Parking
Begin at Ringtail Access Trailhead. Park on the broad roadside apron on either side of the road; capacity is not specified.
Overview
About Coyote Pass Loop
Why go
- Wide saguaro and Tucson Mountain views begin near the access.
Heads up
- The connector network takes more attention than a single named trail.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Saguaro map
Full mapElevation2,316–2,651 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 Coyote Pass 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 area
Box Canyon and Ringtail Loop0:00 / 0:23
“Box Canyon and Ringtail Trailhead is ahead, the start of a varied loop through cactus scrub, a sandy wash and a small rocky cut.”
Plays on the road 0.4 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Saguaro Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Tree That Works Without Leaves
- Cam-Boh Picnic Area
- El Camino del Cerro: Sweetwater to Wasson Peak
- The Smell of Desert Rain
- 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 Coyote Pass Loop
The loopCoyote Pass Loop is about a 6.
Coyote Pass Loop is about a 6.5-mile desert circuit from Ringtail Access through Ringtail, Picture Rocks Wash, Cactus Canyon and Coyote Pass, then out through Ironwood Forest. Short Gila Monster and Cam-Boh connections complete the circuit. It suits a half-day walk for saguaros, low canyons and broad Tucson Mountain views rather than a single summit. Published route estimates range from 6 to 6.5 miles; the connected mapped line measures about 6.9, so allow around three hours and a little room for junction choices.
Route choicesSeveral named paths meet in this larger trail network.
Several named paths meet in this larger trail network. Keep the full circuit line handy at junctions; the Coyote Pass segment by itself is not the loop. If 6.5 miles is more than you want, the Box Canyon access area also has loops around a mile long.
Desert sceneryThe route rolls through open desert hills and small canyons, with saguaros and Tucson Mountain…
The route rolls through open desert hills and small canyons, with saguaros and Tucson Mountain ridges in view. The landscape opens up near Ringtail. March and April can bring yellow, purple, orange and pink wildflowers, though the display depends on the season. A small spiral petroglyph on a rock pile has been reported along the loop, but its location and cultural attribution are not established; it is not a reliable waypoint.
AccessStart at Ringtail Access Trailhead.
Start at Ringtail Access Trailhead. Parking uses a broad roadside apron on both sides of the road; no capacity figure is available. Hikers and horseback riders may use the route. Dogs are prohibited on park trails, and bicycles are not allowed on this hiking loop.
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.
