Parking
El Camino del Cerro Trailhead, 7341 W El Camino del Cerro. Paved parking for 13 vehicles and two horse rigs; open sunrise to sunset. Overnight parking requires a permit.
Overview
About Sweetwater Trail to the Ridge
Why go
- A real ridge destination without extending to Wasson Peak.
Heads up
- A long walk over rocky tread with repeated wash crossings.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Saguaro map
Full mapElevation2,802–3,875 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 Sweetwater Trail to the Ridge, 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
El Camino del Cerro: Sweetwater to Wasson Peak0:00 / 0:27
“El Camino del Cerro Trailhead is ahead, the start of the Sweetwater route to Wasson Peak. Choose this for a full day’s hike to wide views across the ridges and desert basins.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Saguaro Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Box Canyon and Ringtail Loop
- Ez-Kim-In-Zin and Sendero Esperanza
- The Tree That Works Without Leaves
- Cam-Boh Picnic Area
- 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 Sweetwater Trail to the Ridge
A ridge walk before the summit routeSweetwater Trail to the Ridge is a 6.
Sweetwater Trail to the Ridge is a 6.8-mile round trip from El Camino del Cerro to the King Canyon Trail junction and back along the same corridor. It is a long, moderate desert hike, about 3.4 miles each way and roughly 1,050 feet above the trailhead at the ridge. Plan on about four hours; take longer if you pause through the washes. If you want a substantial ridge outing without continuing to Wasson Peak, this is the route to choose.
Follow the built path through the washesThe trail starts downhill before climbing, and crosses several washes; stone steps help on some…
The trail starts downhill before climbing, and crosses several washes; stone steps help on some of the steeper banks. Around mile 2.5 it follows a rocky, vegetated ridge above a wash. At the early fork, take the Sweetwater branch rather than Thunderbird. On the return, keep watching for the tread across the washes and stay out of the wash bottoms; a missed turn can lead onto the wrong line.
Turn around at King CanyonThe King Canyon Trail junction is the endpoint for this hike; the ridge is your turnaround, not…
The King Canyon Trail junction is the endpoint for this hike; the ridge is your turnaround, not Wasson Peak. The summit route from the same trailhead continues on King Canyon and Hugh Norris for a separate 9.2-mile round trip. Wasson Peak is visible from the start, but reaching it adds distance and climbing.
Access and rulesUse the El Camino del Cerro Trailhead at 7341 W El Camino del Cerro.
Use the El Camino del Cerro Trailhead at 7341 W El Camino del Cerro. Its paved lot has 13 vehicle spaces plus room for two horse rigs, opens at sunrise, and closes at sunset; overnight parking requires a permit. No on-route drinking water was confirmed, so carry enough for the full walk. Pets aren't allowed on this trail, with service animals excepted.
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.
