Saguaro National Park is 92,000 acres, but most people only see a tiny portion of what this Arizona landmark has to offer. The park has a few miles of scenic drives and some day hiking trails, but almost 80% of the park is designated wilderness. If you really want to explore its diverse landscape, you’ve got one option: backpacking.
With zero drive-in campsites, the only way to camp in Saguaro is to hike in and stay at one of its six backcountry sites. Many of the park’s greatest landmarks are several miles into the desert, so backpacking through the park is your surefire way to experience them all.
I went backpacking in Saguaro last spring, and gathered a lot of tips and tricks to help plan your ultimate backcountry getaway at this park that beckons to be explored.
Why Go to Saguaro National Park
Saguaro might be most famous for the eponymous cacti that blanket the park, which are surely beautiful, but it’s got a lot more to offer as well. It’s also home to diverse wildlife, some of which you can only find here, including roadrunners, desert tortoises, gila monsters, and elf owls. In spring and summer, multiple kinds of colorful blooms erupt and dot the desert with bright hues.
Most people associate Saguaro with the desert, but my favorite part of my trip there was the variety in the landscape. On my backpacking trip, I started out in the desert at a low elevation and hiked up to the mountains at 8,600 feet, where there was still snow on the ground. The change from desert sand to pine forests and back made it feel like I was going through different worlds, all in the same place.
After my backpacking trip in the park, I spent a few days driving around, doing day hikes, and taking scenic drives. While this definitely produced some highlights (like seeing ancient petroglyphs), it paled in comparison to my wilderness experience.
How to Backpack in Saguaro
Saguaro has two separate parks, with the city of Tucson in the middle: the Tucson Mountain District and the Rincon Mountain District, which is home to all six backcountry campsites.
The three highlights of the park that must be on your backcountry itinerary are Manning Camp, a historic camp at 8,000 feet, Mica Mountain, the tallest point in the park at 8,668 feet, and Rincon Peak, another worthwhile summit.
To get to those points, you’ve got two choices when it comes to trails.
Option One
Start at Douglas Spring Trailhead and hike 6.4 miles to Douglas Spring Camp. The next day, hike the long and steep 6.5-mile trail to Manning Camp, and then tack on the 2.8-mile round-trip day hike up to Mica Mountain and back. Spend the night at Manning, and then descend 5.2 miles to Happy Valley Camp. From there, it’s 3.8 miles to Rincon Peak.
After that, you can do it all in reverse.
Option Two
Start at the Tanque Verde Ridge Trailhead and follow that trail 6.9 miles to Juniper Basin Camp. The next day, it’s 8.3 miles to Manning Camp, and from there, you follow the same itinerary as in option one.
Beware the Elevation Gains
If you’re an experienced backpacker, you might look at the mileage above and feel compelled to combine some of those days. I did the same thing, and regretted it.
The elevation changes at Saguaro are intense. From Douglas Spring Trailhead to Manning Camp (13 miles), you gain 6,000 feet. I tried to do all 13 miles in a day and rued my overconfidence. Part of the trail is literally just miles of rock staircases that absolutely annihilated my quads. After over a decade of hiking, I can safely say I never felt more wrecked after a backpacking trip than I did at Saguaro.
Your body will thank you for splitting up the miles. You’ll also be able to take your time and fully appreciate the trail. If you’re making the effort to visit a national park, it’s worth it to stop and smell the roses (or the cacti flowers, in this case).
Logistics & Planning
When to Go
With the significant elevation changes on these trails, planning the right time to go can be tricky. Too late, and you’ll be suffering in extreme heat at the low elevations. Too early, and snowy weather might disrupt your hikes near the peaks.
I went in mid-March, and I wish I had gone earlier. Some of the available water sources had already dried up, and the heat at the start of Douglas Spring Trail was oppressive. In the desert parts of the park, there is almost zero shade, and the sun is punishing.
December and January are some of the wettest months of the year, so your best bet is November or February. The highs in those months are in the 60s with lows in the 40s — solidly comfortable backpacking weather.
Come prepared with layers and a warm sleeping bag for nights at the high-elevation Manning Camp. Temperatures there might be significantly lower than they are at the trailhead.
Water
Like in any desert, water in Saguaro is a precious (and rare) resource. It’s important to start the hike with at least 5 L of water, since you’ll only be able to refill at select camps. Before your trip, be sure to call the visitor center to check current water levels.
You can refill water at Douglas Springs, Juniper Basin, and Manning. Water at Happy Valley can be hit or miss.
Always err on the side of carrying more water than you need, and make sure to drink a lot. Dehydration is a severe and common risk when hiking in desert terrain like this. When you fill up at a water source, try to drink as much as possible before moving on.
Permits
Backpacking in Saguaro requires a permit, which you can get on recreation.gov. You’ll enter your itinerary, reserving specific campsites along the way.
One of the great things about Saguaro is how easy it is to get a permit. In all of 2025, there were only 2,464 reservations for these campsites. That’s a pretty small number compared to the 5.4 million people who visited the park that year.
Wildlife
Saguaro has several kinds of critters that backpackers should be aware of, including black bears and mountain lions. Bearproof storage containers are provided at all six campgrounds, and visitors should use them for their food.
Africanized honey bees are another concern. These bees can become aggressive if someone gets too close to their hive.
“If you approach an established bee colony, the guard bees will often warn you to stay away by repeatedly ‘head butting’ your body,” the NPS says. “If you do not retreat, a full-blown attack is imminent.” Learn more about wildlife safety here.
Getting There
If you’re flying in to visit Saguaro, you can choose between Tucson and Phoenix airports. The latter will likely be a slightly cheaper flight, but it’ll add a 2-hour drive to the park. It’s about a 20-minute drive from the Tucson airport.
Gear to Bring
The gear list for Saguaro National Park in the winter is similar to that of most backpacking trips. While you won’t have to endure frigid winter conditions, you’ll still need to go prepared for chilly nights and mornings, and the potential for wet weather.
Check the weather regularly before your trip to make sure you have the necessary gear for the conditions you’ll be hiking in. The sun is extremely intense, so a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are an absolute must. The GJ team also loves bringing a Buff to keep our necks protected.
- Sleeping bag (15-30 degrees)
- Sleeping pad (ideally with an R-value of 2 or more)
- Freestanding tent (with a rainfly)
- Backpack
- Trekking poles
- Water bottles/bladders
- Water filter
- Backpacking stove & fuel
- Food & snacks
- Fleece jacket (I brought the Mountain Hardwear Summit Grid Tunic Hoody)
- Insulated jacket (I brought the Black Diamond Solution 2.0)
- Rain jacket
- Beanie
- Sun hat
- Base layers
- Hiking shirts & pants
- Hiking boots or shoes
- Socks (x2-3)
- Underwear (x2-3)
- Headlamp
- Garmin inReach
- Saguaro National Park map
- Entertainment (cards, a book, etc.)
