Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is in the Western region of Arizona in the United States.
Understand
Organ Pipe was created to protect its namesake, the organ pipe cactus, the monument being the largest concentration of the plant in the United States. It is located in the extreme southern portion of Arizona. The area is remote and wild. The nearest town, Ajo, is over 20 mi away and only has a population of 3,700. The nearest large population centers are Tucson and Yuma, both over 150 mi from the monument.
As the monument is on the U.S.-Mexico border, the backcountry portions of the park are currently closed due to illegal cross-border activities.
Kris Eggle Visitor Center, +1 520 387-6849, Daily: 8AM-5PM, 10 Organ Pipe Drive
Getting there
The only viable method to reach the park is via car. Arizona Highway 85 leads south into the monument. There is no public transit into the monument.
The nearest major airports are in Phoenix and Tucson.
Traveling around
There is no public transit in the monument. Private vehicles or bikes are the only options to get around the monument.
See
Evening programs, Twin Peaks Campground, amphitheater, Several evenings a week, talks are given at the campground on a wide variety ot topics. Check with the Kris Eggle Visitor Center or the Twin Peaks Campground for dates and topics
Patio talks, Daily: 11AM, 1PM, and 3PM, Kriss Eggle Visitor Center, on the back patio, 20-30 minute talks on a variety of topics related to the history, geology, plants, and animals of the monument. Check with the Visitor Center for topics.
Things to do
Ajo Mountain Drive, A 21-mile drive through one of the most scenic areas of the park. The road is mostly gravel but is passable by most passenger cars with normal ground-clearance. RVs 24' or longer are not recommended.
Ajo Mountain Van Tours, Daily: 1PM, A 3-hour, ranger-led driving tour of the Ajo Mountains in a 10-passenger van. Reservations are required.
Biking, Bikes are allowed on all roads open to vehicular traffic but are not allowed on hiking trails or in the backcountry.
Geocaching, Geocaching is a sort of scavenger hunt using a GPS receiver to locate the hidden item. Organ Pipe is one of the few units in the National Park system to allow this hobby. Two geocaches are listed as being in the monument.
Guided Hikes, Ranger led walks around the monument. Check the Kris Eggle Visitor Center or the Twin Peaks Campground for dates and times.
Hiking, Trails range from short, handicapped accessible trails to long, wild trails into the hinterlands of the park. Remember that portions of the park are restricted so be sure to check with the Visitor Center for trail closures and before starting an off-trail hike. Below are a few of the trails available:
Visitor Center Nature Trail
Palo Verde Trail (pet friendly)
Desert View Trail
Campground perimeter trail (pet friendly)
Victoria Mine Trail, please stay on the trail
Estes Canyon Trail (Ajo Mountain area)
Bull Pasture Trail (Ajo Mountain area)
Arch Canyon Trail (Ajo Mountain area)
Alamo Canyon Trail
Puerto Blanco Drive, Another car tour featuring roadside displays on the ecology of the Sonoran Desert.
Ajo Mountain Van Tour, Daily December through April 1pm, meet at the Twin Peaks Campground informatin kiosk, Rangers provide a guided tour on the Ajo Mountain Drive, stopping at several areas along the way to get out and explore. the tour is limited to 10 people per day, so Sign up in advance with rangers at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center or Twin Peaks Campground.
Sleep
Lodging
There is no lodging in the monument.
Camping
Alamo Campground, 4 tent sites. No water. Reservation only, made in the Kris Eggle Visitor Center on the first day of the visit.
Twin Peaks campground, Tents and RVs up to 40'. No hookups. Running water from standpipes and in restrooms.
Backcountry
Due to border security concerns, the backcountry is closed indefinitely.
Safety
The monument is a remote, desert wilderness. Be sure to carry plenty of water both in your car and while hiking and drink regularly, even if not thirsty. If your car breaks down, stay with your car rather than attempting to find help on foot. It is much easier to find a vehicle in the desert than a person.
As mentioned above, the monument is on the U.S.-Mexico border. Due to the remoteness of the monument, it is used for illegal border crossings. Most of the persons illegally crossing present no threat to park visitors. However, there are some who use the monument for smuggling who are armed and dangerous. In 2002, a park ranger was shot and killed by a drug smuggler. The Kris Eggle Visitor Center has been named in his honor.
Visitors should be aware of their surroundings and report suspicious activities to park rangers or border patrol officers.
Fees/Permits
$8 per vehicle for a 7-day pass.
Contact & location
Be the first one to add a review
The photos displayed on this page are the property of one of the following authors:
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is in the Western region of Arizona in the United States.
