Our favorite was probably stop #9, with (likely) the largest Organ Pipe Cactus within the park. Ranger pamphlet which mentioned some of the stops. Unfortunately we didn't grab the guide, but did have the Jr. There are numbered signs throughout the drive and the guide will give you info about each one. If you requested the Ajo Mountain Drive Guide at the Visitor Center, now is the time to take it out. It takes about 2 hours though, so make sure everyone gets a pee break before you begin! Not an issue for us since ours were still sleeping. On this road, the dogs cannot get out of the car. It's been dry though, I'm sure some rain could change a lot so proceed with caution! Vehicles over 25 feet are not allowed. We saw smart cars and regular sedans driving it without issue. This is a 21 mile, mostly dirt road that is "normally passable by regular passenger cars", but make no mistake, it is an unpaved desert road with varying amounts of washboard, dips and rocks. We brought a picnic lunch and Lily used the opportunity to continue her nap while we ate.īack in the car and across State Route 85 you'll find the Ajo Mountain Drive. We took advantage of this time and did some driving while the dogs were passed out. You have now experienced all 3 dog friendly trails! You'll need to backtrack the way you came in, to get back to the parking lot and take the Palo Verde Trail, back to your car.Īt this point, your dogs should be TIRED. Lily was especially impressed with this one: What we didn't ask for, but should have, was the Ajo Mountain Drive guide.īack behind the Visitor Center you'll find the short 0.15 mile brick walkway that has some informational signs, cactus, and more cactus. We picked up some postcards, a patch for Mushy (more on that later) and the "not so Junior" Junior ranger handout. We took turns holding the dogs so we could go inside the main building. When you arrive to the Kris Eggle Visitor Center, you'll find water and restrooms. There's a really nice Organ Pipe Cactus along the trail which is great for a photo opp with your pups! There are a few benches along the way to stop and take in the scenery. There is no shade, so if it's going to be a hot day, go early. No matter which way you started on the Campground Loop Trail, at some point you'll see a sign for the Palo Verde Trail which goes to the visitor center. There won't be water again until you reach the visitor center. Lily Protip: If you need water, fill up at the spigot outside the campground restrooms. Off we went! Mushy led the way, nose to the trail. The (aptly named) Campground Perimeter Trail is right on the perimeter of the campground, in this case, right in front of our Jeep. Maybe half of the RV spots were empty and almost all of the passenger car parking spaces were available. We arrived to the campground at 9am on a Sunday in late February and it was pretty empty. In total about 3.5 miles! A great dog walk! Remember that pets must be on-leash at all times.
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