Ajo Mountain Drive in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was once considered the most dangerous National Park, this Sonoran Desert park is the only place in the US where the Organ Pipe Cactus grows wild. In this video, we drive the scenic Ajo Mountain Drive and do two hikes along the way. We learn about Organ Pipe Cacti and saw other cacti bloom for the first time!
???? Stick around for bloopers at the end of the video!
???? Our favorite book to plan road trips is Most Scenic Drives in America which includes 120 spectacular road trips. We have had the book for many years and have done multiple itineraries from the book and we have never been disappointed. It even survived downsizing from 4-bed house to a 21ft travel trailer :) Check it out here (Amazon affiliate link, see disclosure at the bottom):
????️ We are Matt & Diana and we live in an RV full time and are on a journey to visit all 400+ National Park Units. To follow us along subscribe to our channel here
#️⃣ Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was unit #14 out of #419 on our journey to visit them all. See a detailed write up here:
???? If you want to follow our adventure in real-time and receive weekly updates, subscribe to our newsletter here
#adventurousway #nationalparks #roadtrip
Music from YouTube Audio Library:
- Distant Lands by Hanu Dixit
- Can't Sleep by Eveningland
- Rhodesia by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (
Artist:
Filming dates: April 2019
*** Full Disclosure: We are an Amazon Associate and we have linked to products on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This does not cost you anything more, but it does help to support our channel.
Ajo Mountain Drive in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
This video contains highlights and photos from our drive around Ajo Mountain Drive shot during our February 2014 visit to Organ Pipe Monument.
See the full blog post at -
The main attraction in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument are the scenic drives, the most popular being the Ajo Mountain Drive. If you only have a few hours to visit this is the one you want to take. It is jam packed with scenic vistas and examples of the Sonoran Desert Landscapes.
Follow our RVing adventures at and
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~-
Check out my Favourite RV Updates: 20 Useful Upgrades I've Made To Our RV
➨
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~- -
Connect with Love Your RV!
Pinterest ►
Google+ ►
Facebook ►
Twitter ►
Blog Feed ►
Monthly Newsletter ►
Don't forget to Subscribe! ►
Puerto Blanco Drive In Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument - Ajo, Why Arizona
In today's video I drive a 37.5 mile washboard road called Puerto Blanco Drive in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument near Ajo and Why Arizona. Puerto Blanco Drive offers beautiful views of the Sonoran Desert, cactus and mountains in the remote areas of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Puerto Blanco Drive eventually travels along side the US Mexico Border Fence.
Thank you for watching and if you have any questions please leave in the comments below and I will do my best to reply.
Please subscribe to my channel as I will be posting more vlogs on my 4Runner, Camping, Adventure and Landscape Photography.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MUSIC
#4Runner #Camping #Adventure #Sonoran #Desert #Toyota #SR5 #4X4 #Offroad #BLM #Boondocking
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Recorded April 6, 2017
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a UNESCO biosphere reserve located in extreme southern Arizona which shares a border with the Mexican state of Sonora. The park is the only place in the United States where the Organ Pipe Cactus grows wild. Along with Organ Pipe, many other types of cacti, as well as other desert flora native to the Yuma Desert section of the Sonoran Desert region grow here. The Park is a beautiful preservation of the American Southwest. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is 517 square miles in size. In this video I explore Ajo Mountain Drive, a 21 mile, mostly gravel road usually passable by normal passenger car.
From:
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Ajo Mountain Loop Drive, Organ Pipe Cactus NM
#OrganPipeCactus #Arizona #Cactus
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is unlike any other national park or Monument in the United States. Located in the Extreme South West of the state of Arizona, Organ Pipe is a showcase for the Sonoran Desert. The park covers 517 square miles of ideal desert habitat, and is the only place in the United States were the Organ Pipe cactus grows wild and in abundance. For this reason the park was declared a UNESCO World Biosphere in 1976. The park is also unique in that it shares 31 miles of International border with Mexico and there is a border crossing at it's southern end. Do not be surprised to see border patrol during your visit, as illegal immigration has been an issue in the area. There is a single visitors center named after Ranger Kris Eggle, who was shot and killed during a border patrol operation in 2002. As alarming as this is, don't let it scare you from visiting this beautiful and unique landscape.
