Saguaro Wilderness
Sprouting in the shade of another desert plant, the saguaro cactus grows only a few inches in its first five years of life and a few feet in its first 30 years. At age 75, the cactus stands 15 to 20 feet tall and begins developing its first branches as it absorbs water through an extensive root system. A mature cactus can live up to 170 years, often measuring in at over 30 feet tall, weighing 6 to 10 tons, and holding one ton of water. The saguaro is truly king of the Sonoran Desert. Saguaro Wilderness is situated within the Saguaro National Monument and preserves thousands of acres of saguaro cacti.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 70,905 acres |
| Designated | 1976, by Congress |
| Center point | 32.20° N, 110.70° W |
| Night sky | Some glow on the horizon (Black Marble reading 64) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 3 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 9 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Italian Spring ↗ | 7 | |
| Turkey Creek | 1.8 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedMica Mountain Rx
9 mi from the center point
- PrescribedNogales Piles Rx
32 mi from the center point · 101 acres
- PrescribedSierra Vista Piles Rx
46 mi from the center point · 161 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- under 0.1 miManning Cabin ↗Tucson, AZ
- 2.3 miTodd, Charles S., House ↗Tucson, AZ
- 4.5 miViewpoint ↗Tucson, AZ
- 6.7 miCienega Bridge ↗Vail, AZ
- 6.7 mi
- 6.8 miVail Post Office, Old ↗Vail, AZ
- 7.4 miUsda Tucson Plant Materials Center ↗Tucson, AZ
- 8.1 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Arizona
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Saguaro Wilderness?
70,905 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Saguaro Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Saguaro Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Saguaro Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1976.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Saguaro Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Saguaro Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 32.199° N, 110.702° W. Saguaro National Park is 3 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Saguaro Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Mica Mountain Rx at 9 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Saguaro Wilderness?
Saguaro National Park (3 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Saguaro Wilderness?
The National Register has 114 listings within 15 miles, including Manning Cabin and Todd, Charles S., House.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.