Parking
Use the Douglas Spring Trailhead lot at the east end of Speedway Boulevard.
Overview
About Three Tank Trail Loop
Why go
- The three tank landmarks and Garwood Dam give this long desert circuit a clear story.
- A complete multi-trail loop returns to the same trailhead.
Heads up
- Long, fully exposed route with no shade.
- Published mileage does not match the measured trail line.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Saguaro map
Full mapElevation2,743–3,783 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 Three Tank Trail 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
Douglas Spring and Wildhorse: The Falls Hike0:00 / 0:28
“You're nearing the Douglas Spring and Wildhorse trailheads near the end of Speedway Boulevard.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Saguaro Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Watch the Roadrunner Hunt
- Broadway Trailhead: Pink Hill
- Loma Verde: The Pink Hill View
- Mica View: A Picnic and a Poem
- 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 Three Tank Trail Loop
What the loop coversThree Tank Trail Loop is a 7.
Three Tank Trail Loop is a 7.5-mile circuit from Douglas Spring Trailhead through old livestock water sites, Carrillo Trail and the Garwood Dam area. The mapped route measures about 7.5 miles, while one published itinerary lists 8.1, so plan for an eight-mile day and allow five to six hours. The roughly 1,450 feet of climbing listed for the route is an estimate; the mileage accounts do not agree.
Follow the circuitGo east on Douglas Spring to Three Tank, then southwest past Aguilla Tank, Mica Tank and Red…
Go east on Douglas Spring to Three Tank, then southwest past Aguilla Tank, Mica Tank and Red Steel Tank to Carrillo. Follow Carrillo south past Garwood Dam, turn north on Garwood to Wildhorse, then take Wildhorse north and Stock Bypass east to return to Douglas Spring. Several named trails and junctions make this a route to follow with a map, not a single signed loop; nearby hikes also reach the dam or tanks but use different returns.
Tanks and ranch waterworksThese are historic livestock watering features, not reliable drinking-water sources.
These are historic livestock watering features, not reliable drinking-water sources. Aguilla's old dam is breached, Mica is a seasonal pool, and Red Steel is the metal tank. At Garwood Dam, the route passes part of Nelson Garwood's Bar G Ranch water system. The ranch used two 20,000-gallon storage tanks, with water gravity-fed to the house.
Heat and accessThe loop is exposed desert walking with no shade.
The loop is exposed desert walking with no shade. Carry all the water and food you need, and choose cooler conditions for this long outing. Park at Douglas Spring Trailhead in the lot at the east end of Speedway Boulevard. Dogs are not allowed on this trail; service animals are exempt.
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.
