Journey Through Ajo Mountain Drive: A Scenic Adventure at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
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- čas přidán 2. 08. 2024
- Ajo Mountain Drive at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument offers a 21-mile scenic loop with stunning desert landscapes, towering cacti, and diverse wildlife, providing an immersive experience into Arizona's unique Sonoran Desert environment.
Ajo Mountain Drive, nestled within Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona, offers visitors a breathtaking 21-mile scenic loop through the heart of the Sonoran Desert. This one-way dirt road, accessible to most vehicles, winds through a diverse and stunning landscape characterized by towering saguaro and organ pipe cacti, rugged mountains, and expansive desert vistas. The drive provides an excellent opportunity for nature enthusiasts and casual visitors alike to immerse themselves in the unique beauty and ecology of this desert region.
The journey along Ajo Mountain Drive is punctuated by numerous interpretive stops, where visitors can learn about the area's rich ecological and geological history. Informative panels at these stops detail the unique adaptations of desert flora and fauna, the geological processes that shaped the rugged terrain, and the cultural history of the indigenous people who have lived in harmony with this challenging environment for centuries. These stops not only enhance the scenic experience but also provide educational insights that deepen visitors' appreciation for this protected landscape.
In addition to the scenic drive, several hiking trails branch off the main road, offering more intimate exploration of the desert environment. Trails like the Arch Canyon Trail and the Estes Canyon-Bull Pasture Trail allow hikers to experience the desert up close, with opportunities to see rare plant species, vibrant wildflowers, and diverse wildlife. Whether driving or hiking, Ajo Mountain Drive serves as a gateway to discovering the natural wonders and serene beauty of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, making it a must-visit destination for anyone exploring southern Arizona.
VIDEO FILMED: 04/16/2024
▬▬ R E L A T E D V I D E O S ▬▬
⚪ • Twin Peaks Campground ...
⚪ • Exploring Serenity: Al...
▬▬ L O C A T I O N I N F O ▬▬
⚪ ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT - www.nps.gov/orpi/index.htm
⚪ Directions to ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT - maps.app.goo.gl/t4Y66acVX4tqe...
▬▬ T I M E S T A M P S ▬▬
00:00 Where to Start / The Sonoran Desert
03:29 The Desert Smells Like Rain
08:31 A Sonoran Desert Icon
15:00 Our Namesake Cactus
20:44 Farming a Dry Land
26:03 Hermana Means Sister
29:59 Take a Closer Look
34:03 Arch Canyon
36:59 Completing the Loop
▬▬ L I N K S ▬▬
⚪ Gear we use - www.amazon.com/shop/thecactus...
⚪ onX Offroad App - alnk.to/gKQ0FLG
⚪ See where we've been - www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mi...
⚪ Music from Epidemic Sound - www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
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Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions.
Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking, day trips, and campground reviews and hope that we will be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West. We also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures!
Legend has it that on a quiet night you can hear the barking wolf spiders calling to each other during there mating season. Beautiful country. Tell Slim we said howdy.
😶 Now what makes those spiders think that anyone needs to hear that? 🤣🤣
Nature is amazing!! Rugged beauty. Thanks for inviting me. Hi Amy n Slim
Welcome!! Thanks for joining us. ☺️
I LOVE the creosote smell after a rain. Ahhhhh
Wie sagt der Kölner: " Ja datt is et!" In English: "That is it!" A fantastic journey through the desert, I like it very much.
Thank you! 😄
Awesome video! Thanks Glenn for the tour and thanks Amy for the great editing.
This is definitely on my “must do” list. 👍🇨🇦
Thank you as well! 😊
This looks like a commercial video-it's that good in quality!! Thanks for sharing this.......EXCELLENT quality and content!
Oh wow, thanks so much! 😊😊
I said this in a previous video. You guys need to teach other CZcamsrs about equipment, editing and photography. Your videography is often better than most feature films.
I feel like I want to say this every time but, dang I think this might be one of the best of your adventures!! Just love how resilient the Sonoran Desert flora truly is! Organ Pipe is stunning on a whole other level! And, man I love those bright orange ocotillo blooms!
Right? Ocotillo are easily a favorite when they're blooming and have the little green leaves. It's a shame that they don't last longer! 😄
This was an absolutely beautiful journey through such spectacular scenery and vistas. This one is definitely going on the bucket list! Thank you and Amy for your wonderful talent and work!
Awesome! I hope you get the opportunity to visit the park. 😊
Thank for sharing this remarkable trip, excellent narrative 🔥😋
Thanks so much! 😄👍
What a great trip! I've made that loop a few times with relatives and it never disappoints!!
