Parking
Use the Box Canyon / Picture Rocks Road lot. Heading east, it is on the left at the road bend and can be easy to miss; cross the road to the signed wash entrance. The closest restrooms are at Cam-Boh Picnic Area, a separate stop.
Overview
About Ringtail Loop
Why go
- A varied desert walk, from cactus scrub to a rocky wash and mountain views.
Heads up
- Sand and heat slow the loop more than its mild climbing suggests.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Saguaro map
Full mapElevation2,388–2,562 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 Ringtail 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
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 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
- 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 Ringtail Loop
Is this a good short hike?Ringtail Loop is a 3.
Ringtail Loop is a 3.4-mile lollipop loop from the Box Canyon / Ringtail trailhead, linking the Ringtail, Picture Rocks Wash, Ironwood Forest and Cam-Boh trails, with about 380 feet of cumulative climbing. It has enough change to hold your attention—cactus scrub, a sandy wash, a small rocky cut and open mountain views—but the wash slows you down. Allow about three hours with breaks and start early on warm days. Pets aren't allowed on this trail.
Follow the right branchesCross Picture Rocks Road into the signed wash; Pictured Rocks sit off to your left on the early…
Cross Picture Rocks Road into the signed wash; Pictured Rocks sit off to your left on the early stretch. At the first fork, stay left on Ringtail; around 0.4 mile in, pass the Mule Deer branch on your right without taking it. At about 1 mile, turn right onto Picture Rocks Wash. After the rocky outcrop, turn right onto Ironwood Forest; around 3 miles in, Cam-Boh leads back to Ringtail and the short access spur to your car. The 3.4 miles includes that approach and return.
Sand and sun are the tradeoffThe route alternates between defined dirt track and sandy wash.
The route alternates between defined dirt track and sandy wash. Sand takes more effort than the distance suggests, and the low wash has only occasional Palo Verde shade. The rocky outcrop makes a good pause; after it, Ironwood brings you back onto firmer ground with views over cactus and nearby mountains.
Watch the plants and the rocksThe name has a local connection: ringtails are secretive raccoon relatives, Arizona's state…
The name has a local connection: ringtails are secretive raccoon relatives, Arizona's state mammal, that den in rocky crevices and caves. They're rarely seen, so treat one as a bonus. A spring visit may add yellow whitestem paperflowers and saguaro blossoms, which usually appear from April through June.
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.
