The western Tucson District’s 6 mile Bajada Loop Drive is another scenic adventure with constant beautiful views of the desolate mountains of Saguaro National Park that are filled with forests of the towering cactuses. There are plenty of turn off viewpoints and hikes to go along with them as well.

At the Signal Hill Trail (.3 mile trail) you can hike to beautiful petroglyphs through an equally beautiful desert with the distant Safford and Panther Peaks visible.

If you’re looking for a longer hike, the King Canyon Trail (6.7 miles) is a popular and gorgeous hike through a rugged canyon filled with Saguaros and up to the Wasson Peak at 4,687 ft. I couldn’t hike it all because the sun was setting after a long day and I had to find a place to lay my head but every step was beautiful. At some point you’re afforded a gorgeous view of a lush valley and distant layers of mountains that seem to reach to the heavens.

If you stay for the sunset, you may be treated to a truly tremendous display of reds and oranges against the tall Saguaro forests and their mountains.