VERY IMPORTANT thing you need to know about Saguaro National Park is that it is divided into two parts: East (Rincon Mountain District) and West (Tucson Mountain District). The city of Tucson lies between the two sections of the park.

Due to the last-minute nature of our trip, we ended up visiting the West side of the park first, and then deciding later in the day to head to the East side. Because our hotel was also on the East side, this ended up not being the most efficient plan, but it worked out.

HIKING

The hikes we decided to prioritize on this adventure were two large loops, one on the west side featuring Wasson Peak, and then a popular hike on the East side to Bridal Falls. We like to go big with our one-day hiking adventures, and this combination put up an all-day total of about 16 miles. You will notice if you follow our journey, that we want to push hard on these hiking days, so if you want to challenge yourself and see some epic things, come with us, my friend.

1. King Canyon / Wasson Peak / Gould Mine Hike

The loop we chose to start the day was King Canyon Trail -> Hugh Norris Trail up to Wasson Peak -> Hugh Norris Trail down to Sendero Esperanza Trail -> Gould Mine Trail.

Total distance: 8.11 miles

Time: 3 hours, 52 minutes

Elevation gain: 2,026 ft

This hike will forever be etched in my mind. “Meeting” the Saguaros for the first time was like nothing we’ve ever experienced. They were stunning, and after hanging out with them for the better part of the day, they seemed to take on a life (and personality) of their own.

It was a sun-exposed route with a lot of wind towards the peak (and on the peak – Tim barely rescued my hat after it flew from my head before it blew off the cliff!) We layered up, which was helpful, because we frequently took on and off layers. A hydration pack is a very good idea on this hike. Tim drank over 3L, and I was fine with 1.

2. Douglas Spring Trail / Bridal Wreath Falls / Three Tank Trail / Wildhorse Trail / Garwood Trail

Total distance: Over 8 miles (my watch and phone both died, unfortunately)

Time: 4 hours, 20 minutes

Elevation gain: 1,500(ish) feet

After our West-side adventure, we just didn’t think we could leave without seeing the East side of the park. It was then that we made the last-minute decision to cross Tucson and see what the Rincon Mountain District was like. The drive across town took about 45 minutes. There are plenty of great restaurants along the way if you wanted to stop for a meal.

We parked at the Douglas Spring Trailhead and made our way on the trails. The Douglas Spring Trail was quite busy, but nice and wide at the busiest sections. Bridal Falls was small but fun to get to, across a couple of small streams. The terrain looked similar on this side of the park, only with less Saguaros and a few different plant varieties.

The crowd cleared out on the back of our loop, and we saw very few people for the last couple of miles.

As we neared the end of our hike, the sun went down. The sunset on the Saguaros was absolutely gorgeous.

We finished our hikes at about 5pm, and it was time to head directly to the airport to catch our 8:30pm flight out of Phoenix! We’re learning this process of hikes to airport is a little odd, as we are DISGUSTING by this point of the day. So we have become people who are wiping off in airport bathrooms.

WILDLIFE

Our wildlife viewing consisted of a few lizard sightings! We’d heard about larger animals and bees also being dangerous in the area. Be sure to check with the National Park Service to see the latest warnings before you hike. There is also the local Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum that you can visit to see the area’s wildlife. We would have loved to have added a stop there – it is less than a mile from the King’s Canyon Trailhead where we started the day.

KIDS

This park would have been a great kid-friendly option. The girls would have LOVED seeing the Saguaros. The elevation throughout most of the park wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for most active kids. There were several shorter loops like Loma Verde Trail, Desert Ecology Loop, and Freeman Homestead Trail that look like they would have made for a lovely family adventure.

Final Thoughts

I felt like we escaped into a desert dreamland for a day with our visit to Saguaro National Park. The climate was perfect (we went in late January), the Saguaros were more substantial and unique than even expected, and the views and terrain were truly captivating, as each National Park we’ve seen has delivered.

Have you been to Saguaro National Park? If so, let us know what YOU loved and wouldn’t miss in the comments below! Stay tuned for the next adventure, friends!

There’s so much more to see and appreciate in this world yet.

big Love + greatest Blessings,

Ann Marie ❤️