The easiest hikes in Saguaro National Park, by the numbers
Of the 36 trails in Saguaro National Park in our dataset, 9 (25 percent) rate easiest on the gain-and-distance scale we use, run 1 to 6 miles and climb 500 ft or less; all 9 are listed here, lowest rating first.
Mica View Trail has the lowest rating: 61 ft of gain over 1 mile, 61 ft per mile.
Across the 9, gain runs from 57 to 498 ft and distance from 1 mile to 2.9 miles; the median gain is 206 ft and the median distance 1.5 miles.
8 of the 9 are point-to-point routes; the rest are out-and-back (1).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mica View TrailSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 1 | 61 | 61 | 3% | 2,766 to 2,826 | 11 | |
| 2 | Passey Loop TrailSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 1.5 | 73 | 49 | 4% | 2,200 to 2,272 | 14.8 | |
| 3 | Cam-Boh TrailSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 2.5 | 57 | 23 | 4% | 2,388 to 2,540 | 16.9 | |
| 4 | Garwood TrailSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 1.5 | 131 | 87 | 5% | 2,777 to 2,865 | 19.8 | |
| 5 | Devil's BathtubSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 1.3 | 206 | 158 | 13% | 7,472 to 7,633 | 23.1 | |
| 6 | Gould Mine TrailSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 1.1 | 288 | 262 | 11% | 2,881 to 3,154 | 25.2 | |
| 7 | Mica Mountain Trail | 1.2 | 444 | 370 | 19% | 8,141 to 8,636 | 32.6 | |
| 8 | Hope Camp TrailSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 2.9 | 224 | 77 | 8% | 3,117 to 3,317 | 36 | |
| 9 | Wildhorse TrailSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 2.1 | 498 | 237 | 17% | 2,728 to 3,189 | 45.7 |
How this list is ranked
Rating = the square root of 2 x elevation gain (ft) x distance (miles), the gain-and-distance formula Shenandoah National Park publishes for its own trails. Bands: under 50 easiest, 50 to 100 moderate, 100 to 150 moderately strenuous, 150 to 200 strenuous, 200 and over very strenuous.
This list: band easiest (under 50), 1 to 6 miles, no more than 500 ft of gain, ordered by rating asc, miles asc, capped at 25. The rating column is computed from the miles and gain printed in the same row, the numbers each trail page uses, so every row can be checked from the row itself. The rating says nothing about exposure, scrambling, altitude or conditions.
Only trails with a full page count, so "Saguaro National Park" here means the 36 trails in Saguaro National Park in our dataset, not every trail in Saguaro National Park.
Each trail page shows the full elevation profile behind these numbers and the same data drawn as a topographic print, made to order. Start with Mica View Trail.
Easiest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other parks in our dataset.