NP.GUIDE / FIELD GUIDE / FALL 2026
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Conditions change. Follow signs and ranger orders.
Bajada Loop Drive in the west district is closed to public use after flash-flood road damage. All of Hohokam Road and Golden Gate Road are closed. The closure lifts when repairs finish and the signs are removed. Kinney Road is also closed from the east McCain Loop junction to the Desert Museum through Nov 24; use McCain Loop.
Daytime temperatures often exceed 100 F from spring into fall. If the high is 95 to 110 F, finish hiking by 10 am. Above 110 F, do not hike. Turn around before you drink half your water.
Carry at least one gallon of water per person per day, more in low country in summer. Treat all surface water. Water is scarce at backcountry camps, so ask the visitor center for water reports.
Break-ins have occurred at the King Canyon Trailhead and other trailheads. Hide valuables or take them with you, lock your vehicle, and call 911 to report crime.
Monsoon season runs June 15 to September 30. Washes and canyons can fill with water with no warning. Do not cross flooded streams. Wait until the flow subsides.
NPS conditions (large page)
Major places list all five services. Seasonal services may be closed.
Do this: Start here for passes, water, maps, and current conditions. Begin the scenic loop drive here.
3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson. Open daily 9 am to 5 pm October through May and 8 am to 4 pm June through September. No RV parking.
Do this: Start here for passes, water, maps, and current conditions. No major trails start at the visitor center.
2700 N Kinney Rd, Tucson. Open daily 9 am to 5 pm October through May and 8 am to 4 pm June through September. Bus and RV parking available.
Summer estimates without long stops. Traffic, wildlife, weather, and road work can cause delays.
Tucson → east on Broadway → 3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Type the street address into your map app. Apps confuse the two districts. No RV parking on the east side. Both districts fit vehicles up to 40 feet on the loop drives.
Tucson → North Kinney Road → 2700 N Kinney Rd, Red Hills Visitor Center
RV parking is available at the west visitor center. Kinney Road is closed from the east McCain Loop junction to the Desert Museum through Nov 24; use McCain Loop.
Rincon Mountain District → Tucson → Tucson Mountain District
Allow 30 to 60 minutes across the city depending on traffic. One entrance pass is good at both districts for 7 days.
Rincon Mountain Visitor Center → Cactus Forest Loop Drive → visitor center
The scenic drive starts at the east visitor center and is open 5 am to 8:30 pm. Sunset views along the loop are excellent, and the gates stay open late enough to exit after sunset.
Emergency: call 911. Tell the dispatcher your location, direction of travel, vehicle, and problem.
Park information: 520-733-5153
This independent guide is not the National Park Service and is not an emergency service.
Every visitor needs an entrance pass, good at both districts for 7 days. Private vehicle $25, motorcycle $20, per person $15. The park does not accept cash.
Reserve backcountry campsites on Recreation.gov. Camping is allowed in designated campgrounds only. Spike camping is prohibited.
Each district offers ranger programs that change by season. Some programs need a reservation. The calendar lists a phone number to reserve.
Sleeping in a vehicle, including an RV, is not allowed anywhere in the park. Camp only in a designated backcountry campground with a permit.
Distances are one way unless marked as a loop. Check trail closures.
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