Why Most Visitors Miss the Rugged Beauty of the Bajada Loop Drive at Saguaro National Park

More than 200 ancient rock carvings sit on a single hill along a dusty desert road. Some of them may be around 1,550 years old. Most travelers never see them because they stick to smooth pavement. The road in question is a 6-mile loop of graded dirt in southern Arizona. It winds through foothills packed with giant saguaros. You usually don’t even need a high-clearance vehicle to drive it. I like how this loop rewards a little curiosity with picnic spots, trailheads, and quiet pullouts. It