Javelina Wash Trail
in Arizona · centroid 13 mi from Tucson
A 600-yard loop trail through the wash behind the Red Hills Visitor Center, looping through the wash from one end of the building to the other. Flat, but sandy and rocky, with stairs at either end. Follow the self-guided "Signs of Life in the Desert" tour under Self-Guided Tours in the NPS app to learn more about the habitats you'll see along this short, varied trail.
The Javelina Wash Trail allows visitors to get a taste of the Sonoran Desert right next to the Visitor Center, and is the setting for various guided ranger walks. A variety of Sonoran Desert pland and animals can be seen close-up in the wash, as well as a variety of animal habiats, from their holes and burrows.
- States
- Arizona
- Trail type
- National Park trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Tucson, AZ · 13 mi · ~25 min drive
- Centroid coords
- 32.2543°, -111.1976°
About Saguaro National Park
This trail is inside Saguaro National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Entrance fee: $25 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/javelina-wash-trail.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Javelina Wash Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Stay nearby
Other trails within 50 miles
Valley View Overlook Nature Trail
2 miles from this trail's centroid
Cactus Wren Trail, Access Point 3
4 miles from this trail's centroid
Pull-off along Cactus Forest Loop Drive
29 miles from this trail's centroid
Arizona National Scenic Trail
30 miles from this trail's centroid
Self-Guided Tour - Anza Trail Junction
48 miles from this trail's centroid
Tumacácori - Anza Trail Junction
48 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.