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Top ways to experience Cactus Forest Drive and nearby attractions. Saguaro Full Day Private Tour and Hike. from. $712.25. per adult (price varies by group size) Guided 2 Hour Horseback Ride Catalina State Park Coronado Forest. Recommended.
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Nov 30, 2023 · The Cactus Forest Scenic Loop Drive is a paved road that lacks parking for RVs and larger vehicles. The Loop Drive features several trailheads, scenic vistas and pullouts in a total of 8 miles (12.9 km). Tucson Mountain District (west): The Scenic Bajada Loop Drive is a popular way of exploring the district’s foothills.
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Where can I See Cactus Forest in Saguaro National Park?
- Future Generations Overlook. The Future Generations Overlook provides stunning views of the Tanque Verde Ridge and the desertscape below. You’ll also find multiple informative and interesting interpretive panels here, as will most of the stops we take today.
- Sonoran Desert Overlook. Just a short distance down the road we arrive at the Sonoran Desert Overlook. Here you can learn about the dozens of different species of cactus found in this region, including the prickly pear, teddy bear cholla, and of course the giant saguaro.
- Cactus Forest Overlook. The next viewpoint on this journey shares this drive’s namesake, Cactus Forest Overlook. Interestingly you might not see very much of a cactus forest from here, and that’s because the view from this spot has drastically changed over the last century.
- Mica View Trail. Continuing on this adventure, I recommend taking a small detour down the short gravel road to the Mica View Trailhead and Picnic Area.
Mar 7, 2023 · The Cactus Forest Loop is a 10-mile route that weaves through the park’s signature Saguaro cacti and towering mountains, making for a truly breathtaking journey. Cactus Forest Drive in Saguaro National Park is one of the most scenic drives in the state.
- One-Way Road
- Overlooks
- Saguaro Cactuses
- Trailheads
- Hikers and Cyclists
- Wildlife
- Picnic Areas
Cactus Forest Drive is a one-way road and is very easy to follow. There are quite a few turn out areas so if you are a slow driver you can simply pull over in one of these areas and let somebody pass you. There are a couple of points that are a little bit windy and it is a pretty narrow road at times but overall this is a very easy road to drive th...
Along the way, you will come across a handful of different overlooks. In total there are seven overlooks: 1. Future generations overlook 2. Sonoran desert overlook 3. Cactus view overlook 4. Riparian overlook 5. Rincon mountains overlook 6. Javelina rocks overlook 7. Desert living overlook Each of these overlooks has something different to offer. S...
Saguaro cactuses are the name sake of this national park and so as you would expect you will encounter many of these towering over the road. If you really want a good look at these cactuses then I suggest getting out on a trail but at some of these overlooks you can get some pretty good views.
There are quite a few trailheads that are located directly on Cactus Forest Drive. If you’re looking for a trail to quickly hop out of your car and walk around for about 15 to 20 minutes then consider the Desert Ecology Trail (this is also the only official trail dogs are allowed on). Another easy and pretty short trail is the Freeman Homestead Nat...
A lot of cyclists enjoy cycling through the park and on many days you will encounter quite a few people on bikes. On some portions of the road, there is a designated bike lane but in other spots there is not so always be mindful of them. Tip:Approach the cyclists slowly and lots of times they will wave you forward making it easy to navigate past th...
You might come across some wildlife when driving through the park. Typically, from the road I usually see bunnies hopping around and some interesting birds perched on top of saguaro cacti. But be mindful that you might see other vulnerable creatures crossing the road like desert tortoises or Gila monsters.
Saguaro National Park has a couple of picnic areas. Some of these are even covered too so you can enjoy the shade. One of the popular picnic areas is the Mica view picnic area and the other is the Javelina picnic area.
Really beautiful 8 mile loop drive. One way road and many opportunities to pull off and do short or long hikes.Excellent experience to get a first look at the environment prior to all the new development in the Tucson area. Glad we bought a national park season pass, we will be back for a sunset drive since the park is open until 8:30p.
Really beautiful 8 mile loop drive. One way road and many opportunities to pull off and do short or long hikes.Excellent experience to get a first look at the environment prior to all the new development in the Tucson area. Glad we bought a national park season pass, we will be back for a sunset drive since the park is open until 8:30p.
