Organ Pipe Cactus

In Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument there are two gravel-roads that take you out closer to the mountains for hiking.

One is recommended only for high-clearance, 4-wheel drive (not Vanessa) and leads to old home sites and mines.

The second is the Ajo Mountain loop (21 miles) and takes you through the desert to two great hikes up into the mountains.  We  chose the Bull Pasture – Estes Canyon (3.5 mile) hike.  The trail was a very steep climb with rock steps and switchbacks to a high ridge with incredible views of the flat land, all the way to Why AZ and south into Mexico.  On the east side of the mountain you look down into a small flat land where, prior to the area being named a national monument, cattlemen brought their cattle for the summer.  The trip back took us back down the same way and then we took a different trail further into the Estes Canyon.  The last part of the walk was mostly level – a pleasant walk along a path shaded by cactus.  We agreed, it was one of the nicest hikes of our trip.

 

-- Janet (text) and David (photos)