Overview
Picacho Peak State Park is in Arizona.
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Nov–Apr. Summer highs reach about 107°F; winter lows dip to about 36°F. Very hot (May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Aug and Jul. (climate data from nearby Casa Grande Ruins National Monument)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- TUS Tucson International Airport, Tucson — 45 mi away (major hub). Directions
- AZA Mesa Gateway Airport, Mesa — 49 mi away. Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Understand
The Picacho Peak State Park Visitor Center has public restrooms, a gift shop, vending machines and many types of snacks.
History
The Butterfield Overland Stage passed through the area. But perhaps even more exciting is that a Union cavalry from California skirmished with Texan Confederate scouts here in the Battle Of Pichaco Pass, an event that is claimed to be the westernmost battle of the Civil War.
Landscape
Hopefully you like Sonoran desert because Pichaco Peak State Park is like a masterpiece of that on display, and then there are near and distant views of topography like the Santa Catalina Mountains to the southeast and the Santa Cruz River sink to the west from the apex of Pichaco Peak. The most singular sight might just be the peak itself though from its base while driving along I-10 or approaching it otherwise.
Flora and fauna
Scorpions, cacti, desert flowers in season.
Climate
Sizzling by mid-day in summer on the desert floor. A little milder in late fall and winter thankfully, but watch out for monsoonal systems in the fall.
Get in
- Picacho Peak State Park, 15520 Picacho Peak Rd, Picacho, +1-520-466-3183. The park is located off I-10, on exit 219; 60 miles south of Phoenix, and 40 miles north of Tucson. Park hours: 5AM-10PM; Visitor center hours: Su-Th 9AM-3PM, F-Sa 8AM-5PM (varies by season);
Fees and permits
$7 per vehicle, $3 per bicycle
See
The park centers around the most noticeable 3,374 foot Pichaco Peak that rises from the desert floor.
Do
There is great hiking to the top of the peak within the park along two trails, with cables and catwalks at certain points near the top. Be on the lookout for rattlesnakes and signs of heat stroke/overexertion.
Sleep
Lodging
Camping
Camping is only permitted in designated areas. There are 100 sites, some with electricity.
Backcountry
Nearby
Picacho
City / town · 5 listings · 7 mi away
Eloy
City / town · 2 listings · 14 mi away
Coolidge
City / town · 6 listings · 25 mi away
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Park · 3 listings · 26 mi away
Casa Grande
City / town · 21 listings · 26 mi away
Oracle
City / town · 14 listings · 37 mi away
Santa Catalina Mountains
Park · 16 listings · 39 mi away
Tucson
City / town · 142 listings · 42 mi away
My experience
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