Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a good 2.5 hour drive from Tucson. Morning rush hour traffic slowed us down as we made our way across the city. We then lost more time doing u-turns on SR 86 to find an open gas station to fill up the tank. That turned out to be a good use of time as just outside the greater city limits the services become downright scarce and then non-existent.
The drive to the monument is through the Sonoran Desert. Although the Sonoran Desert region has a wide variety of biomes, this stretch near the highway appeared to be seas of sand and expanses of desert pavement that seemed nearly devoid of visible life. Though we did spy several hawks perched on telephone poles by the side of the highway.
Day 1 - Wednesday, February 12 - Travel to Tucscon, AZ with a stop at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Day 2 - Thursday, February 13 - Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Day 3 - Friday, February 14 - Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie National Historic Site
Day 4 - Saturday, February 15 - Tumacácori National Historical Park, the Javelinas de Tubac and Mission San Xavier del Bac
Day 5 - Sunday, February 16 - Coronado National Memorial, Tombstone
Day 6 - Monday, February 17 - Saguaro National Park (West) and Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Day 7 - Tuesday, February 18 - Saguaro National Park (East), travel home
