Anyone seeking solitude beneath big blue open skies will love the crowdless scenery of this huge and exotic park along the Mexican border. It’s a gorgeous, forbidding land that supports an astonishing number of animals and plants, including 26 species of cacti, first and foremost its namesake organ-pipe. A giant columnar cactus, it differs from the more prevalent saguaro in that its branches radiate from the base. Organ-pipes are common in Mexico but very rare north of the border.
The monument is also the only place in the USA to see the senita cactus. Its branches are topped by hairy white tufts, which give it the nickname ‘old man’s beard.’ Animals that have adapted to this arid climate include bighorn sheep, coyotes, kangaroo rats, mountain lions and the piglike javelina. Your best chances to encounter wildlife are greatest in the early morning and evening. Walking around the desert by full moon or flashlight is another good way to catch things on the prowl, but wear boots and watch where you step. Winter and early spring, when Mexican gold poppies and purple lupine blanket the barren ground, are the most pleasant seasons to visit. Summers are shimmering hot (above 100°F) and bring monsoon rains between July and September.
