Rincon Mountain Visitor Center, Tucson

Small national park but worth the trip! It's beautiful with lots of short hikes available. The visitor center is small and the staff wasn't particularly friendly, but those huge cacti make up for any shortcomings. Make sure you're drinking lots of water while you're here

We stopped at the visitor center to pick up a trail map and chat with the ranger about the best hike for our afternoon. They shared insider tips about where to stop, and steered us to the Cactus Loop and Lime Kiln trails which were excellent. This is the main stop to refill water and use restrooms. Our family collects national park magnets and we got a historic Saguaro poster print on sale. Do check out the colorful donor mosaic on the outside wall. It lists the wildlife and plants you'll see as you hike.