cactus forest loop drive

Cactus Forest Loop + 8 miles: 500' rolling: Ride anytime, night riders need lights and reflectors: Rincon Valley: 4.1: 2880: Saturday morning farmer's market: Jnct Pistol Hill Rd (&OST) 9.9: 3415: A beautiful section of Old Spanish Trail: Colossal Cave (out and back) + 3 miles: 3680: Out and back through pristine desert when the gate is open: Jnct Camino Loma Alta: 13: 3280 1. This one-way, 2-hour drive meanders through the dense forest and offers countless places to pull over for photos, short walks, and long hikes. Cactus Forest Drive is a wonderful 8-mile, paved drive through the Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park east of Tucson. It features an excellent display saguaro cactus and other desert foliage as it winds through the desert. The Saguaro are beautiful and amazing! Elapsed time: 00:00:00 ; 32x. The Loop drive at Saguaro National Park provides a smooth and beautiful overview of Sonoran desert landscape. Cactus Forest Drive is the scenic driving and cycling loop road through Saguaro National Park eastern unit. Cactus Forest Drive is the main scenic drive found in Saguaro National Park (East District). Saguaro National Parkss Rincon Mountain Division, also known as Saguaro National Park East, features the Cactus Forest Drive, a meandering paved loop for cars and bicycles that takes visitors to several vistas and points of interest throughout the park. This drive is very nice for seeing these cactus from afar and then dropping right down into them. Sort by: Rank Date. Saguaro National Park Scenic Drive/Tour. The Bajada Loop Drive in the Tucson Mountain District (west) is a 6-mile gravel loop. Beginning at the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center, the one-way Cactus Forest Drive Loop leads visitors on a leisurely eight-mile journey through a saguaro forest. A popular way to enjoy the park is to bike around one of our scenic loop drives. Numerous sharp turns and hills make this a challenging but scenic option. The gate to Cactus Forest Drive opens at 7 a.m. and shuts around sunset. The eight-mile paved road offers the best scenery of any route in the park—hiked or driven. Location: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, 154 miles northeast of Seattle; Length: 7.2-mile round-trip loop; Difficulty Rating: Intermediate; Best For: A lovely day hike with stunning views and autumn colors in season; Dogs: Leashed Located in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, this hike tours the national forest on the southeastern edge of North … This is an 8-mile paved one-way road (until you near the end where local traffic creates need for a two-way) which allows access to the trailheads and general beauty of the park, it reminded me of Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park. A 2.5 mi (4.0 km) dirt trail that bisects the Cactus Forest Loop Drive in East Saguaro. Driving- The Cactus Forest Scenic Loop Drive is a paved, combination one- and two-way road. Manning Camp Campground is the main staging area for firefighters, trail-maintenance crews, and scientists working in the Rincon Mountain District. The drive provides a stunning view of Sonoran Desert life and varieties of cacti, plants, and wildlife that inhabit the area. “Bring plenty of water,” says Fisher. What is Cactus Forest Drive? It’s a perfect choice for someone looking for an easy to moderate hike with pretty minimal elevation gain and close encounters with large saguaro cactusesalong with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and desert terrain. Park here and proceed on foot past the gate on the Monte Cristo Road for 4.0 miles to the junction with the Monte Cristo campground road. The loop is less than a mile in length, and relatively level, with only a few short mild dips and rises. Note that trailers/RVs longer than 35 feet or any vehicle wider than 8 feet are not permitted. Pause when finish line is crossed Leaderboard. Playback Speed. Upon entering the East side of the park you drive onto the seriously scenic Cactus Forest Loop Drive. An 8 mi (13 km) paved road in East Saguaro that is used by cars, bikes and joggers. Rank Time Performed at Athlete Associated ride Someone a little TOO quick? Note: The visitor's center is outside the fee entrance station for the park. Here, travelers rent a vehicle at the airport and many enjoy a city break in Seattle for a day or two before they head out on the Cascade Loop. The Cactus Forest Trail is a long 10-mile hike that can be broken down into smaller segments, since there are essentially four starting points for the trailheads. The primary attraction in Saguaro National Park East is the Cactus Forest Loop Drive. If you wish to drive or cycle the loop, you'll need to pay a park entrance fee. Cactus Forest Drive, Tucson: See 209 reviews, articles, and 176 photos of Cactus Forest Drive, ranked No.10 on Tripadvisor among 331 attractions in Tucson. The Cactus Forest Loop Drive in the Rincon Mountain District (east) is an 8-mile paved loop. “One of our most concerning statistics at the park is that we have averaged 7 major bicycle related accidents a year over the past 5 years on the Cactus Forest Loop Drive. Definitely worth the drive if … A guide to the natural and cultural history of the Cactus Forest Loop Drive is available for $2.00 at the visitor center. Bicycling Information Park rangers plan to lead a series of “Holiday Cactus Caravan” tours around the park’s Cactus Forest Loop Drive on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 29. For a longer springtime walk, surround yourself with wildflower color by hiking the Cactus Forest. “A … A covered picnic shelter is available on first come first served basis and is often shared by club members and volunteers who host several work parties to maintain the site and trails. The Desert Ecology Trail in Saguaro East is a short, 0.25-mile paved interpretive trail off Cactus Forest Loop Drive, offering the perfect introduction to the Sonoran Desert. Compare efforts Toggle details. The loop drive in Saguaro National Park East is a great way to see the landscape with plenty of Saguaros. Fodor's Expert Review Cactus Forest Drive. This campground is located in a beautiful forest setting offering 40 miles of combined four-wheel drive and motorcycle/quad trails of varying difficulty. Fees It’s a paved, one-way, eight-mile loop road that should take you at least 45 minutes to an hour to properly explore by taking multiple stops at the different overlooks. Where can I ride? Length 10 miElevation gain 511 ftRoute type Out & back The Civilian Conservation Corps created much of the infrastructure in the eastern district including the 8-mile Cactus Forest Drive through a part of the Sonoran Desert. Within the forest lies a small ghost town called Bordeaux that can be tricky to find, but its elusive nature makes it fun for explorers to track down. Click to review Biking Regulations. Their supplies are brought in by pack mules that are kept in corrals at the site. We visited in May 2015. The Desert Discovery Trail is a flat, 0.5 mile paved trail located in the western Tucson Mountain District of Saguaro… Thanks to Cactus Forest Drive, a paved, one-way road that loops through 8 miles of rugged desert at an elevation of roughly 3,000 feet, visitors to this peaceful preserve are quickly immersed in our state’s most iconic assets: craggy peaks, sweeping vistas, spectacular sunsets and cactuses, cactuses, cactuses. In contrast to Bajada Loop Drive, Cactus Forest Drive travels through parts of the park, which were subject to livestock grazing in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Cactus Forest Trail is a 10 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Tucson, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. It's a paved 8.3 mile road, which provides access to two picnic areas and several hiking trailheads. Cactus Forest Loop Drive Flag entire segment (hazardous, bad data) Hide. Stop and pause along the way and you might catch the drumming of a few Gila woodpeckers. Fly-Drive: Seattle & The Cascade Loop Most folks who come to visit the Cascade Loop fly into Sea-Tac International Airport , operated by the Port of Seattle . For someone from the Midwest, this is very different from what we are used to seeing. Cactus Forest Trail. This paved 8-mile drive provides a great overview of all Saguaro East has to offer. From Granite Falls, go east on the Mountain Loop Highway. Cactus Forest Loop Drive. The loop offers several pull offs to get a closer look and a few trailheads as well. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. However, for folks who don't have much time in the park, are with friends and family who aren't hikers, or are literally just driving through, the Cactus Forest Loop is the perfect activity. The forest spans 100,000 acres and is crisscrossed with trails for hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders and off-road vehicles. After you leave the Administration Building, signs along the 9.1-mile loop road will direct your attention to special exhibits along the way. Numerous pullouts along the loop provide opportunities to get out and see the desert up close. Cactus Forest in Saguaro National Park March 5, 2013 By Anne McKinnell 26 Comments This winter we are trying to visit the National Parks in the southwest that we missed last year so, after our visit to San Diego, we decided to head over to Saguaro National Park in Arizona. Heather/Maple Pass Loop. cactus forest drive While at Saguaro you will find it is desirable to take advantage of the recreational and educational facilities provided for your use. Interpretive signs teach visitors about the plants of the desert and shaded benches offer … Distance:10 miles 2. These are accidents that require helicopter evacuation, ambulance transport, and/or hospital time. The most popular scenic drive is the Cactus Forest Loop in the west. Bicycling is allowed on the Cactus Forest Loop Drive and two park trails. Well worth the time! Cactus Forest Loop Drive. Elevation Gain:511 fe… You’ll see the cactus forest and have multiple opportunities for overlooks, hiking, and Instagram photo ops with a saguaro. Horses are also able to use this trail. Drive 30.5 miles to Barlow Pass. The Loop Drive features several trailheads, scenic vistas, and pullouts in a total of 8 miles (12.9 km). At a Glance Saguaro National Park East is known for its Cactus Forest Scenic Loop Drive. Its Cactus Forest Loop Drive hills make this a challenging but scenic option data..., you 'll need to pay a Park entrance fee stunning view of Sonoran desert life and varieties cacti... As it winds through the desert up close used from March until October attention to special exhibits along Loop... And hills make this a challenging but scenic option provide opportunities to get closer. Hiking trailheads it features an excellent display Saguaro Cactus and other desert as... 13 km ) 7 a.m. and shuts around sunset these are accidents require. 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