Warm desert discoveries await visitors at this lesser-known preserve along Arizona’s southern border.
By Maggie Kielpinski
January 2016
Transparent and intangible as sunlight, yet always and everywhere present, the desert lures a man on and on, from the red-walled canyon to the smoke-blue ranges beyond, in a futile but fascinating quest for the great, unimaginable treasure which the desert seems to promise. Once caught by this golden lure you become a prospector for life. — Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire: A Season In The Wilderness
She glories of desert treasure described by famed environmentalist Edward Abbey in his 1968 book are part of the reason Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is worthy of exploration. Mr. Abbey spent part of the 1960s serving as a park ranger at the national monument.
This portion of the Sonoran Desert was set aside as Organ Pipe National Monument on April 13, 1937. The park’s namesake, the organ pipe cactus, and its close relative the senita cactus are found only in this portion of southern Arizona and in Mexico. The region’s two rainy seasons support a bounty of diverse and rare species so unique that in 1976 UNESCO declared the park an International Biosphere Reserve.
The park lies 58 miles south of Gila Bend, Arizona. The landscape is bordered by the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation to the east, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge to the west, and Mexico to the south. Nothing much breaks the monotony of the drive there, not even the whistle-stop towns of Ajo and Why. But at the park border, things change.
Legions of stately saguaro cacti march across the mildly sloping plains, known as bajadas. Spiky rhyolite mountains rim the valley, and distant hills are an unfolding panorama in shades of blue. The ocotillos are clad in tiny green leaves after recent rains, and spiny teddy-bear chollas, organ pipe cactus, and senita cactus are neatly arranged on a solid bed of lichens and pebbles. A soft green cast covers all. It’s like an exquisitely planned Xeriscape garden.
Despite its inhospitable nature, the land has been inhabited for eons. The Archaic people, and up until recently the Tohono O’odham Indians, hunted and farmed here, and long before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, members of Coronado’s expedition moved through the valley in search of the Colorado River. Padre Eusebio Kino established a mission at Sonoyta in 1701, and the California gold rush in 1849 lured Mexican prospectors who traveled through here. It’s even said that some of Pancho Villa’s troops holed up at Bull Pasture, at the foot of the Ajo Mountains.
By the end of World War II, the 100-year romance with the frontier that brought miners, drifters, ranchers, and dreamers was all but dead. Damage done by the overgrazing of cattle is slowly healing.
As for RV-related comforts, the park has a campground with water, rest rooms, and showers but no hookups. We pulled in to the Twin Peaks campground in the early evening. Although availability is on a first-come basis, we called ahead to the visitors center to make sure a large enough site was still available. The dusky light dropped its pale violet blanket over the Sonoyta Mountains to the west, and the tall saguaros stood at welcoming attention. A smoky aroma of creosote bush filled the air, and as the light faded, the desert transformed into that iconic western silhouette of picture postcard fame on a background sky of pink and violet.
Hiking Here
The park is a designated wilderness. The back country is open to cross-country hiking and backpacking, with permits available from the visitors center. But if you are the less adventurous type, as my husband and I are, opt for one of more than a dozen easy hiking trails to explore the desert. The trailhead to the Victoria Mine abuts the campground, so that seemed like the logical place for us to start.
Even on such a well-worn trail, it felt as though we were breaking new ground. We trod easily across an undulating pebble plain, but the trail, a matted crust of lichens and pebbles that keeps moisture in, was barely discernible in the sameness. The heat was starting to build, and as we paused in the slim shade of a filmy palo verde tree, we saw the tail end of a coyote vanish into a wash. This and a small cactus wren were all the wildlife we saw; during the day, many of the residents sleep.
An amazing 850 species of plants and animals are preserved here. This includes toads, snakes, birds, mammals, and even a species of fish. The heat doesn’t seem to bother the many birds; with a sharp eye, you may spot an owl in the nest it has hollowed out of a saguaro, but with the exception of roadrunners, lizards, and the odd coyote, most animals emerge at dawn or dusk. That’s when you’ll see javelinas, bobcats, and deer. Night is also when the saguaro and organ pipe cactus bloom. You can still see the flowers the next morning, before they fade away.
All that remains of the Victoria Mine are crumbling rock walls. The entrance to the mine is covered in steel mesh to allow access for a resident colony of bats. As we sat in the shade of the last remaining rock wall, eating lunch, it was hard to imagine the fortitude it took to work a mine with nothing but dreams as gratification.
If you do take a hike as we did, be sure to carry plenty of water and stay on the trail. Cell phone service is fine in well-traveled areas such as the campground and visitors center, but it can be spotty in the back country.
