An informational article about the eastern section of the Saguaro National Park. Read further to see some of the amazing attractions the Saguaro National Park has to offer!

Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park

Overview: 

Rincon Mountain District

• Acreage: 67,476

• Picnic Areas: 2

• Loop Drive: 8 miles paved

• Camping: 6 backcountry sites

• 128 miles of hiking trails

• Highest Point: Mica Mt 8,666 ft ^2

The eastern section of the Saguaro National Forest and the older of the two parks. The Eastern section of the park sits about 10 miles east of the city. This section of the park is also the larger of the two and is much more mountainous but has a less dense population of Saguaro and contains six biotic zones. However, this section of the park boasts 128 miles of hiking trails to be enjoyed! 

History:

The earliest known inhabitants of the area were the Hohokam. Living in small villages where they hunted, and grew crops like corn, beans, and squash. They also carved petroglyphs and made pottery, both of which can still be found in the national park.

The next were Spanish explorers who entered Arizona in 1539-1540. Non-native settlement within the park area was first established in 1692 with the San Xavier Mission along the Santa Cruz River.

 In 1920, the Natural History Society first began expressing interest in making the area a sanctuary for the Saguaro cactus. (Saguaro’s being a rare species of cacti that only grows in the Sonoran desert.). Then in 1933, Homer L. Shantz was able to convince President Hoover to officially create the Saguaro National Park

Freeman Homestead Trail:

This trail is one of the shorter and more manageable trails that can be found within the park but is also an ideal trail if you want to admire the oldest and some of the most mature of the Saguaros in the park. If visiting, remember that it takes a Saguaro about 35 years to grow to flowering size (depending on the amount of rain it gets) and 50-75 years to grow its first arm. If you see a Saguaro that has multiple arms, it probably is more than 100 years in age! 

Tanque Verde Ridge Trail: 

One of the longer trails within the park, sitting at an 18-mile round trip hike that’ll take you through the six types of biotic zones within the park. The trail also offers an incredible view of the park as the trail’s highest point is 7,049ft Tanque Verde Peak. Along the trail, there are chances of seeing the diverse wildlife within the park. However, if this trail sounds like quite the ordeal to tackle all at once, there is a camping spot at Juniper Basin which sits at the 6.8 mile mark of the trail.

With so many beautiful sights to see, so many different trails to explore, and being located so close to the city, the Saguaro National Park has been a selling point for Tucson realtors!