We concluded our March 2018 visit to Saguaro National Park with a hike of the Freeman Homestead Nature Trail. To reach the trail head from the visitor center, turn right after the entrance kiosk and drive 1.2 miles south on the two-way section of Cactus Forest Loop Road before turning right onto the Javelina Picnic Area Road. Continue 0.2 miles to the trail head parking area on the right. The paved parking area for the one-mile loop trail consists of one handicap placarded location and seven locations for standard passenger vehicles.
The trail surface consists of gravel and dirt. Numerous steps are encountered when descending into the wash and ascending back to the parking area.
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| Topographic map with GPS route |
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| Santa Catalina Mountains obscured by rain and fog |
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| Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia engelmannii) |
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| Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) and a spear (armless) saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) with the Tucson Mountains on the horizon |
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| Saguaro towers over creosote bushes (Larrea tridentata) |
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| Far side of the wash is a 40 foot high bluff |
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| Jumping Cholla (Cylindropuntia fulgida) |
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| Prickly pear, creosote bush, palo verde, and saguaro |
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| Saguaro with "ripples" |
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| Rain in the distance |
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| Tucson Mountains |
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| Part of the wilderness area of the park |
Entrance to Saguaro National Park requires an entry fee of $15 per vehicle. Any of the America the Beautiful passes may be used instead.
The park website is https://www.nps.gov/sagu.
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