Saguaro National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
Travel with Action
4.4
Susan P
17 days ago
Great way to see/hear about the park. Would use this audio app again for future parks. Easy to use and very informative about the park and trails.
Explore scenic Saguaro National Park (East and West) with this driving tour, full of wild history, mountains, rich wildlife…. and of course plenty of iconic Saguaro cacti! Hear stories of greed and drama involving settlers, miners, and gangs as you cruise through forests of cacti and yucca! Discover breathtaking trails, learn about the ancient Hohokam people, and much more! After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Departure Point
- You can also begin the tour from 4188 S Kinney Rd, Tucson, AZ, USA. The tour works in both directions, so you can begin in Rincon Mountain Visitor Center and end in 4188 S Kinney Rd., or vice versa.
- Begin from Rincon Mountain Visitor Center, South Old Spanish Trail. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOR ONE YEAR so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
- Audio guide - English
Points of Interest
Stop At: Gates Pass Scenic Lookout7799 West Gates Pass Road, Tucson, AZ 85745The Gates Pass Scenic Lookout is coming up next, offering great views of Tucson’s ancient rock formations. There’s a trail as well, which I’ll talk more about when we’re closer to it.Duration: 15 minutesStop At: Gates Pass TrailGates Pass Trail, AZ On this trail, there’s a ton of cholla and prickly pear cacti. You’ll recognize a prickly pear by its flat circular pads. Think Mickey Mouse ears! On the other hand, chollas have more cylindrical segments and tree-like growths. Just like the creosote bush, these cacti have a tremendous ability to store moisture. They store it in their stems, so that even in years with low rainfall, they can bloom all they want.Duration: 15 minutesStop At: Saguaro National ParkTucson, ArizonaWelcome to your tour of West Saguaro National Park! From mountain formations to colorful historical characters, Hollywood history to prickly cacti, there’s plenty to marvel at on this tour. Note: The tour is over 15+ miles long, with more than 40+ audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Old Tucson201 Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ 85735The park has since been rebuilt and remains open to the public today. To visit the park, take the turn that’s just ahead. Otherwise, continue driving straight.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Brown Mountain Trailhead8420 West McCain Loop, Tucson, AZ 85735Coming up soon is the Brown Mountain Trail. It’s a 5-mile loop trail that’s moderately challenging and should take under two hours to complete. Some hikers have reported coyote sightings on this trail. It’s not uncommon to hear coyote sounds echoing across Saguaro National Park.Duration: 15 minutesStop At: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum2021 N Kinney Rd, , Tucson, ArizonaComing up are the King Canyon Trail and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The trail is a moderately challenging 7-mile trail that should take about four hours to complete. It’s a lot of work, but it features fabulous desert views along the way!Duration: Not AvailableStop At: King Canyon TrailSaguaro West District, Tucson, ArizonaComing up are the King Canyon Trail. The trail is a moderately challenging 7-mile trail that should take about four hours to complete. It’s a lot of work, but features fabulous desert views along the way! Duration: 15 minutesStop At: Desert Discovery Nature TrailThe Desert Discovery Nature Trail is coming up soon, a straightforward half-mile hike boasting tons of the famous saguaro cacti! Speaking of cacti, did you know a bunch of species are edible? This doesn’t mean you should go plucking them to taste on your walks.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Hugh Norris TrailBajada Loop Dr, Saguaro National Park West, Tucson, ArizonaThe Hugh Norris Trail is coming up soon. It’s a challenging 9-mile trail often traveled by horseback riders! It gets its name from 20th-century tribal police officer Hugh Norris. He was often out scouring for truant children for the Fort Yuma Indian School.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Valley View Overlook TrailSaguaro National Park, Tucson Mountain District, Tucson, ArizonaThe Valley View Overlook Trail is coming up soon. It’s an easy 1-mile trail that takes about 20 minutes to complete. The Civilian Conservation Corps built this trail in the 1930s!Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Signal Hill Trail, Saguaro West, Tucson, ArizonaSignal Hill has about 200 prehistoric petroglyphs made by the Hohokam, who lived in this area from about 450 to 1450 C.E. Indigenous people say that each petroglyph placement isn’t random!Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Rincon Mountain Visitor Center3693 S. Old Spanish Trail, , Tucson, ArizonaWelcome to East Saguaro National Park! Ancient cultures, ancient rocks, and trails await you on this tour. Our tour begins at the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center at 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson. If you’re not there already, you should head there now. To begin your tour, simply continue straight along Cactus Forest Drive. Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Sonoran Desert OverlookTucson, AZ 85730The Sonoran Desert Overlook is coming up. It’ll be on our left, offering gorgeous views of the landscape and cacti. The Hohokam, ancestors of the O’odham people, were some of the first to call this desert home. This resourceful group slowly gave up their nomadic hunting-gathering lifestyle for a more settled farming life, developing a distinct desert culture. Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Future Generations Overlook3693 South Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85730The Cactus Forest Overlook is coming up soon. It will be on our left. Here, you’ll enjoy overlooking an oasis of cacti. Sure, the saguaro cacti are the most famous since they’re exclusive to the Sonoran, but the park actually hosts about 25 species of cacti! These include prickly pears and chollas, as well as some lesser known cacti. Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Cactus Forest TrailSaguaro National Park, Tucson, ArizonaComing up is the Mica View trailhead. It leads to a 4-mile loop trail that’s considered easy and should take less than ninety minutes to complete. There’s a sweet picnic spot, too! From there, you’ll get great views of the Rincon and Santa Catalina Mountains. Keep an eye out for birds like the Gila Woodpeckers and Gilded Flickers. Duration: 5 minutesStop At: Loma Verde TrailLoma Verde Trail, Tucson, AZUp ahead is the Cactus Forest Trail. It’s a moderately challenging 10-mile route that should take about three and a half hours to complete. On this trail, you can see lime kilns that date back to 1880.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Garwood DamTucson, AZ 85748The Loma Verde Trail is coming up next. This easy 3.7-mile loop should take about an hour and fifteen minutes to complete. The trail crosses a seasonal stream and leads to a gradual downhill walk through the cactus forest.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Riparian Overlook3693 South Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85730There’s also the opportunity to explore the Garwood Dam. In 1945, Tucson residents Jospehine and Nelson Garwood bought 450 acres of land from two homesteaders. Three years later, while constructing a bigger house, they noticed that the Wildhorse Canyon behind their property always held water.Duration: 5 minutesStop At: Javelina RocksCactus Forest Drive, Tucson, ArizonaUp ahead is the Riparian Overlook. Some claim this is the best view of the cactus forest! From here, you can see clear across the sprawling saguaro wilderness. One thing you can’t see from up there? Rattlesnakes.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Tanque Verde Ridge TrailTucson, AZ 85730Off to our left are the Rincon Mountains. They’re pretty, but they’ve also got some wild history. On August 29, 1984, a Cessna 310 flew above these mountains. Four people sat inside the twin-engine aircraft. Outside, a thunderstorm raged and raged. Duration: 10 minutesAdditional Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
- Please note that an entrance pass is required to visit Saguaro National Park, and it is not included with this tour.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- For the best experience, please use an iPhone running iOS 15 or later, an Android device running version 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular connectivity, as these are recommended for navigation.
- Important Note: Due to the possibility of government shutdowns affecting national parks and certain attractions, we recommend checking official websites for any updates or closures before your trip. This will help ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
- Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
- Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
- Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
- Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
- Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
- Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
- Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
- Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
- Park Passes
Explore scenic Saguaro National Park (East and West) with this driving tour, full of wild history, mountains, rich wildlife…. and of course plenty of iconic Saguaro cacti! Hear stories of greed and drama involving settlers, miners, and gangs as you cruise through forests of cacti and yucca! Discover breathtaking trails, learn about the ancient Hohokam people, and much more! After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Departure Point
- You can also begin the tour from 4188 S Kinney Rd, Tucson, AZ, USA. The tour works in both directions, so you can begin in Rincon Mountain Visitor Center and end in 4188 S Kinney Rd., or vice versa.
