Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Biosphere reserve and national monument in Western Arizona, United States
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument covers 517 square miles (1,340 km2) of the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona, along the Mexican border. It protects organ pipe and senita cacti, which grow wild in few other places in the United States, along with saguaros up to 15 meters tall and about 25 other cactus species. The landscape includes the Ajo Mountains, rising to nearly 1,500 meters, and dry washes where creosote bush and mesquite grow.
The land was designated a national monument in 1937, after Arizona's legislature donated it to the federal government during Prohibition. In 1976 UNESCO declared it a biosphere reserve, and in 1977 95% of the monument became a wilderness area. The visitor center was renamed for Ranger Kris Eggle, killed by a drug smuggler in 2002.
The monument borders the Tohono O'odham Reservation, and sites such as Monument Hill and Quitobaquito Springs hold ceremonial and historic importance for the Tohono O'odham Nation. Quitobaquito Springs is the site of an annual salt pilgrimage, and Monument Hill serves as a burial ground and a historic battle site.
Access is via Puerto Blanco Drive from State Route 85, with clearly marked trails for different fitness levels. Visitors should bring plenty of water and sun protection, as desert sun is intense.
It is the only place in the United States where senita and organ pipe cacti grow together in their natural desert setting. This rare combination makes the area botanically significant and especially interesting for cactus researchers.
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