Ideas/Suggestions for S Arizona traverse East to West

[Eric Neal]

My wife and I are driving from Georgia in SE US to visit family in Tucson then want to make a traverse(ish) route across Southern AZ from East to West:

• beginning on the Mexican Border Road (Backcountry Adventures AZ book by Massey) taking the Coronado Memorial Rd and Duquesne Rd.
• to S. River Rd. leading eventually to AZ Hwy 82
• catching S. River Rd.
  
• connect with Ruby Rd. leading towards Arivaca, AZ
• take Arivaca Sasabe Rd to AZ 286 up to AZ 86 leading west
• running over towards Why, AZ and south to catch the Ajo Mountain Drive and possibly the Puerto Blanco Drive, both in Organ Pipe Cactus Nat. Monument,
• then intersect with El Camino del Diablo towards Wellton/Yuma.

Our plan then is to catch I-8 and head over to SoCal and put in some time driving up the Main Divide Truck Trail before diverting West over towards the Long Beach area for Christmas.

Anyone have advice or suggestions (from experienced Arizona or SoCal OB members) would be greatly appreciated if this current plan, based on your experience, tells you that this tentative plan is either valid or if it is filled with faulty logic including areas we should try to avoid.

 

[DezertRat]

I would contact The National Park Service and check with them for access to the Organ Pipe and then you might need a permit from them and also from Cabeza Prieta.

 

[Eric Neal]

Muchos gracias Dezert:

I checked, via the web, on Organ Pipe and you are spot on - I found this:

Backcountry Camping

Currently nine zones are open for backcountry camping. The fee for backcountry camping is $5.00 per group and is good for seven (7) nights. Permits are required and available at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center. Group size and zone capacity are limited.

An $12.00 entrance fee (valid for seven (7) consecutive days) per vehicle is required in addition to all camping permits. Holders of the Senior or Access Pass receive entrance at no additional charge.


I'll be passing by the Kris Eggle visitor center for both loops I was considering so I'm set with that. Re: Cabeza Prieta I found this:

Visitor permits can be obtained at any of the following agencies:

• Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge (Ajo, AZ), 520-387-6483

So your note will have saved me some travel time - after going through Why, AZ I'll need to run north to Ajo, AZ for the Cabeza Prieta permit... I'll also need to plan to arrive during their business hours -- So -- thank you for the input and time saving info.

By the way my wife is a retired biologist and ornithologist who is also delighted with reptiles, snakes, scorpions, etc. So we'll be busy doing much more than merely "driving through" the area!

Can't wait!!!!

 

[Jason Mainville]

Depending on when you plan on making the trip, the area around Ruby Road and Arivaca will have more people then usual. Until mid to late January will still be deer season in that area so finding camping areas "might" be a bit tough, or may not. At least you will have the heads up.

 

[Eric Neal]

Thanks Jason, Planning on hitting those trails beginning Monday or Tuesday (12/11 or 12/12) next week and will most likely be on the track through the Saturday the 16th. But we a very fluid in our plans so I could just jump to another area if too crowded... Wonderful thing about AZ is the number of options are just outstanding.

We've been experiencing the same thing on our home turf in Georgia... deer season... so I try to stay clear or at least limit my time in Wildlife Management Areas for three reasons, 1) I would hate to mess up someone's hunt, 2) campsites are typically full (as you mentioned), 3) I don't want me, my wife, or my vehicle to get shot! LOL

Observed a really strange event in my younger days - a guy was hunting with several of us and he really did shoot a truck! We ragged him about it for years. Thankfully no one was hurt but it was ugly as you might expect. He failed to follow one of the primary rules - identify your game before taking the gun off safety and pulling the trigger.

Really appreciate you making time to respond and offer insights.

 

[Jason Mainville]

Eric,
Of course! I love the southern part of the state (one of the biggest reasons why i hunt there) and want everyone who encounters it to love it as much as I do!