Understand
Organ Pipe was created to protect its namesake, the organ pipe cactus, the monument being the largest concentration of the plant in the United States. It is located in the extreme southern portion of Arizona. The area is remote and wild. The nearest town, Ajo, is over 20 mi away and only has a population of 3,700. The nearest large population centers are Tucson and Yuma, both over 150 mi from the monument.
As the monument is on the U.S.-Mexico border, the backcountry portions of the park are currently closed due to illegal cross-border activities.
Getting there
The only viable method to reach the park is via car. Arizona Highway 85 leads south into the monument. There is no public transit into the monument.
The nearest major airports are in Phoenix and Tucson.
Traveling around
There is no public transit in the monument. Private vehicles or bikes are the only options to get around the monument.
See
Evening programs, Twin Peaks Campground, amphitheater, Several evenings a week, talks are given at the campground on a wide variety ot topics. Check with the Kris Eggle Visitor Center or the Twin Peaks Campground for dates and topics
Patio talks, Daily: 11AM, 1PM, and 3PM, Kriss Eggle Visitor Center, on the back patio, 20-30 minute talks on a variety of topics related to the history, geology, plants, and animals of the monument. Check with the Visitor Center for topics.
Things to do
Ajo Mountain Drive, A 21-mile drive through one of the most scenic areas of the park. The road is mostly gravel but is passable by most passenger cars with normal ground-clearance. RVs 24' or longer are not recommended.
Ajo Mountain Van Tours, Daily: 1PM, A 3-hour, ranger-led driving tour of the Ajo Mountains in a 10-passenger van. Reservations are required.
Biking, Bikes are allowed on all roads open to vehicular traffic but are not allowed on hiking trails or in the backcountry.
Geocaching , Geocaching is a sort of scavenger hunt using a GPS receiver to locate the hidden item. Organ Pipe is one of the few units in the National Park system to allow this hobby. Two geocaches are listed as being in the monument.
Guided Hikes, Ranger led walks around the monument. Check the Kris Eggle Visitor Center or the Twin Peaks Campground for dates and times.
Hiking, Trails range from short, handicapped accessible trails to long, wild trails into the hinterlands of the park. Remember that portions of the park are restricted so be sure to check with the Visitor Center for trail closures and before starting an off-trail hike. Below are a few of the trails available:
Visitor Center Nature Trail
Palo Verde Trail (pet friendly)
Desert View Trail
Campground perimeter trail (pet friendly)
Victoria Mine Trail, please stay on the trail
Estes Canyon Trail (Ajo Mountain area)
Bull Pasture Trail (Ajo Mountain area)
Arch Canyon Trail (Ajo Mountain area)
Alamo Canyon Trail
Puerto Blanco Drive, Another car tour featuring roadside displays on the ecology of the Sonoran Desert.
Ajo Mountain Van Tour, Daily December through April 1pm, meet at the Twin Peaks Campground informatin kiosk, Rangers provide a guided tour on the Ajo Mountain Drive, stopping at several areas along the way to get out and explore. the tour is limited to 10 people per day, so Sign up in advance with rangers at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center or Twin Peaks Campground.
Sleep
Lodging
There is no lodging in the monument.
Camping
Alamo Campground, 4 tent sites. No water. Reservation only, made in the Kris Eggle Visitor Center on the first day of the visit.
Twin Peaks campground , Tents and RVs up to 40'. No hookups. Running water from standpipes and in restrooms.
Backcountry
Due to border security concerns, the backcountry is closed indefinitely.
Safety
The monument is a remote, desert wilderness. Be sure to carry plenty of water both in your car and while hiking and drink regularly, even if not thirsty. If your car breaks down, stay with your car rather than attempting to find help on foot. It is much easier to find a vehicle in the desert than a person.
As mentioned above, the monument is on the U.S.-Mexico border. Due to the remoteness of the monument, it is used for illegal border crossings. Most of the persons illegally crossing present no threat to park visitors. However, there are some who use the monument for smuggling who are armed and dangerous. In 2002, a park ranger was shot and killed by a drug smuggler. The Kris Eggle Visitor Center has been named in his honor.
Visitors should be aware of their surroundings and report suspicious activities to park rangers or border patrol officers.
Fees/Permits
$8 per vehicle for a 7-day pass.
Contact & location
Be the first one to add a review
The photos displayed on this page are the property of one of the following authors:
name_662, name_24557, name_657, name_4007
Some photos courtesy of:
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This travel guide also includes text from Wikitravel articles, all available at
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Ryan Holliday, Marc Heiden and Eric Polk, AZTravel and Morph
This travel guide also includes text from Wikipedia articles, all available at
View full credits