Parking
Use the Broadway Trailhead parking area at the eastern end of Broadway Boulevard. Start eastbound on Shantz Trail.
Overview
About Pink Hill Trail
Why go
- The pink-soil hilltop opens to the cactus forest and two mountain ranges.
- A 3-mile round trip gets you to the summit without a full-day outing.
Heads up
- Around 500 steps add up, with the steepest section at the top.
- Narrow trail sections and a no-pets rule limit who can use it.
The hill is made of pink soil, which gives it its name. At the top, the cactus forest spreads below you, with clear views in every direction; the Rincon and Catalina mountains frame the wider panorama. The Shantz approach honors Homer Shantz, a University of Arizona president who helped create Saguaro National Park. For a photo, keep some of the cactus forest in the foreground so the mountain view feels grounded in the desert.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy it's called Pink HillMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Saguaro map
Full mapElevation2,747–2,798 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Saguaro alerts
- CautionHazards in Rincon Mountain burn areasMentions Rincon Mountain, referenced in this guideStay on trails and use extra caution in high-elevation Rincon Mountain areas burned by the two 2020 fires; fire damage can leave unstable ground and other hazards.Official details
- 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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Saguaro Tour Guide
Your drive to Pink Hill Trail, 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
Broadway Trailhead: Pink Hill0:00 / 0:24
“You're nearing Broadway Trailhead, a starting point for the walk to Pink Hill and its view over the cactus forest. Allow about two hours for the three-mile round trip, with a steep, closely stepped climb at the end.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Saguaro Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Mica View: A Picnic and a Poem
- Watch the Roadrunner Hunt
- Desert Ecology Trail
- Cactus Forest North: The Lime Kilns
- 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 Pink Hill Trail
The walkPink Hill Trail is a 3-mile out-and-back from Broadway Trailhead in Saguaro's Rincon Mountain…
Pink Hill Trail is a 3-mile out-and-back from Broadway Trailhead in Saguaro's Rincon Mountain District. Head east on Shantz Trail, follow the Pink Hill paths to the lookout spur, then return the same way. The one-way walk is about 1.5 miles; allow roughly two hours for the full outing and time on the hilltop. It's a good choice for a shorter desert hike with a proper summit payoff.
Through the cactus forestMost of the approach is firm desert soil with a few short sandy patches.
Most of the approach is firm desert soil with a few short sandy patches. The path is narrow, usually about 24 inches wide and as little as 16 inches in spots. Several junctions connect to other walks, so keep to the Pink Hill route and take its short spur to the hill.
The steps are the hard partThere are nearly two dozen staircases with around 500 steps in all.
There are nearly two dozen staircases with around 500 steps in all. Most are low, but the last 200 feet to the top have tall, closely spaced steps, including a 12-inch riser. That final climb is the main effort of an otherwise modest route.
Start and shorter optionUse the Broadway Trailhead parking area at the eastern end of Broadway Boulevard; this route…
Use the Broadway Trailhead parking area at the eastern end of Broadway Boulevard; this route begins eastbound on Shantz Trail. Dogs aren't allowed on Pink Hill Trail. If you'd rather do a shorter circuit, the separate 2-mile Mica View Loop starts at Mica View Picnic Area and includes a Pink Hill summit leg from a different direction.
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.
