Day 5 – Saguaro National Park – May 27, 2025

 I woke up around 6 AM—not sure if it was a great night of sleep, but at least my Garmin watch said I had a couple hours of deep sleep. I packed up my tent and hit the road toward the nearest town for coffee and to refuel. My next stop: Saguaro National Park, West side. Wasson Peak; is the highest point in the park on either side (East or West), and my goal for the day.

The drive took a little under two hours, winding through rural areas outside of Tucson. The landscape was classic southern Arizona: dry, dusty, and scattered with farms and industrial lots. Arriving in town the day after Memorial Day gave me that familiar feeling—you know, when you’re still on vacation but everyone else is back to work.

I pulled up to the west entrance around 9:30 AM. The visitor center was closed, but I refilled my water and started exploring. A lot of this park can be appreciated just by driving—many areas are accessible by gravel roads that cut through cactus forests and desert valleys.

Around 10:30 AM, I arrived at the Sendero Esperanza trailhead, ready to hike. Almost instantly, I was blown away by the richness of life in this desert. The trail was full of burrows and holes—evidence of all the creatures living beneath the surface. Birds and lizards dominated the scene. I kept hoping to spot a snake, especially after noticing so many things were moving in the brush, but I never caught one with my own eyes. Well, I saw a large red/white lizard.

For most of the hike, I didn’t see anyone. I eventually ran into two hikers, and I asked them if I could take a loop instead of coming back the same way.  We looked at the trail map together, and the only way back to my car was the same way I came through. (Tip: If you’re heading to Saguaro, take your time studying the trail system). A bit before the summit, I crossed paths with two more hikers and wished them a good day—they seemed European.

 

I reached the summit of Wasson Peak around noon. It was blazing hot by then, after snapping some photos of the iconic cacti, I focused on descending quickly before the heat got worse.

I ran about half the way down, and just before reaching the trailhead, I passed a solo hiker. Back at my car, I noticed the couple I thought were European sitting in a car. The woman soon approached me, clearly distressed, and asked if I had any extra water. Her husband wasn’t doing well. She even offered to buy it. I gave her all the water she needed. I said I have plenty.

After a few minutes, she asked if I could help them find their car. They had become disoriented and weren’t sure where they parked. I cleared space in my car and gave them a ride took 21 minutes. The AC was blasting. Her husband, clearly dehydrated and overheated, and overheard that he has kidney issues, gradually came back to life. Apparently, the hiker I’d seen earlier was a friend of driver in the car, but both had declined to help them, something the couple was really shaken by. I think that’s part of why they were so grateful to me. I just told them, “I had the ability to help, and you needed it—why wouldn’t I?”

They insisted on repaying me, offering gas money and gifts. I refused, but I told the wife that I work for a nonprofit, and she promised she would donate. Before parting, they gave me three bottles of ice-cold water, which I appreciated even though I rarely drink cold water. We shook hands, and they were on their way, looking much better than before. Both were from Ohio and have been to up to 40 National parks, and they take photos and print them as books with descriptions.

I stopped by a local museum nearby, but skipped going inside—it wasn’t free and seemed more geared toward kids. And well… I’m not a kid anymore.

From there, I decided to drive to the east side of Saguaro since it was on the way to White Sands National Park, my next destination. It was about a four-hour drive, and I wanted to drive two hours today so I won't have to drive the whole drive tomorrow. I arrived at the East Visitor Center around 3 PM, grabbed a few items, and hit the road. I was getting tired.

I aimed for a KOA camping ground in the tiny town of Lordsburg off Highway 10 and got there just before 7 PM. I was able to reserve a tent spot for $43. The staff member (old man) told me the pool was closed, which disappointed me, but then I noticed the sign said it closed at 8, not 7. When I told him, he brushed it off and rode off on a three-wheel motorcycle.

Turns out, the pool was open. So I went for it. I stripped down and dove in. The water was cold, but I had the entire pool to myself, and it felt incredible after a desert hike.

Later, I tried walking to a restaurant, but too many loose dogs around people’s yards made me nervous. I drove instead, picked up some Mexican food and a Coke, then returned to camp and enjoyed my simple dinner. One final try at using the telescope I’d borrowed… but again, no luck. That was the last attempt.

KOA was a solid experience overall—clean showers, a sink to wash dishes, decent privacy with each spot walled off, and even Wi-Fi and electricity. Not bad at all.

For travel recommendations and advice, feel free to reach out 

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