Description

If you want to explore a hidden corner of Saguaro National Park, off the beaten path of the Cactus Forest Loop, head down to the Loma Alta Trailhead.

It’s located at the end of a dirt road, several miles south of the main park entrance.

Only two trails depart from there, and Ridgeview is the more scenic of them.

It’s usually uncrowded, perfect for enjoying a brief hike with solitude in the desert. Ridgeview starts out the same as Hope Camp Trail, but soon bears left and begins to go uphill, climbing gently through a drainage.

Cactus-covered slopes rise on either side, and the trail aims toward a rounded hill ahead.

A final, steeper section ascends the rock-littered hillside, then reaches a knoll of bare stone on top.

From there you can see in all directions.

Rincon Peak dominates the skyline to the east, and the hulking slopes of Tanque Verde Ridge rise across a steep valley to the north.

The view is especially nice late in the day, in the light of the sinking sun. Sources: https://www.nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/saguaro_hiking.htm https://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/saguaro/ridge-view-trail.html