In the mid-20th century the Madrona Ranger Station - located near perennial pools, riparian habitat and trails leading into the Rincon mountains - was developed to be a major access point into Saguaro National Park and the Rincon mountains. At Madrona the NPS installed a telephone and fencing, built a barn, corral, residence and bunkhouse, installed weather observation equipment and installed a 10,000 gallon water tank.

Apparently there was never any official/legal agreement on access thru the X-9 ranch in spite of all the work the NPS did in the area. In 1967 after several years of problems on the X-9 ranch including illegal hunting, cattle being shot and a gate being left open the road thru the X-9 to Madrona was closed to the public by the land owner. Access has never been restored.

Kristina M. Ratzlaff's Access To Public Lands: A Case Study of Saguaro National Park and the X-9 Ranch includes all of these details and more in laying out the history of this access issue.

In the Saguaro National Park - East - Rincon Mountain District - Hiking Guide - 2019 you won't find Madrona on the map - but you will find multiple trail options that can take you into the area...