Saguaro National Park is a National Park in Arizona. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 33 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Saguaro
We matched 33 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Saguaro. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (12)
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Mountain Peaks (3)
Canyons (4)
Caves (1)
Mountain Passes (1)
Botanical Gardens (1)
Wilderness Areas (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Saguaro the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:41 PM | 246° | 10h 16m |
| February | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:10 PM | 256° | 11h 03m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:32 PM | 268° | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:27 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:53 PM | 282° | 12h 58m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 293° | 13h 48m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:32 PM | 299° | 14h 15m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 296° | 14h 04m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:09 PM | 287° | 13h 21m |
| September | 6:08 AM | 6:40 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:31 PM | 274° | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 7:00 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:52 PM | 260° | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:24 PM | 249° | 10h 31m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:21 PM | 243° | 10h 03m |
Computed for the park's reference point (32.2091, -110.7575); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Saguaro, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:52 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.8 | 18° |
| March | 3:03 AM – 5:03 AM | 2.0 | 25° |
| April | 12:58 AM – 4:18 AM | 3.3 | 29° |
| May | 10:58 PM – 3:48 AM | 4.8 | 29° |
| June | 9:13 PM – 3:33 AM | 6.3 | 29° |
| July | 9:09 PM – 2:09 AM | 5.0 | 29° |
| August | 8:37 PM – 12:07 AM | 3.5 | 29° |
| September | 7:53 PM – 10:03 PM | 2.2 | 26° |
| October | 7:13 PM – 8:03 PM | 0.8 | 18° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
5 Estimated Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow.
Weather & best time to visit
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.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $20.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Saguaro National Park has two districts separated by the city of Tucson. The address for the Saguaro National Park West District is 2700 N Kinney Rd. We do not recommend using mobile mapping applications to search for either district. Instead, please click the link to the directions page, determine which district you plan to visit, and enter that physical address into the mobile application.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
Nearby parks
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