Saguaro National Park - Rincon Mountain District
Nature reserve · Tucson & the Sky Islands
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The Rincon Mountain District preserves 92,000 acres of Sonoran Desert with giant saguaro cacti and high biodiversity. These mountains, significantly higher and wetter than the Tucson Mountains across the valley, have been shaped over 30 million years of crustal stretching and reach above 8,000 feet.
The park's featured ride is Cactus Forest Drive, a paved loop out of the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center that winds through a dense stand of saguaro with pullouts looking up at the Rincons. It is narrow and hilly enough that riders describe it as a rollercoaster, with tight turns through the cactus forest. Cyclists share the road with cars and can also ride the Cactus Forest Trail and the Hope Camp Trail. There is no water along the drive or at the picnic areas, so riders carry their own, and the recommended time to go is early morning before the desert heat builds. E-bikes are allowed on the same terms as regular bikes, pedal power only, the motor cannot move the bike on its own.
What you see
The loop drive threads through a thick forest of saguaro columns, with the forested slopes of the Rincon Mountains rising behind them.
Practical
No water is available anywhere along Cactus Forest Drive or at its picnic areas, carry your own. Entry by bike or on foot is $15 per person, versus $25 per vehicle.
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