An eco-rich menagerie of plants spackle the Sonoran Desert floor along the gorgeous Ajo Mountain Drive, in Organ Pipe National Monument.
Here, the fin-like serrations of a volcanic outcrop succumb to the verdant life of the alluvial basin, creating a beautiful band of light and shadow against the sprawling desert. On the distant Sonoran horizon, the blue pyramidal-forms of the Sierra Cubabi rise nobly, 14-miles south of Sonoyta, Mexico. The highest point, Cerro Cubabi, rises 2,600 vertical feet from the surrounding desert, and can be seen from miles away along the Arizona-Mexico border.
For those who have not yet visited Organ Pipe National Monument, it is WELL worth the drive! Just 15 miles south of Ajo Arizona, along the Sonoita Highway (AZ-85), lies one of the best preserved examples of the Sonoran Desert wilderness. Created in 1937, this new monument was an effort by the National Parks to protect not just scenic wonders but also the ecological magnificence of our great nation.
The park also preserves fragments of our human past. "The monument is the site of culture and history that reflect long, widespread and diverse use by American Indian, Mexican, and European groups. The intersection of these three cultures is significant archeologically, geographically, and internationally." Reference: http://www.nps.gov/orpi/index.htm
If your heart yearns for the great outdoors, and you're in the mood for some Southern Arizona, I highly recommend taking a weekend to get some hiking, biking, or driving in down at Organ Pipe National Monument. Though their range extends far south in Mexico, the monument is the only place in the U.S. to see large stands of Organ Pipe Cacti.
For more information on the Organ Pipe Cactus, check out the Sonoran Shadows Plant Library.
Here, the fin-like serrations of a volcanic outcrop succumb to the verdant life of the alluvial basin, creating a beautiful band of light and shadow against the sprawling desert. On the distant Sonoran horizon, the blue pyramidal-forms of the Sierra Cubabi rise nobly, 14-miles south of Sonoyta, Mexico. The highest point, Cerro Cubabi, rises 2,600 vertical feet from the surrounding desert, and can be seen from miles away along the Arizona-Mexico border.
For those who have not yet visited Organ Pipe National Monument, it is WELL worth the drive! Just 15 miles south of Ajo Arizona, along the Sonoita Highway (AZ-85), lies one of the best preserved examples of the Sonoran Desert wilderness. Created in 1937, this new monument was an effort by the National Parks to protect not just scenic wonders but also the ecological magnificence of our great nation.
The park also preserves fragments of our human past. "The monument is the site of culture and history that reflect long, widespread and diverse use by American Indian, Mexican, and European groups. The intersection of these three cultures is significant archeologically, geographically, and internationally." Reference: http://www.nps.gov/orpi/index.htm
If your heart yearns for the great outdoors, and you're in the mood for some Southern Arizona, I highly recommend taking a weekend to get some hiking, biking, or driving in down at Organ Pipe National Monument. Though their range extends far south in Mexico, the monument is the only place in the U.S. to see large stands of Organ Pipe Cacti.
For more information on the Organ Pipe Cactus, check out the Sonoran Shadows Plant Library.
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