Driving
Self-guided scenic drives are a decidedly more relaxing way to enjoy this majestic landscape. But unless you have a smaller RV, do not attempt this in your coach. Because of the uneven nature of the terrain, both Ajo Mountain and Puerto Blanco scenic drives have a 25-foot vehicle length limit.
A ranger said a high-clearance vehicle is not required for driving in most parts of the preserve, but he cautioned that vehicles such as a Toyota Prius would definitely be too low-clearance. Regardless, plan on dealing with unpaved roads if you wish to take a scenic drive.
The Ajo Mountain scenic drive is a 21-mile, one-way loop. The graded road travels around Diablo Mountain and the foothills of the Ajo Range. It’s well-maintained, with many pull-outs, picnic areas, and even pit toilets in some places. The magic of the planet is in full throttle as you are greeted by evidence of the Earth’s massive up-thrusting, sliding, melting, and grinding geology. Erosion has laid bare a pale palette of rich minerals in umber, sage, coral, and cream, and the wind and rain have sculpted rocks into arches. Each area has its own microcosmic weather system favored by a particular plant species. The road passes neighborhoods of ocotillos, senitas, and organ pipes.
We made do with our map and brochures, as we were there a little too early for high season (January through March), when you can take a three-hour, ranger-guided tour on the loop.
The scenic Puerto Blanco Drive is partially paved: this includes the first five miles of the northern portion and the two-way section of the southern part. Only too happy to help, the rangers offered maps and advice before we took that route, such as to carry lots of water, and stay on the road. If you hike, keep your hands and feet in sight, away from scorpions and snakes. And, most importantly, do not bother the Sonoran pronghorn antelopes.
The pronghorn are native but are so endangered that a captive breeding program was started to halt their decline. To habituate them to the sights and sounds of the park, they are temporarily sequestered in a 640-acre enclosure a short distance from the road. Then, they’re released. The local herd has grown to about 150, and pronghorn sometimes are seen in the lesser-traveled areas along Puerto Blanco Drive.
Puerto Blanco is a 37-mile-long loop road, and we headed northward on it toward Dripping Springs. The road includes 10 miles of graded dirt. As we traveled, I could see why this iconic landscape draws people from all over the world; it’s a unique environment, hostile if you don’t adapt and almost otherworldly. At the Valley of the Ajo, a forest of saguaros unfolds for miles, marching up the hillsides as though surging into battle.
Normally just a bit wet, Dripping Springs, after three years of drought, had dried up. But the rocky trail behind it made for an excellent scramble up to panoramic views over the Ajo Mountains and Pinkley Peak.
Safety First
At the time we visited, in winter 2013, this was the end of the line for us. From here, the road was blocked, considered unsafe because of drug trafficking. The park fully reopened in September 2014, and many visitors are rediscovering this place. There has not been an incident for many years, thanks to additional border patrol agents and the sophisticated surveillance and tracking technology in place on the border. Truthfully, I have never felt safer. (I’m more afraid of jumping cholla bushes!)
Quitobaquito Springs, a true oasis, can be reached from South Puerto Blanco Drive, which for 12 miles runs parallel to the international border. The springs are an ancient crossroads of trade routes. The Tohono O’odham Indians camped there, and it was one of the only watering holes for the Spanish explorers. European settlers, possibly Padre Kino, planted pomegranate and fig trees, and it’s a haven for migrating birds and the tiny desert pupfish.
Days of hiking and driving take their toll, so our evenings were spent in the company of other campers, sharing our stories, drinks in hand, gazing at the sky. The nights are so quiet you can almost hear the cactus breathe. The skies are deep and dark and stuffed with stars. They say you can s
We all were here for the unique beauty of this place; it seems to bring out the neighborliness of strangers.
Further Info
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
10 Organ Pipe Drive
Ajo, AZ 85321
(520) 387-6849
The park’s Twin Peaks campground has 208 sites; 34 are for tents only, and nine are large enough for RVs up to 40 feet. Other sites accommodate smaller RVs. Reservations are not accepted, but call on the day you travel to confirm the availability of a site that will accommodate your needs.
Sites have no hookups, but drinking water is available at the campground. It also has rest rooms with water and flush toilets. Three rest rooms also have showers and electrical outlets for personal hygiene appliances. Fees are $16 per night, and holders of Golden Age/Senior Pass and Access pass pay half price.
Safety. Tourists are advised to avoid contact and not engage with hitchhikers or people in apparent distress. If you do encounter such situations, don’t stop, but call 9-1-1. Between better-educated visitors, new security technology, and increased staff, the park is considered more inviting now. Visitation increased 30 percent in 2014.