A Hidden Gem

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is truly a gem tucked away in southern Arizona’s vast Sonoran Desert.  This desert -also referred to as the Green Desert - covers 120,000 square miles (516 sq. miles are Organ Pipe) – an area about the size of the state of New Mexico – and includes a portion of northern Mexico. 

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was created on April 13, 1937 by President Franklin D Roosevelt – with 97% designated as wilderness.   Thirty-nine years later, the United Nations declared the Monument an International Biosphere Reserve for its diversity of plants and wildlife.

      “Wildness offers us a way to reconnect with nature; to enjoy

       its beauty; to experience the wonder of the natural world;
       and to preserve the unique desert landscape.”

                  [A Quote taken from an information sign within the Monument grounds]

Camping at Twin Peaks Campground for the next 8 days will be enjoyed as they offer pull-through and concrete pads to rest your homes on.  A very clean campground with no electrical/water hookups – but we have trash and aluminum can recycling.  This is good.  The campground offers trails, beautiful vistas and even evening interpretive programs by the Park Rangers.  There is a dump and fresh water area which is much appreciated.  This is so important and everyone is allowed to run there generators from 8-10a and 4-6p! With our Golden Age Pass (have to be over 62 to get one of these!) we’re able to stay here at a rate of $6/night (half price daily rate).  All staff are volunteers and very friendly.  It’s hard to believe that they have 200+ camping sites for all types as the sites are beautifully situated amongst the greenery of the desert cacti.

Enjoy the sights as we take you on our adventure tour within Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

~ SCENIC DRIVES ~

 Ajo Mountain Drive - A 21-mile scenic loop that winds along the foothills of the Ajo Range. 

A one-way road through the loop

Called a "ramada" made out of Ocotillo branches.

 

 

Can you see the longhorn steer face in the mountain?

Couldn't forget to share the arches seen

This arch has a mini one on top of it - can you see it?

North Puerto Blanco Drive - 10-mile trek with a spectacular view of the Valley of the Ajo.

The Saguaro "soldiers" standing tall

~ WALKS & HIKES ~

Palo Verde Trail – 2.6 round trip connecting the campground and visitor center with views of the Ajo Range.  The trail runs on a broad alluvial plain called a bajada, where the terrain is mostly flat with a few rolling hills.

This trek was an easy one!

 

Mistletoe that grows in the Palo Verde

The berries are very different from what we're use to seeing.

 

Ed Day, a volunteer at the Visitor's Center

A result of Ed's "flint knapping" ~ gave Jeff the finished arrowhead

 

Camp Perimeter Trail – This 1.0 mile easy loop around Twin Peaks Campground also passes an amphitheater where programs are held by Park Rangers. 

Should I pick up this guy?

Pretty nice area for presentations by the Rangers

 Desert View Nature Trail – A 1.2 mile easy loop trail up a short, but steep hill.  At the top, is a scenic view of the vistas of the monument and Mexico’s Sonoyta Valley and the pink granite Cubabi Mountains. This is also an excellent place to view the fantastic sunsets!

 

Beautiful day for a hike!

 

The walking path was so much fun.

 

What a view!

 

Dripping Springs Mine Trail – After a 6 mile drive to the main entrance of this trailhead, the jeep proceeded about another 5-6 miles through some pretty rocky terrain.  With spaces for only 5 vehicles at the site (of which you had to reserve at the Visitor’s Center) we parked the Jeep for a 2.0 mile hike.  We’ve read that bootleggers used the spring water for their distilleries and as a place to hide their illegal booze. 

This is the road we walked on our way to see the spring.

View taken from where Kay sat down on a ledge - pretty awesome!



One of many caves in this area

Honeybees use this as their water source

~ GREEN DESERT ~

Warm to hot weather and a little rain added to that mixture can bring out some of the most beautiful wildflowers and flowering shrubs that you’ve ever seen.  Anytime we would see even the smallest of “new” life, we just had to get a picture of it for identification purposes.  The plant life here is amazing and we believe in sharing . . . enjoy!

Flowing Pencil Cholla

 

Unknown, but beautiful!

 

Mojave lupine

 

Unknown.  Found growing in a wash.

 

Desert marigold

 

Flowering Hedgehog

 

Lupine growing with Clover

 

Brittle Bush

~ SONORAN DESERT DARK SKIES ~

At Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, the Native American tribe of the Tohono O’odham view the stars as “cornmeal strewn across the dark fabric of the night sky”.  Due to its desert location, the Monument enjoys clean, clear, dry air that seems to make the stars, planets and constellations closer.  Once you adjust your eyes to the night sky, it’s quite a spiritual experience just how small you are in the scheme of things.  We feel that it is truly a humbling experience.

Endangered night sky – you bet!  Click on this link, NASA Image Visible Earth, to view the famous image of the United States at night.  It is the best graphic illustration of the results of pool lighting.  Light pollution threatens the night sky, humans, and also the sleeping patterns, migration and feeding habits of animals.  This is amazing! 

Organ Pipe Cactus:  Fun Facts

Ø Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is one of the few places in the US where you can see large stands of organ pipe cacti

Ø An organ pipe cactus produces its first flowers at age 35.  Bats pollinate the flowers which blossom at night and close by mid-morning the next day.  It blooms in the heat of May-July, opening lavender-white flowers.

Ø Just before and during the summer rains, the organ pipe fruit ripens and splits open to reveal its red pulpy flesh.  Sorry, no photos on this trip!

Ø Creatures of the Sonoran Desert feast on the juicy fruit and scatter its seeds across the desert – for more of those “baby” organ pipe cacti.

Ø Average height at maturity if 15 feet.

Ø Columnar cacti such as the organ pipe and saguaro can form unusual growths – or anomalies called “cristates”.

Ø Organ pipe cactus may live 150 years.

Ø Early settlers who encountered dead cacti were reminded of church pipe organs and called these cacti organ pipes.  Just like tubes of the pipe organ the bones of these cacti are hollow

What a tangled mess!

Cristate found growing in them center

Known as a growth anomaly

Perfectly shaped Saguaro

Another Saguaro's Cristate

This Organ Pipe is the largest in the Monument - can you see the Cristate?

Here is a close up of it!

For all of you NFL fans - football is alive and well in the desert!

A "family" of Saguaros.

 

Very different formation - what would you call it?

Sonoran Lingo – Speak Like A Local!

       Saguaro – sa-WAH-row

      Creosote – CREE-oh-sote

       Cholla – CHOY-yah
       Ajo – AH-hoe
       Palo verde – PA-loh VAIR-deh
       Bajada – bah-HAH-da
       Mesquite – mess-KEET
       Ocotillo – Oh-koh-TEE-yo 
       Tohono – Tow-HOE-no
       O’Odham – Oh-oh-thaam
       Gila – HEE-lah

Hugs ~ Kay & Jeff

Travel Update:  After leaving Organ Pipe National Monument we will drive to Congress, Arizona to use as a base for Jeep trips to see Sedona and surrounding area.  After that, probably heading toward Phoenix to see Jeff's cousin in Apache Junction and then onward to Canyon De Chelly National Monument, Arizona.  Just can't get enough of this scenic state - so much to see!
 

Border Crossing into Mexico!