Saguaro National Park covers 92,877 acres in Arizona. It became a national park on October 14, 1994, the 52nd of today’s 64 parks to get that title. It recorded 847,749 recreation visits in 2025, the 28th most of the 63 parks with a 2025 count.
Today at Saguaro
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Alerts: National Park Service, checked hourly. Forecast: National Weather Service, for Red Hills Visitor Center (West). Always confirm on the official park site before you set out.
In the park service’s words
Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are protected by Saguaro National Park, to the east and west of the modern city of Tucson. Here you have a chance to see these enormous cacti, silhouetted by the beauty of a magnificent desert sunset.
From the National Park Service (public domain).
Entrance fee and passes
The standard entrance pass is $25 per vehicle. The vehicle entrance pass is sold in the form of a dated register receipt and admits one privately owned, non-commercial vehicle into Saguaro National Park. This includes passenger cars, trucks, vans, recreational vehicles, campers, or converted buses used for private, recreational purposes.
The $80 America the Beautiful pass for U.S. residents covers this fee and everyone in your car. It pays for itself after 4 visits at this price, and it is accepted at every national park.
Entrance is free for U.S. residents on the 2026 fee-free days.
Best time to visit
- Best time to visit Saguaro: January, February, November and December. The weather is at its most comfortable then, and crowds are lighter than at the peak.
- Busiest month: March, with about 144,286 visits in a typical recent year. That is 4.1 times as many as August.
- Quietest month: August (35,184 visits).
Bar height: visitors that month, compared with the busiest month. Temperatures: average daily high and low (°F); rain and snow: monthly averages. Best marks the months we suggest.
More detail: the best time to visit Saguaro, month by month.
Plan your visit
- Best time to visit: crowds and weather month by month
- Camping, RVs and lodging: 6 campgrounds
- Getting there: Nearest gas to Rincon Mountain Visitor Center (East): QuikTrip in Tucson, 2.3 miles away. Closest airport Tucson International Airport (12 mi)
- Know before you go: safety, what to pack and what to leave at home
Weather, in the park service’s words
The park service says:
You can expect the Winter Season to have daytime temperatures from the low 50's to the high 70's. Whereas the Summer Season can result temperatures ranging from the mid-90's to low 110's. During the Summer season, it is highly recommended to restrict outdoor activities to before 10am, or after 4pm. Late Summer into early Fall is usually accompanied by heavy monsoon rains, resulting in cooler but more humid afternoons and evenings. Flash flooding is a concern around this time of year.
From the National Park Service (public domain).
Nearby national parks by road
- Chiricahua (Arizona): about 2 h 15 min by car (112 miles)
- White Sands (New Mexico): about 5 h 40 min by car (320 miles)
- Petrified Forest (Arizona): about 5 h 55 min by car (267 miles)
- Joshua Tree (California): about 6 h 10 min by car (336 miles)
Drive times run between the closest visitor centers of each pair, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads. Link several parks with the road trip planner.
Sources
Last checked 1 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter Saguaro National Park?
The standard entrance pass is $25 per vehicle. The vehicle entrance pass is sold in the form of a dated register receipt and admits one privately owned, non-commercial vehicle into Saguaro National Park. This includes passenger cars, trucks, vans, recreational vehicles, campers, or converted buses used for private, recreational purposes.
What state is Saguaro National Park in?
Arizona.
When did Saguaro become a national park?
October 14, 1994.
How many people visit Saguaro?
847,749 recreation visits were counted in 2025.
When is the best time to visit Saguaro?
January, February, November and December. March is the busiest month and August the quietest while the park is fully open.
