Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is the only place you will find the cactus called organ pipe in the USA, because this is the northern limit of it habitat. They are called organ pipe cactus because the resemble the pipes coming from a church organ. The park sits right at the US-Mexican border in the state of Arizona and is one of the more untouched desert areas in the US, while still having a large variety of plant and animal life. This is due to its remoteness given that the nearest big cities are 150 miles away. To get here you need to take Highway 85 south off Interstate 8 from Phoenix or Highway 86 west off Interstate 10 from Tuscan to Why, AZ.
Once in the park there is only one road and it runs south all the way to the town of Sonoyto in Mexico. In fact, the visitor center is only 10 miles from the Mexican border. My favorite thing I did inside the park was drive the 21 mile Ajo Mountain drive. It is one of the most scenic areas of the park and you will drive east into the hills and then back down again on a mostly gravel or dirt road. All along the drive there are ample opportunities to get out and walk among the amazing desert landscape.
During the afternoon I was in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument I only saw one other car….of course he came up behind me as I was slowly doing the mountain drive and we continued to play hop scotch around each other as we keep pulling off here and there. Them aside, This is a truly magnificent park and a tranquil place to escape to.
