Saguaro National Park’s Rincon and Tucson Mountain Districts each have great scenic drives. We spent a whole day there. In the Rincon Mountain District (east), the eight-mile Cactus Forest Scenic Loop Drive features several trailheads, pullouts and incredible views along the way. We did one short hike, but it was mostly driving around to see the expansive saguaro dotted terrains. It was quite cloudy that day, which just added to the dramatic landscape.
The unpaved, graded dirt/gravel Scenic Bajada Loop Drive took us into the Tucson Mountain District’s foothills, with scenic pullouts along its six-mile loop.
On our hike, we came across a few cacti that were at least thrice taller than us – they were standing like soldiers in formation getting ready to march upon orders! The stunning views comprised not only saguaros but also other cacti such as the barrel cactus, yuca, prickly pear, and cholla. This landscape is the symbol of the quintessential American Southwest!
