A green desert? Yes. This part of the Sonoran desert has two rainy seasons and the result is a predictable green. And as my visit came after recent rains at the dawn of Spring, the desert was an especially radiant shade of green. Miniature flowers were in bloom across the desert floor, cacti of different types were baring blossoms, and a floral scent was in the air. In general, Organ Pipes Cactus National Monument was showing at its best!
Even better than it being a nice place there were fun things to do. Hiking, biking and driving options were all conveniently described to me at the Visitors Center. Since I’d started out at 6:30 AM I’d arrived before the masses which meant the roads and trails would be empty. I started with a six mile bike ride down an unpaved road along the base of the Puerto Blanco Mountains. Later, I drove down Ajo Mountain Drive where I encountered coyote (gulp!), rabbit, and birds of all sorts. On my way out of the park I drove to a campground so I could hike up Alamo Canyon. The weather was perfect for a day outside. It was great!
Beth said she loved my pictures of this green desert; let me show a few here:
This park had been on my list for quite a while. I’d driven past the exit several times as I cruised along Interstate 8 in Arizona but since the park is 2.5 hours south in the middle of nowhere I never stopped. Also, any time you approach the Mexican border U.S. Border Control makes things unpleasant. I was stopped and mildly interrogated several times but always waved on. They’re just doing their job but it really feels oppressive to be under such intense oversight. In the end, it was well worth the extra hours of driving and I’d highly recommend Organ Pipes Cactus to anyone who can take the time to visit. It really is a remote but wonderful park.
Oh, a couple of incidentals. When you drive to Organ Pipes you pass through two small towns. The first is notable only for its name: “Why”.
The second is notable for its name “Ajo” (garlic) and for the walls of crushed rock you drive through in and out of town. Being curious by nature I checked a satellite view on my iPhone. Wow! I had to know more so I rolled down my window and pounced on the first innocent bystander: “What do you mine here!?” Well, within an hour I had visited the local historical museum and learned that this open pit copper mine was in operation from 1917 to 1985. I found a vantage point from where to take pictures and below is what I saw. The outer rim of this mining operation is what I drove through.
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