How the Government Shutdown Is Affecting Saguaro National Park

What to know before you go

If you’re visiting Southern Arizona — or are already here — you may be wondering how the ongoing federal government shutdown affects Saguaro National Park.

The good news: the park is still open! You can hike, bike, and explore — but plan ahead.

Credit@kelvinaz_photo
What’s Open and What’s Closed
Stay Safe While You Explore
Where to Find Souvenirs and Support the Parks

What’s Open and What’s Closed

The park remains open to visitors, but with limited staffing and services. That means you’ll need to be prepared to take care of yourself and plan ahead.

Saguaro National Park West (also called the Tucson Mountain District) is closest to Marana. The East side is called the Rincon Mountain District and is about an hour away from the Town of Marana.

Saguaro National Park West
Signal Hill courtesy of: @juniorrangerjustin

Both park districts (Rincon Mountain/East and Tucson Mountain/West) remain accessible for hiking, biking, and exploring.

No rangers or staffed services are currently available, and the Red Hills Visitor Center and Rincon Mountain Visitor Center are closed.

Entry fees are waived during the shutdown, since there’s no one available to collect them.

Restrooms and water are available on the patio at the Red Hills Visitor Center. Thanks to lessons learned from previous shutdowns, limited maintenance crews continue working to help prevent issues like overflowing trash.

At Saguaro National Park East, the main entrance gate is closed for a construction project, but visitors can still walk in or ride a bike to access the trails. Other park entrances, such as the Douglas Spring Trailhead, remain open.

Check the Saguaro National Park website for additional information as it becomes available.

Where to get the latest information from the Park Service

Stay Safe While You Explore

Visitors are urged to use caution and come prepared for desert conditions, including heat, limited shade, and wildlife encounters. Bring plenty of water, sun protection, and let someone know your hiking plans before heading out.

National Park Service safety tips include starting hikes early in the morning, turning around before you’re halfway through your water supply, and never hiking alone. Even short trails can become dangerous in extreme heat, so always monitor the weather and pace yourself. Learn more about hiking safety at Saguaro National Park.

CreditNational Park Service

Where to Find Souvenirs and Support the Parks

With both park visitor centers closed, you can still shop for National Park gifts and souvenirs at the Western National Parks Association Store in nearby Oro Valley.

Located at 12880 N. Vistoso Village Drive, the store is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers books, art, and nature-inspired items.

All proceeds support over 70 national park partners across the West — including Saguaro National Park.

This itinerary/blog post showcases local businesses in our community. We feature partners that serve food and drink, offer recreational opportunities, places to stay, and shopping. We value accuracy, fairness and balance in our advertising and marketing. We would love to showcase your business to our visitors. These advertising and marketing opportunities (social media, articles, website, and ads) are open to all businesses within Marana and the designated two-mile “Pima County Tourism Partner Zone” around the town limits that meet this criteria. If you want to be featured on our website or in social media, please contact us at MaranaInfo@Maranaaz.gov.

Stefanie Boe

Author

Stefanie Boe

Tourism and Marketing Manager, Discover Marana/Town of Marana

Stefanie Boe is not just the Tourism and Marketing Manager for Discover Marana, she is also a passionate storyteller and a proud resident of the town. She has deep roots in the Marana area, going back to the 1970s when her family moved here from Chicago. She loves to share the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Marana with visitors and locals alike.
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Related Content:

Saguaro National Park

We are lucky to have one of the nation’s most treasured parks, Saguaro National Park, right in our backyard. Saguaro National Park consists of two distinctly different parks, located within two different mountain ranges that are on opposite sides of Tucson, Arizona. Marana is closest to Saguaro National Park West and the eastern side of the park is located just one hour away by car.

Learn More