Gunsight Wash BLM

Corinne Boondocking, National Parks & Monuments 6 Comments

We have just spent a relaxing week camping on BLM (Bureau Of Land Management) land just north of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in southern Arizona. Let me try to explain what kind of an environment we are in.

This is an aerial view of where we are at. I tried to find a picture with RVs in it, but no luck. There is a large wash to the north of us (thus the name Gunsight Wash). You pull in off the highway and follow all these dirt paths (I marked some with red lines) until you find a section of dirt that suits you. It is so hard to give a sense of scale to how immense this area is. Inside the red circle is an information kiosk about the size of a very small trailer. Jim walked down the dirt road about two miles and there was still more road to follow!
When picking your spot, you take into consideration the direction of the sun. We parked with the big side windows facing south so we could take advantage of the sun for heat and light. If it were summer, we would do exactly the opposite. You can see we do have some neighbors, but no one really close.

Camping in an area like this is pretty special. I love having enough room between rigs that I can leave the bedroom shades up at night. Waking up and being able to see the stars in the night sky is pretty special. And out here you really CAN see the stars!

We are surrounded by Desert Mallow wildflowers
The creosote bushes are blooming also.
A little piece of paradise.

We have hopped in the Jeep only twice. Once to do laundry (much needed) and once to take a quick trip down to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. We have been to Organ Pipe before, so we only spent an afternoon there. We did the 40 mile loop through the west half of the park. It is there on that dirt road that you really get a feel for the landscape.

This is one of the better dirt roads we have been on recently.
Organ Pipe Cactus in the center.
Lots and lots of Saguaro Cactus as far as the eye can see.
We learned something new this trip. The Cholla Cactus reproduces by growing pods that then fall off the plant. Animals (and people sometimes) walk by and the hairs on the pods attach themselves to the animal. The animal then transports the pods to a new location. This is the first time we had seen the pods actually laying on the ground waiting for a ride!
A hummingbird bush just starting to bloom. Some of our RVing neighbors here on the BLM land have hummingbird feeders out. They are VERY popular with the migrating hummingbirds.
The south edge of Organ Pipe runs along the Mexican border. So, there’s Mexico on the other side of this fence.

So what did we do all week?

I got a good amount of sewing done. That makes me happy!

Jim did a lot of reading.

Here’s a shout out to the Libby app that runs on our tablets. Jim has been checking a lot of ebooks out of our library back home.

Plus we have had some spectacular sunrises and sunset. The sunset a few nights ago was unbelievable!

Saguaro Cactus at sunset.

We are leaving this piece of desert tomorrow, but WILL definitely be back. It’s become a favorite. Next stop is Green Valley to see my Dad followed by an RV Rally in Tucson. It will be a few weeks before I post anything new, unless something unusual happens!

6 thoughts on “Gunsight Wash BLM”

    1. Corinne Post author

      Getting off the path is one of our favorite things….as long as the Jeep or the feet can handle it! There is so much to see out here. So much.

  2. Mary Brown

    Loved your Gunsight post. Beautiful photos! How clever to include the map photo of the reading material. The heights and ages of the vegetation in that area make it seem like a forest and how rare to have all those different kinds of cactus in one area!

    1. Corinne Post author

      Thanks Mary. There is so much here to see in the Southwest. I know…I’m preaching to the choir. 🙂 It was just so amazingly green. And we are really enjoying the free camping on BLM land with wonderful views!

  3. meoneill

    Very nice pictures! The last couple of the sunset are phenomenal! So do they have laws about picking up hitchhikers (in the form of cactus pods?). Do you have to worry about the hard spiky ones like we found in NM? Tire or foot punctures?
    Ok, I’m ready to hit the road….

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