![]() ![]() Organ Pipe has a variety of hikes that will get you right into the middle of it all. There’s nothing like a walk in the Sonoran Desert to remind you of the grandeur of nature, even in the harshest of conditions. Here are eight fantastic experiences at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. ![]() Still, as in any remote outdoor location, it pays to be vigilant. When I visited in November, the park appeared quiet and safe, and I encountered no trouble whatsoever. Today, signs are posted along scenic roads and trails, warning visitors of the possibility of drug and human trafficking. It is important to remember, however, that Organ Pipe has experienced violence in the past - most notably in 2002 when park ranger Kris Eggle was killed while pursuing members of a drug cartel who had fled into the United States after committing a string of murders in Mexico. The Organ Pipe website notes that the national monument is a safe place to visit, with some precautions. The park is located along Highway 85 about 20 miles north of the Lukeville/Sonoyta border crossing. In fact, the park’s unique habitat has earned it an international designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.Īt about two hours from either Phoenix or Tucson, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument makes for a great Arizona road trip. That makes Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument the only place in the United States where its namesake cacti are found in abundance. The region also stands out for its warm and sunny winter weather that allows for stellar hiking, biking, and camping from about November through March.Īlthough organ pipe cacti are common in neighboring Mexico, stands of the species stretch north only as far as the land along the Sonora-Arizona border. The southern-Arizona national monument is known for its wealth of the distinctive cactus species that is whimsically named after a pipe organ. Check in with the park's rangers to inquire about the current areas that are open.For a chance to walk amidst the spectacular organ pipe cacti that rise from the desert floor to form giant prickly bouquets of green stems, there is just one place to go in the United States: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Despite this limitation the park still offers some of the best desert hiking in America. ![]() Due to border issues being experienced in the park, cross-country hiking is only allowed in select areas. The National Park Service maintains few trails. ![]() The camp is open year-round on a first-come, first-served basis for a fee. No reliable water sources exist in Organ Pipe Cactus except at the 208-site campground near the visitor’s center. About 95 per-cent of the monument has been designated Wilderness, making this Arizona's third largest Wilderness. Summer temperatures have been known to reach an unbelievably scorching 120 degrees Fahrenheit, but winter brings daytime temperatures in the 60s and chilly nights. Bighorn sheep and lizards roam during the day.įrom Mount Ajo at 4,024 feet, atop the Ajo Range on the eastern border, the land falls away to broad alluvial desert plains studded with cacti and creosote bushes, isolated canyons, dry arroyos, and stark desert mountains. In May, June, and July, the organ pipe blooms at night, its lavender-white flowers opening after the sun goes down, when the desert awakens to elf owls, kangaroo rats, javelinas, coyotes, jackrabbits, and many snakes. The organ pipe is a large multispined cactus rare in the United States. The monument conserves 90% of the organ pipe cactus' range in the US. Located at the heart of the vast and lush Sonoran Desert, Organ Pipe Cactus Wilderness hugs the Mexican border and celebrates a desert full of life: 550 species of vascular plants, 53 species of mammals, 43 species of reptiles, and more than 278 species of birds. ![]()
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