We have visited Organ Pipe National Monument 3 times over the years. It still surprises us with new gems, as the Sonoran Desert can change in an instant due to weather and the time of year. If there is a recent rain fall, like this year for instance, you could find yourself in the middle of a desert flower bloom, which is an incredible experience! A lot of the wildlife stay underground in the cooler winter months, so you might just miss the dangerous rattlesnakes.

We usually start our day checking in at the Kriss Eggle Visitor Center to see what talks will be going on or which ranger led tours we may want to join. They will take you in a van on the Ajo Mountain Drive and the ranger will fill you in on their desert knowledge, local history, and amazing geology of the area. The tour is one of our absolute favorite things to do.

The night talks at the Amphitheater can be about the moon, night sky, or history of settlement in the area. At one time cattle ranching and mining were active in the area and there are several mines you can still hike to.

We were lucky on our last visit to run into YouTube personalities Debbie and John from the YouTube Channel From She To Me. They are the nicest couple and Debbie is quite fascinated by geology and anything to do with rocks. Make sure and watch their episodes on Organ Pipe, NM.

Camping at Twin Peaks Campground is all reservation now so book a day before for your stay. There are generator and no generator sites; check the length if you’re over 25 feet. The restrooms are clean and there are even a few lukewarm solar heated showers at some. This is a dry camping CG with water available at spigots and a sewer dump station.

Our next destination is Gibert Ray a Pima County Campground. Check Pima county for info. Cheers Jeff and Liz.