Parking
Start at Cam-Boh Picnic Area, the signed access for Cam Boh Trailhead. Picnic tables and a restroom are there; the restroom has no water.
Overview
About Cam Boh Loop
Cam Boh Loop is a roughly 4-mile circuit from Cam-Boh Picnic Area, linking Cam Boh, Panther Peak Wash, and Roadrunner trails through stands of saguaros with views toward Panther Peak. The published total ranges from 4 to about 4.5 miles; the mapped line is about 4.3, so plan for a little over four. It gains about 450 feet and takes around two hours with brief stops. The route skirts Panther Peak rather than climbing its summit.
Why go
- Three named trail sections give the loop a varied feel.
- Saguaro stands and views toward Panther Peak.
Heads up
- Very soft sand covers about half the route.
- Cam Boh’s stairs and short steep pitches add effort.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Saguaro map
Full mapElevation2,356–2,536 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Saguaro alerts
- ClosureTucson Mountain District road closuresSeveral Tucson Mountain District roads are closed; follow posted closures and use McCain Loop to bypass the Kinney Road closure.Official details
- CautionVehicle break-ins reported at trailheadsVehicle break-ins have occurred at King Canyon Trailhead and other park trailheads; secure your vehicle and valuables.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Saguaro Tour Guide
Your drive to Cam Boh Loop, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Saguaro National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Saguaro audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Cam-Boh Picnic Area0:00 / 0:15
“You're coming up on Cam-Boh Picnic Area along Picture Rocks Road. Bring a picnic for the roofed shelter, with Panther and Safford peaks to the north and a grill if you want to cook.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Saguaro Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Tree That Works Without Leaves
- The Smell of Desert Rain
- The Grass That Carries Fire
- Box Canyon and Ringtail Loop
- 43 audio storiesacross Saguaro’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Mule Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 74 trails, 40 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Cam Boh Loop
Three different trail sectionsCam Boh is the technical stretch, with staircases and short grades that reach about 17%.
Cam Boh is the technical stretch, with staircases and short grades that reach about 17%. Roughly half the route is very soft sand; that makes the walk more tiring than its modest elevation suggests. Panther Peak Wash meanders along the peak’s base, while Roadrunner is wide and flat for the return. The loop also crosses a paved road and is favored by horseback riders. At open spots, keep a nearby saguaro in the frame with Panther Peak behind it so the ridge does not look distant and flat.
Start, water, and petsBegin at Cam-Boh Picnic Area’s Cam Boh Trailhead.
Begin at Cam-Boh Picnic Area’s Cam Boh Trailhead. The picnic area has tables and a restroom, but there is no water at the restroom. Pets are not allowed on this trail; service animals are exempt under park rules.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Saguaro
19 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
56 sightingsMountain LionMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
266 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
113 sightingsCollared PeccaryMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
53 sightingsBobcatMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
127 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Saguaro. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
