At Saguaro National Park — one of Tucson’s must-visit spots

Turns out the cactus in the emoji is actually the giant saguaro, which can grow several meters tall! Seeing them spread across the mountains is truly spectacular. The park has an East and a West District. We picked the West since it’s known for denser cactus forests and was closest to where we stayed — only about 26 minutes from downtown Tucson. 🎫 Entrance: It’s $25 per vehicle, valid for 7 days. You can get tickets at the Visitor Center. Although we didn’t see anyone checking tickets, it’s always good to be honest! The Visitor Center also has a cool gift shop with saguaro fridge magnets and souvenirs 🧲, plus it’s your last stop for water. 🗺️ Trails: There are several trails, but since Tucson was still around 30°C even in October ☀️, we picked two shorter ones and started around 4 PM to catch the sunset 🌅: Valley View Trail: ~30 min round trip. Great views — we even saw a couple taking wedding photos! 💍 Signal Hill Trail: Even shorter, with a climb to a lookout perfect for sunsets. The sky turned orange on one side and pink on the other — so magical! 🅿️ Parking: Each lookout has parking spots. It wasn’t crowded in the afternoon, so plenty of space. 💡 Tips: 1️⃣ Go near sunset — less heat + golden hour light = perfect photo time 📸 2️⃣ Only the Visitor Center has water. Bring your own or refill there! 💧 3️ Stay away from the cactuses — those spines hurt! Also, watch for snakes 🐍 (we didn’t see any, but signs warned us). 4️ Wear sturdy dark shoes — the trails will get them dirty 👟 #SaguaroNationalPark #Tucson #Arizona #TravelTips #DesertVibes #SunsetLovers #NaturePhotography 🌵🌄