The park has two driving loops that pass through different areas of desert environment. Both loops are on graded dirt roads, and are suitable for passenger cars. There are two camp grounds in the park, and back country camping is also allowed via permit. There are many hiking trails through the park that allow you to get up close to the amazing desert flora and fauna.
As is to be expected the temperatures in the park can be extreme with highs reaching 118 degrees Fahrenheit in months May - September and the ground temperature getting up to 175 F. We visited during the winter when the temperatures are in the 60's and 70's during the day. October - April is a great time to explore the park. Make sure to take lots of water with you, especially if you go out hiking and be aware that the park visitors center is the only place to get water.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a very green desert. The sheer amount of cacti here is staggering, with 28 species living in the park, including the Organ Pipe Cactus which is found nowhere else in the US, although it is prevalent in Mexico. In Organ pipe Cactus National Monument two different plant communities come together. The hotter and drier tolerant Lower Colorado plants and the wetter Arizona upland plants. For many of these species this is as North as they can be found, their ranges being mostly in Mexico.
The monument is home to many different types of desert animals, although you'll be lucky to spot them. Many of the deserts animals are nocturnal due to the extreme heat of the day. We only saw a few birds and a big lizard in the two afternoons we spent here.
Need music for a video? I use Epidemic. You should try it too. Get a 30 day free trial by following this link:
Borderviews: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
In this BoderViews video, Center Borderlands Campaigner Laiken Jordahl takes us to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to reveal the border wall construction now underway. Endangered species, Native American sacred sites and protected wilderness are under immediate threat.
2010 0320 Sierra de Ajo (Mount Ajo) - Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, AZ
On our way to Ajo Peak with a stop over, below the Arch, at the Arch, at the Summit and at Bull Pasture. Trip log and photos:
Here is the link to part 1 of the Mount Ajo hike in 2013: Part 2
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Founded in 1937, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument two hours west of Tucson is home to roughly 330,000 acres of Sonoran Desert.
Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star
USA / Mexico Border at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
3.5 miles west of Highway 85 on S. Puerto Blanco Drive.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Mounument 4K 2019
A 9 hour drive takes me to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument overnight. During the Government shutdown the 61 mile Puerto Blanco Drive was closed at the one way point. Thus, plan B, Ajo Mountain Drive (see next video), and sunset & night photography. Also included, is the 10 hour drive back home in pouring rain. A 30+ hour of non stop video and photo adventure.
This video shot entirely hand held with Lumix G9 and GX85. Time lapse was shot on a tripod.
Music from YouTube Audio Library royalty free music.
See video credits for details.
All photography and video production by ToxicTabasco.
2019 all rights reserved.
Hope you like the video. Any feedback, questions, and comments welcomed.
Thanks for viewing and subscribing.
ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT 2019 California poppies
These were found within the park along the Ajo Mountain Drive. Thanks for watching!
Look closely. Look again. The sights and sounds of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, an International Biosphere Reserve, reveal a thriving community of plants and animals. Human stories echo throughout this desert preserve, chronicling thousands of years of desert living. A scenic drive, wilderness hike or a night of camping will expose you to a living desert that thrives.
ORGAN PIPE CACTUS National Monument
#OrganPipeCactusNationalMonument #NationaalParks #Arizona #camping #PaintedRockPetroglyph #QuitobaquitoSprings #pupfish #JeepLife
We had a three-day camping trip planned to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. The Monument is located in Southwestern Arizona. We had a late start and spent the first night at Imperial Dunes State Recreation Area and boondocked in the sand dunes. The next morning, we finished our drive to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
Painted Rocks Petroglyph Site
On the way, we stopped at the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site located on the eastern edge of the Painted Rock Mountains and about eighteen miles northwest of Gila Bend, Arizona. We had driven pass the exit several times without stopping, but this time we did!
The Painted Rock Site is the largest known site in the southwestern United States with around 800 images. The people of the Hohokam (and pre-Hohokam) tribes lived and farmed in this area from 350 AD – 1400 AD. The paintings are thought to have been done in different stages during that timeframe.
