Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits in AZ -- Campground & RV Camping

Saguaro National Park's six wilderness campgrounds are accessible only by foot or pack stock in the roadless Rincon Mountains, with no vehicle access permitted. Sites range from Douglas Spring at 4,800 feet to Manning Camp at 7,920 feet, requiring hikes between 4.4 and 10 miles from the trailheads. The terrain shifts from Sonoran desert cacti up to oak woodlands and ponderosa pine forests. Campgrounds feature basic vault or composting toilets, with seasonal or spring water sources available nearby that require filtration. Fire regulations vary by location.

Getting there: This is not car or RV camping! There are no campgrounds accessible by vehicle (including RVs) within Saguaro National Park. For fit hikers interested in backpacking a minimum of 4.4 miles into the rugged Rincon Mountains, 6 wilderness campgrounds are available. The six campgrounds within the Saguaro Wilderness are accessed only by hiking a minimum of 4.4 miles (7 km). Trailhead Driving Directions Five trailheads lead into the Saguaro Wilderness. To help you plan your trip, we have separated these trailheads by the level of difficulty it takes to reach a particular trailhead. Access to the Saguaro Wilderness is available from the south boundary of the park, at Camino Loma Alta Trailhead. There is NO public access to Madrona, which is permanently closed and is not staffed at any time. Access to the Saguaro Wilderness via the Miller Creek, Turkey Creek and Italian Spring Trailheads is through US Forest Service (USFS) lands (driving directions below). For more details, visit the Coronado National Forest Hiking web page. Trailhead Elevation Douglas Spring 2,750 feet (838 m) Tanque Verde Ridge 3,100 feet (945 m) Miller Creek 4,200 feet (1280 m) Turkey Creek 4,250 feet (2343 m) Italian Spring 4,800 feet (1463 m) Easy Access The Tanque Verde Ridge Trailhead is located of the park’s scenic loop drive, within the Javelina Picnic Area. Vehicle access to the Tanque Verde Ridge Trailhead is available from 7:00 a.m. to sunset daily. The scenic loop drive is closed and locked nightly from 8:30 p.m until 5:00 a.m. Note: Summer hikers should choose a different route. You cannot access this trailhead early enough (before sunrise) to avoid extreme summer temperatures. The Douglas Spring Trailhead is located at the east end of Speedway Boulevard and is accessible 24 hours per day. Due to this easy access, vehicle break-ins have occurred at this trailhead. Do not leave valuables inside your vehicle - visible or otherwise. Many wilderness users choose to have a friend drop them off and pick them up rather than leaving a vehicle at this trailhead. Moderate Access Both the Miller Creek and Turkey Creek Trailheads are located on USFS lands and are generally accessible by light truck or car. However, during or after heavy rainfall, access to these trailheads can be restricted or impassable. You must hike an additional 1.5 miles/2.4 km (on either trail to reach the boundary of Saguaro National Park. To reach either of these trailheads ,take Interstate 10 to exit #297 and head north. The road is paved for the first two miles (3.2 km) and graded gravel for the remainder of its length. When you enter the Coronado National Forest, the road is named USFS Route #35. The turnoff to the Miller Creek Trailhead is 16 miles (26 km) north of I-10. The Turkey Creek Trailhead turnoff is one half mile beyond the Miller Creek turnoff. Look for USFS Route #4408 and turn left. Vehicles without high clearance and 4-wheel-drive will not be able to negotiate the last 1.6 miles (2.5 km) of road leading to the Turkey Creek Trailhead. The Loma Alta Trailhead is at the north end of Camino Loma Alta, north of Old Spanish Trail. Horse parking is at pavement end; hikers may proceed one half mile further on a dirt road. Difficult Access The Italian Spring Trailhead is the most difficult trailhead to access. To reach this trailhead, drive east on Tanque Verde Road. At the intersection with Wentworth Road, Tanque Verde Road will change names to Redington Road. At the boundary of the Coronado National Forest, the surface of Redington Road will change from pavement to gravel. While the gravel portion of Redington Road does not require 4-wheel-drive, high clearance is recommended as it is not regularly maintained and is usually in poor condition. From the beginning of the gravel, travel 9.6 miles (15.4 km) to USFS Route #37 and turn right. Vehicles with 4-wheel-drive and high clearance may drive an additional 2.6 miles (4 km) to the Italian Spring Trailhead. This trailhead is located on USFS lands; you must hike an additional 5.1 miles (8 km) to reach the boundary of Saguaro National Park.

• Well separated here, a 21-site campground with no through road within 3.7 miles.
• Flat ground is scarce: under a tenth of the terrain within a few hundred yards is level.
• Helens Dome stands 1,843 ft above the map pin, 1.7 miles northeast.
• Mostly tent-only sites, with 21 hike-in sites.
• Grass Shack Spring lies 1.2 mi off.
• Estimated night sky: Bortle 2, true dark-sky territory.

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