It's almost required for anyone visiting out of state to see what the desert really is all about, right? 😊
This is a great video! I visited the national monument for the first time this year. I went camping with my son during spring break. I fell in love with this place. It rivals Saguaro National Park, and in many ways is even more spectacular. If you like desert scenery, you can't go wrong here.
Absolutely. Quintessential Sonoran Desert scenery all around you. Hope both you and and your son had a good time! 😊
Such a beautiful drive! Loved this video. Adding the park to my list for the next time we visit! Thanks so much!
Please do! It's pure Sonoran Desert and a really beautiful place. 😊
Beautiful video Glenn and Amy. Since I miss Arizona so much this is the next best thing to really being there. I do mean miss too. Love it. I got a small taste of it without the organ pipe cactus at Superstition one year and there was brittle bush and lupines surrounding the mountains. So beautiful and a beautiful blue sky, mountains, cactus and the flowers. Your camera made me feel like I was there. This a work of art and a beautiful tribute to Arizona. Thank you.
Aw, thank you. That Superstition trip sounds lovely and beautiful. ☺️
That arch was pretty awesome!!👏 there is nothing else like that smell of rain in the desert (creosote) 😂😂
Totally agree. Coupled with the fact that it doesn't rain much, it's a pure good mood scent. ☺️
This is a fabulous video. I really enjoy learning a little about plants
We're so glad! Thanks for watching. ☺️
Glenn did you ever hear of a cassette tape of the back roads of Patagonia. It was so interesting to take the self driving tour and to see all the things that are still standing. I imagine that the visitor center would know about it. It’s probably updated by now. My husband and I took the ride many many years ago and I know from watching your videos that you will also. Bless. 🙏🏻💕🙏🏻
We've never heard about it. Will have to look into it. Thanks! 😄👍
From western Canada , been there done that. Also drove west along the fenced border and some of the walled section., and the drive up and around the mountain , plus several hikes. Beautiful campground , very scenic area and worth the " off the beaten path " drive to get there. Nice video - early in the season so you didn't really see the fabulous flower display jn those parts.
Indeed. Just missed it. Thankfully the saguaros around here are starting to bloom. ☺️
Nice one. Organ Pipe is one of my all time favorite places to visit and I think I've done that loop road at least six times.
Nice! Got us beat by 5 times. Guess we need to hit the loop a couple more times. 😂
Thanks for the memories 😊
Our pleasure! 🙂
As usual, great stuff! I was hoping to see a hike up to the arch! A future adventure perhaps? Thank you Glenn and Amy!
Maybe one day! Just didn't have the time or knowledge about what one would be getting into hiking to it. 😊
Sad thing to see Tonto on fire this last week, I thought of you when I saw that and how it may not look the same for a long time. You are preserving a lot of places for many of us and that is a really good thing. You do make a difference with the work you do here dude. Been watching Wonder Hussy too after you said you liked her, she is a pistol. We could be friends, LOL.
The fires in Tonto are sadly all too common in the summer. I actually was considering driving up to Sears Kay and taking a peek at the damage in the area but the winds kicked in there. Haha! Yeah, Wonderhussy is certainly a character. 😂
Beautiful video I was wondering what kind of bird crossed the road in front of your car?
Not quite sure.
Too bad they won't let you use a drone. Would have been nice to see the arch from a drone's perspective. Not complaining. Everything you and Amy put together is enjoyable and educational.
For sure. It's one thing to view from the ground, it's another from the air. But that's just how it goes and we follow the rules. 😊
Podem conter água potável boa para beber
Kkkkkkkl aí estão seus irmãos cactus kkkkk
CACTUS ESSAS SÃO PLANTAS MEDICINAIS?😊
Some people make a tea with creosote and they say it shrinks tumors.
Have heard about the tea... didn't know about the tumor business though. Curious! 🤔
So then they were spread by seed by animals? I’m sure not by humans as if someone actually said Look, lets take some clipping to plant! lol 😆 thanks for taking time to drive out there. Did you happen to see any bats? What kind of tires you have for those ruff roads?
Thank you! No, no bats unfortunately. As for tires, they are just the stock tires that came on our Colorado ZR2. The truck was made for offroad so a bit better than the usual, but nothing super duper hardcore. No rock crawling or anything like that for us. 😅
vocês americanos acreditam em plantas que podem curar corpos doentes?
Hmmm. Some do, but I feel for the most part, turning to plants first isn't a commonly accepted way of thinking.
I think there may have been one more arch. Lower and to the left of the double arch. On my TV when I held the video, it was at 2 o’clock from the n in mountain.
Also, could we hear more from Slim? He’s such a nice truck! 🛻🙂
Interesting! We will have to go back and look at footage. We miss Slim too but he almost always appears on our video shorts (it's just easier that way 😂).
Some people make a tea with creosote and they say it shrinks tumors.