Organ Pipe Cactus NM, Az

25th March. Moving On

Paul did not want to miss the last donuts so we set off later in the morning for Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument about 100 miles west.  Alison drove the RV for the first 70 miles.

We drove through a town called “Why” and camped in the NM itself.  At the Visitor Centre the Park Rangers could not help a guy who had a puncture AND a flat spare tyre (everyone check your spare!)  so Paul came to the rescue with our compressor. 

Although common in Mexico, this part of the Sonoran Desert is the furthest north that Organ Pipe Cacti are found.  There were still many Saguaro cacti here as well but they grow slower than the ones near Tucson because there is a little more water there.

 

26th March. Bull Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We set off on the scenic Ajo Mountain Drive Loop.  At the mid-point we parked up and hiked the Estes Canyon Trail up to Bull Pasture viewpoint where we had lunch looking across to Ajo Mountain at 4808ft.  We contemplated continuing the hike up to the Peak but did not have enough water and it was very hot.  The hike down was pretty with so many Brittle Bushes in full bloom.  We saw our first cacti in flower too as many are still at the budding stage.