Javelina Rocks Overlook - Saguaro National Park

Continuing our May 2015 visit to the Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park, we stopped at the Javelina Rocks Overlook on Cactus Forest Drive. A small paved parking area provides access to the rocks and a couple of short trails to some great views of the Tuscon basin. These trails are single-track with cacti on both sides. There is also a rock scramble route to the top of the rocks that I did not attempt.

Santa Catalina Mountains from the parking area

Main trail to Javelina Rocks

Social trail to scramble up on the rocks

Trail around the rocks

Curve-billed thrasher perched on Ocotillo

Javelina Rocks

Looking west at the Tucson Mountains

Another rock outcrop

Dozens of Saguaro cacti beneath the Santa Catalina Mountains

Prickly Pear encroaching on the path

Cactus Forest Drive

Saguaro and creosote

Chain Fruit or Jumping Cholla

Lizard

Prickly Pear Cactus in bloom

An entrance fee of $5 per person or $10 per private vehicle is required to enter Saguaro National Park. The fee is valid for seven days and allows entrance to both the Tucson Mountain District (West) and the Rincon Mountain District (East). Other options include a Saguaro National Park Annual Pass for $25, an Interagency Annual Pass providing access to most national park, national forest and BLM fee areas for $80 and a lifetime Interagency Senior Pass for those age 62 and older for $10.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm.