The 10 Best Outdoorsy Things To Do in Tucson (Saguaro National Park, Ziplining & More)
December 11, 2025
Whether you’re visiting for the hiking trails or the amazing food, Tucson makes for an incredible trip! Tucson is known for the Sonoran Desert, being a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and for its mix of Mexican and Native American cultures. Plus, outdoor adventure is easy to find. No matter where you are in Tucson, you won’t be too far from Saguaro National Park, which offers some incredible hiking trails.
After spending several weeks here, Tucson quickly became one of my favorite cities for a mix of outdoor adventure and great food. This guide shares several of the best things to do in Tucson, and includes some recommendations for vegetarian eats. It’s based on my experience spending a month in Tucson in 2025.
The 10 Best Outdoorsy Things To Do in Tucson
1. Explore Saguaro National Park
As an avid national parks traveler, Saguaro National Park was the original reason I wanted to visit Tucson! The national park is very conveniently located next to the city. It’s divided into two units: The Rincon Mountain District (east) and Tucson Mountain District (west). If you’re in the center of Tucson, you’re only about 30 minutes away from either side.
As the name suggests, this park is most known for the saguaro cacti. Saguaro are the largest cacti in the United States, can grow 50 feet tall and can live to be over 200 years old. You can see many of these cacti on both sides of the park, but you’ll find older and larger cacti on the east side, and a larger concentration of smaller cacti on the west side.
Fun Fact: Saguaro cacti don’t grow arms until they’re 75 years old!
If you have time, I think that both sides are worth a visit. A few of the best things to do on the east side include driving the Cactus Loop Drive, hiking to Bridal Wreath Falls and Loma Verde Trail.
On the west side of the park, you can visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which is a botanical garden, natural history museum and zoo, all in one place. The west side also has a variety of hiking trails. A couple of my favorites are the Valley View Trail and Wasson Peak. Wasson Peak is a great choice if you’re looking for a challenge (it’s the highest point in the Tucson Mountains). It’s also worth driving the Bajada Loop Drive and stopping at Signal Hill to see petroglyphs.
If you enjoy hiking, I’d recommend spending at least 2 days exploring this park. If you’re short on time, I’d recommend spending half a day in each part of the park (grab lunch in Tucson in between). No matter how long you can spend, it’s a great national park for anyone who enjoys exploring the desert.
Read my full guide to visiting Saguaro National Park
2. Explore Catalina State Park
Catalina State Park is another beautiful hiking destination located about 10 miles north of Tucson. The park encompasses 5,500 acres and is home to about 5,000 saguaros, along with a variety of wildlife, mountains, wildflowers and more.
There are several great hiking trails in this park, but I really enjoyed the Romero Pools Trail. The trail climbs up into the mountains with lovely views of saguaros along the way. At the top, you’ll reach pools of water and a small waterfall. It’s always fun to see a waterfall in the desert!
The trail was a bit crowded on the weekend, but there were less people the further we climbed. At 6.1-miles, this was a perfect day hike!
Catalina State Park is also popular for bird watching, camping, horseback riding and biking. They also have some great events, such as guided bird walks. This is a lovely place to enjoy nature.
3. Visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
I mentioned this in the section for Saguaro National Park, but it’s worthy of its own spot on the list! The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum encompasses several different things - it’s a zoo, botanical garden, aquarium and natural history museum. You can easily spend most of a day walking all over this unique place.
Along with all of the various exhibits, they have experiences such as raptor flights, bird demonstrations and more.
Highlights for me included the nature trails through the gardens, the cat canyon, and the mountain woodland animals. They have a lot to see and it’s mostly outdoors, so be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and be prepared with sun protection!
4. Drive to the Top of Mount Lemmon
Mount Lemmon was one of my favorite places to visit in Tucson! Mount Lemmon has an elevation of 9,157 feet, which is quite the contrast from the 2,643 feet that Tucson sits at. During the drive to the top, you’ll get to watch the landscape change.
Fun Fact: It’s common to compare the drive to Mount Lemmon to driving from Mexico to Canada. You’ll go from the Sonoran Desert to alpine forests in just 27 miles!
The drive to the top of Mount Lemmon offers amazing views and has several overlooks you can stop at. Don’t miss the Windy Vista, which has huge rocks that you can walk out on.
I drove to the top and hiked the Meadow and Mount Lemmon Loop. The trail includes a fire tower and offers expansive views. Unfortunately, you can still see a lot of damage from a wildfire in 2020, but it’s still a beautiful hike. Keep in mind that the last bit of the road to the parking lot tends to be closed during winter conditions.
After my hike, I really enjoyed stopping at the Mt Lemmon Cookie Cabin. They serve GIANT cookies that you can get with ice cream. They also have pizza. It was a long wait, but worth it!
Mount Lemmon gets a decent amount of snow in the winter months, so be prepared for winter conditions if you visit between December and March. There is also a ski resort at the top. It’s a magical place to visit while there’s snow, as it will feel a world away from the desert down in Tucson!
5. Visit the Tucson Botanical Gardens
The Tucson Botanical Gardens are a beautiful place to enjoy desert plants without leaving town. This lush oasis has been around for 50 years!
The gardens have an impressive collection of desert plants, and a variety of different cacti, mature trees, a herb garden, a butterfly house and more. It’s also a wonderful place to spot birds.
They also have more than just plants. I was surprised and impressed by their intricate train display. The huge display includes replicas of famous Arizona and national parks sites, such as the Old Faithful Inn, The Alamo, Taos Pueblo and more.
This is a lovely spot to spend an afternoon!
6. Zipline with Desert Views
If you’re looking for a thrilling adventure, a trip to Arizona Zipline Adventures makes for a fun day! They’re located about an hour north of Tucson and offer 5 different ziplines. You’ll fly high in the air and get to admire the mountains and desert along the way. I love ziplining and it was so fun to do it in the desert!
They also have a great burger restaurant for you to enjoy after the ziplining. Peppersauce Kitchen allows you to build your perfect burger with toppings like green chile, grilled onions, and more. I enjoyed their veggie burger!
This is a fun day trip from Tucson if you’re looking for a unique adventure.
7. Watch the Sunset from Gates Pass
Right outside of the west side of Saguaro National Park, you’ll find an overlook that is perfect for sunset! Gates Pass is a stunning scenic drive where you’ll wind up and down through a mountain pass with incredible views of saguaro cacti.
The scenic overlook faces west and it’s a beautiful place to enjoy the sunset. Hiking trails also leave from the parking area. There are two parking lots, but this is a popular place at sunset, so be sure to arrive early to get a spot.
8. Visit Sabino Canyon
Sabino Canyon is a beautiful spot right on the edge of Tucson where you can see waterfalls! The recreation area is popular for hiking, but they also offer a shuttle to see the park and cut down hiking time to the most popular part of the park.
Without the shuttle, the hike to Seven Falls is 8.4 miles from the visitor center. With the shuttle, the hike is 4-5 miles. I didn’t get to go here during my time in Tucson, but it’s on my list for next time!
9. Take a Day Trip to Chiricahua National Monument
Chiricahua National Monument is located 2 hours from Tucson, but I think it’s well worth the day trip if you enjoy hiking. It was one of the highlights of my time in Southern Arizona! Chiricahua is known for its amazing rock formations and is full of pinnacles and balanced rocks. The formations look a lot like hoodoos, this park reminds me a little bit of Bryce Canyon without the red rocks!
Chiricahua has 17 miles of hiking trails, plus a great scenic drive. I hiked the ‘Big Loop’ around the park (and added Inspiration Point), which combined several of the most popular trails. My favorite part of the hike was Echo Canyon, which had an interesting grotto area where you hiked beneath some towering formations. The Heart of Rocks Loop and Inspiration Point were also highlights.
The park also offers camping and is a beautiful place for stargazing. While it’s a bit far from Tucson, I think it’s well-worth adding to your itinerary!
10. Take a Day Trip to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Organ Pipe National Monument is another great day trip for anyone who loves hiking and nature. This park is an International Biosphere Reserve and protects over 650 plant species in its 330,000 acres. The park is a mecca for Sonoran Desert research.
As the name suggests, the park is home to a lot of Organ Pipe cacti. In fact, it's the only place in the US to see large stands of organ pipe cacti growing naturally.
The park has a variety of hiking trails at all levels. Check out the Bull Pasture Trail for views of Mexico or the Arch Canyon Trail to see a double arch.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is about 2.5 hours from Tucson, so it’s a longer day trip, but is worth a visit if you have time. I didn’t get to visit, but it’s high on my list for the future!
More Things To Do in Tucson
Here are a few other amazing things to add to your Tucson itinerary (I just wouldn't consider them outdoorsy).
- Visit the Pima Air and Space Museum.
- Visit Biosphere 2, a fascinating research laboratory.
- Visit the San Xavier del Bac Mission and enjoy fry bread from a stand outside.
Where to Eat in Tucson
Tucson is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, so they have some incredible restaurants! Here are a few places I recommend for vegetarian eats:
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El Sinaloense Hot Dog Cart: This unassuming food cart is well-known as being a spot to enjoy a Sonoran hot dog, which is typically a bacon-wrapped hot dog on a soft bolillo-style bun, with toppings like onions, pinto beans and more. They have a vegetarian version of the hot dog, and it’s delicious!
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El Antojo Poblano: This is a delicious spot to enjoy authentic Mexican food. I enjoyed their nepali and bean and cheese tacos!
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Tumerico: Tumerico is a vegetarian restaurant with a rotating menu. They always use fresh ingredients and delicious spices, and serve items like vegan carnitas, chile rellenos, nopalitos and more. Their flavors are amazing and you’re sure to love this spot even if you’re not vegan or vegetarian!
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Taqueria Juanito’s: This counter-serve spot is perfect for lunch, with affordable burritos, aqua fresco and more. They also have incredible churros!
When to Visit Tucson
As you’d expect from a desert destination, Tucson gets very hot in the summer. They also have a monsoon season in July and August, which brings heavy rains in the afternoons.
Fun Fact: Tucson gets over 350 days of sun a year!
The best time to visit Tucson is in either spring or fall. Spring brings desert blooms while the fall brings foliage in some areas, such as Mount Lemmon.
Winter tends to be the peak time to visit, so crowds and prices may be higher.
I visited Tucson in February and March, and had wonderful weather!
Where to Stay in Tucson
When it comes to where to stay in Tucson, downtown offers a central location and is within walking distance of lots of restaurants and shops. A couple neat downtown boutique hotels include Hotel Congress and Unicorn Zebra.
Tucson also has some luxury resorts if you’re looking for an extra special stay. The JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa is famous for its golf courses, hiking trails and top notch dining.
I stayed in the north side of the city in an Airbnb, and liked that the location was a little closer to Catalina State Park, and other parks on the north side of town. A couple hotels around there are Candlewood Suites Tucson by IHG and Comfort Suites at Tucson Mall.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide helps you plan a fun trip to Tucson! Whether you’re staying for a couple days, or for a week, it’s unlikely that you’ll run out of outdoor adventures here! From hiking among the largest cacti in the US, to chasing waterfalls, to trying the famous Sonoran hot dog, there is so much to do in Tucson. Enjoy the sunshine and plan a trip to Southern Arizona!
For more Southwest Travel Guides, check out these blogs:
- The Perfect Itinerary for Saguaro National Park
- How to Spend a Day in Petrified Forest National Park
- The Best Day Hikes in Sedona
- How to Spend 2 Days in Zion
- The Best Things To Do in Bryce Canyon
- How to Spend One Day in Capitol Reef
- How to Spend 3 Days in Moab
- The Best Things To Do in Kanab, UT
- How to Visit the White Pocket in Arizona
Thanks for Reading!
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