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...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 70,905 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1976, by Congress |
| Center point | 32.1993, -110.7020 |
| 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.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 5 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedNogales Piles Rx
32 mi from the center point · 101 acres
- PrescribedSierra Vista Piles Rx
46 mi from the center point · 150 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
- 0 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
- 8.2 miWright, Harold Bell, Estate ↗Tucson, AZ
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
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?
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits. 6 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Saguaro Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 32.199, -110.702. 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?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Nogales Piles Rx at 32 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Saguaro Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 64 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, some glow on the horizon.
Source: NASA Black Marble
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?
108 National Register 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.
- 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.