- Begin from Rincon Mountain Visitor Center, South Old Spanish Trail. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOR ONE YEAR so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
- Audio guide - English
Points of Interest
Stop At: Gates Pass Scenic Lookout7799 West Gates Pass Road, Tucson, AZ 85745The Gates Pass Scenic Lookout is coming up next, offering great views of Tucson’s ancient rock formations. There’s a trail as well, which I’ll talk more about when we’re closer to it.Duration: 15 minutesStop At: Gates Pass TrailGates Pass Trail, AZ On this trail, there’s a ton of cholla and prickly pear cacti. You’ll recognize a prickly pear by its flat circular pads. Think Mickey Mouse ears! On the other hand, chollas have more cylindrical segments and tree-like growths. Just like the creosote bush, these cacti have a tremendous ability to store moisture. They store it in their stems, so that even in years with low rainfall, they can bloom all they want.Duration: 15 minutesStop At: Saguaro National ParkTucson, ArizonaWelcome to your tour of West Saguaro National Park! From mountain formations to colorful historical characters, Hollywood history to prickly cacti, there’s plenty to marvel at on this tour. Note: The tour is over 15+ miles long, with more than 40+ audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Old Tucson201 Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ 85735The park has since been rebuilt and remains open to the public today. To visit the park, take the turn that’s just ahead. Otherwise, continue driving straight.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Brown Mountain Trailhead8420 West McCain Loop, Tucson, AZ 85735Coming up soon is the Brown Mountain Trail. It’s a 5-mile loop trail that’s moderately challenging and should take under two hours to complete. Some hikers have reported coyote sightings on this trail. It’s not uncommon to hear coyote sounds echoing across Saguaro National Park.Duration: 15 minutesStop At: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum2021 N Kinney Rd, , Tucson, ArizonaComing up are the King Canyon Trail and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The trail is a moderately challenging 7-mile trail that should take about four hours to complete. It’s a lot of work, but it features fabulous desert views along the way!Duration: Not AvailableStop At: King Canyon TrailSaguaro West District, Tucson, ArizonaComing up are the King Canyon Trail. The trail is a moderately challenging 7-mile trail that should take about four hours to complete. It’s a lot of work, but features fabulous desert views along the way! Duration: 15 minutesStop At: Desert Discovery Nature TrailThe Desert Discovery Nature Trail is coming up soon, a straightforward half-mile hike boasting tons of the famous saguaro cacti! Speaking of cacti, did you know a bunch of species are edible? This doesn’t mean you should go plucking them to taste on your walks.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Hugh Norris TrailBajada Loop Dr, Saguaro National Park West, Tucson, ArizonaThe Hugh Norris Trail is coming up soon. It’s a challenging 9-mile trail often traveled by horseback riders! It gets its name from 20th-century tribal police officer Hugh Norris. He was often out scouring for truant children for the Fort Yuma Indian School.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Valley View Overlook TrailSaguaro National Park, Tucson Mountain District, Tucson, ArizonaThe Valley View Overlook Trail is coming up soon. It’s an easy 1-mile trail that takes about 20 minutes to complete. The Civilian Conservation Corps built this trail in the 1930s!Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Signal Hill Trail, Saguaro West, Tucson, ArizonaSignal Hill has about 200 prehistoric petroglyphs made by the Hohokam, who lived in this area from about 450 to 1450 C.E. Indigenous people say that each petroglyph placement isn’t random!Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Rincon Mountain Visitor Center3693 S. Old Spanish Trail, , Tucson, ArizonaWelcome to East Saguaro National Park! Ancient cultures, ancient rocks, and trails await you on this tour. Our tour begins at the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center at 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson. If you’re not there already, you should head there now. To begin your tour, simply continue straight along Cactus Forest Drive. Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Sonoran Desert OverlookTucson, AZ 85730The Sonoran Desert Overlook is coming up. It’ll be on our left, offering gorgeous views of the landscape and cacti. The Hohokam, ancestors of the O’odham people, were some of the first to call this desert home. This resourceful group slowly gave up their nomadic hunting-gathering lifestyle for a more settled farming life, developing a distinct desert culture. Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Future Generations Overlook3693 South Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85730The Cactus Forest Overlook is coming up soon. It will be on our left. Here, you’ll enjoy overlooking an oasis of cacti. Sure, the saguaro cacti are the most famous since they’re exclusive to the Sonoran, but the park actually hosts about 25 species of cacti! These include prickly pears and chollas, as well as some lesser known cacti. Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Cactus Forest TrailSaguaro National Park, Tucson, ArizonaComing up is the Mica View trailhead. It leads to a 4-mile loop trail that’s considered easy and should take less than ninety minutes to complete. There’s a sweet picnic spot, too! From there, you’ll get great views of the Rincon and Santa Catalina Mountains. Keep an eye out for birds like the Gila Woodpeckers and Gilded Flickers. Duration: 5 minutesStop At: Loma Verde TrailLoma Verde Trail, Tucson, AZUp ahead is the Cactus Forest Trail. It’s a moderately challenging 10-mile route that should take about three and a half hours to complete. On this trail, you can see lime kilns that date back to 1880.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Garwood DamTucson, AZ 85748The Loma Verde Trail is coming up next. This easy 3.7-mile loop should take about an hour and fifteen minutes to complete. The trail crosses a seasonal stream and leads to a gradual downhill walk through the cactus forest.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Riparian Overlook3693 South Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85730There’s also the opportunity to explore the Garwood Dam. In 1945, Tucson residents Jospehine and Nelson Garwood bought 450 acres of land from two homesteaders. Three years later, while constructing a bigger house, they noticed that the Wildhorse Canyon behind their property always held water.Duration: 5 minutesStop At: Javelina RocksCactus Forest Drive, Tucson, ArizonaUp ahead is the Riparian Overlook. Some claim this is the best view of the cactus forest! From here, you can see clear across the sprawling saguaro wilderness. One thing you can’t see from up there? Rattlesnakes.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Tanque Verde Ridge TrailTucson, AZ 85730Off to our left are the Rincon Mountains. They’re pretty, but they’ve also got some wild history. On August 29, 1984, a Cessna 310 flew above these mountains. Four people sat inside the twin-engine aircraft. Outside, a thunderstorm raged and raged. Duration: 10 minutesAdditional Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
- Please note that an entrance pass is required to visit Saguaro National Park, and it is not included with this tour.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- For the best experience, please use an iPhone running iOS 15 or later, an Android device running version 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular connectivity, as these are recommended for navigation.
- Important Note: Due to the possibility of government shutdowns affecting national parks and certain attractions, we recommend checking official websites for any updates or closures before your trip. This will help ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
- Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
- Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
- Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
- Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
- Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
- Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
- Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
- Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
- Park Passes
Need To Know Info
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
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4.4
based on Groupon 32 reviews
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Susan P
Great way to see/hear about the park. Would use this audio app again for future parks. Easy to use and very informative about the park and trails.
Lisa_G
This tour with ActionTourGuide had some problems and did not work well for us. I was able to download the tour and start it just fine. However, there were multiple times when the narrator would simply start talking from my phone for no reason at all when we were in a visitor center or out hiking. He is only supposed to speak when we are driving and go across a specific location. When he did start speaking, the recording almost always cut off the beginning 5 seconds and the ending 5 seconds of what he was saying, so we did not get his full talk. This guide did not have a good map showing where we were in relation to driving and stops. This guide was very limited as to recommending or talking about hikes, museums and other attractions in the nearby area. When he did give information, it was sometimes wrong. There was one short hike that was 0.3 mile and took about 10 minutes; he said it was 2 1/2 miles and would take 45-60 minutes. That’s quite a difference! I have used other guides in the past and they work much better. I will not use ActionTourGuide again. I recommend GuideAlong.
Gail_C
The self guided tour is easy to follow. The narration is spot on. Many places to stop and see the sites. Some of the roadway is not paved. Overall very enjoyable.
G3769PIchristinew
In my opinion this Self-Guided Driving Audio tour was the best way to visit Saguaro N.P. It was very helpful to hear descriptions of what we were seeing. Also helpful to know when we were approaching a turn out for viewing the landscape up close or having access to a trail. We learned about history of the park and the people who lived in the area years ago. Also heard info about the plants and animals in the park. You can just drive through the park and say these plants are weird and what animal can live here. Or listen to the audio tour and become better informed. Visitor center was worth the stop.
Robert_S
Very informative narrative. Well worth the small investment. Not only about the park but also attractions and history along the way.