Twin Peaks Campground
We got to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in the early afternoon and first stopped at the Visitor Center. We got information on what to do and then went on to setup camp. We camped for the next two nights at Twin Peaks Campground. The campsites have no electrical hookups. Water and vault toilets are available.
It was beautiful Arizona winter weather and we enjoyed the sparsely populated campsite.
Ajo Mountain Drive
The next morning long-time friends of ours showed up at the park and we took one of the scenic routes in the park – Ajo Mountain Drive. The two of us climbed into their truck with the two of them and their large dog and we went exploring. Ajo Mountain Drive is a 21-mile scenic drive through the monument.
We were able to see several of the namesake cacti – Organ Pipe Cactus, as well as Saguaro, Ocotillo, Cholla, and others. There had been several winter rains and some of the desert flowers were out in force!
We finished the drive, had a BBQ, some beers and then they had to leave.
South Puerto Blanco Drive
The next morning, we broke camp and drove to the South Puerto Blanco Drive. This is a very large loop and we did not have enough time to do the complete loop.
The monument property borders the US-Mexico border and the road we were on, was just yards away from the border in spots! Border Patrol agents were out and about and even a helicopter buzzed by on occasion! Our destination for our drive was Quitobaquito Springs.
Quitobaquito Springs
Quitobaquito Springs was a water source for the early residents of the area – the Native American tribe Tohono O'odham. This was also a stopping point for travelers in the area.
Quitobaquito Springs is a small-spring fed pond that supports desert wildlife in the area. It is home to the small and endangered Quitobaquito pupfish, and we were able to see many of those fish. The pupfish swim in the pond and in a tiny stream that feeds the pond.
The pond also supports migratory birds for a portion of their long journeys.
Conclusion
Our trip to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was a great adventure. We got to see ancient painted rocks, saw scenic desert views and spring flowers with friends, and got to explore a desert springs oasis!
We will see YOU on the next adventure!
Music
Chunk by Quincas Moreira
Credits
HB Maverick Photography
Photographers: David Partridge (Maverick)
Mathilda Partridge
Cameras: Nikon D3300
Olympus TG-5
GoPro Hero5 Black
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
February 2019
Hike to Mount Ajo via Bull Pasture & ARCH, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument 2013 - Part 2
from Bull Pasture to the top of Mount Ajo and then back to see the fallen arch.
Trip log and photo set:
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, AZ; Camping (2013)
During my motorcycle tour in Arizona (Jul., 2013), I camped one night in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
Camping in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
This is my final project for my class on border issues between the USA and Mexico taught by Professor Rick Rodriguez. I went down to see how safe this monument once dubbed as the most dangerous in the United States is today.
Organ Pipe Catcus National Monument - Ajo Mountain Drive
Border security at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
President Donald Trump continues to maintain he will construct a wall along the United States-Mexico border, and that Mexico will pay for it.
Twin Peaks Campground, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
The Twin Peaks Campground is located within the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and just five miles from the international border with Mexico. Honestly, it is one of the most scenic campgrounds we’ve stayed at in over a decade of RV camping. The campground has flush toilets, drinking water fill stations throughout the campground, solar heated showers, trash receptacles, pull through sites, and a dump station. Verizon cellular service clocked in at 3.63 Mbps download speed and .051 Mbps upload speed. AT&T clocked in at 1.13 Mbps download speed and 3.34 Mbps upload speed. There are two dog friendly trails, but beware of the cactus, it is everywhere. The Desert View Trail is a must if you want sweeping vistas of several mountain ranges and the campground. There are no hookups at this campground, dry camping only. Generators are permitted with restrictions; see my related video. If you have a National Parks Access Pass or equivalent, this campground is currently affordable at just $10 per night.
ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT
upLynk Clip
Ajo, Arizona drive south on SR-85 to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Visitor center, GOPR7945
Ajo, Arizona drive south past Strip Mines on State Route 85 to the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Visitor center, GOPR7945, 2 December 2013, Driver's Side View, Video Map Webpage: