Saguaro National Park

Take in the soaring saguaro cacti at this massive national park in Tucson. Hike, bike, walk, or drive through the forest of saguaros. Please resist the urge to through yourself in their welcoming, outstretched arms. Saguaro has trails for every fitness level. There's also a generous assortment of visitor facilities and mind-blowing viewpoints.

The easily accessible western (Tucson Mountain) section is half plains, half mountains. It's more densely populated with the stately cacti sentinels. There are many short trails here. Check out Signal Hill, where you’ll find a summit full of boulders adorned with petroglyphs dating from the 13 and 14th centuries. Stroll the park’s longest (4.9-mile) Hugh Norris Trail at sunset, or follow the ridge at dawn up to the 2,130-foot-high summit for a dazzling view of the surrounding mountains and desert valley.

The eastern (Rincon Mountain) region offers more extensive mountain wilderness and backcountry trails. There are several peaks over 8,000 feet. Try the heart-pounding the 8.8-mile Douglas Spring Trail or the 11-mile Tanque Verde Ridge Trail

Summers are hotter than hot at Saguaro, so bring three times the water you think you need and get an early start. Fall and spring are ideal times for a visit. If you go in the spring, the Sonora desert will regale you with a full bloom of desert wildflowers.