Sonoran Desert National Monument
Sonoran Desert National Monument
3.5
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The most biologically diverse of the four North American deserts.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
3.5
29 reviews
Excellent
13
Very good
6
Average
2
Poor
4
Terrible
4
Marc N
Bartlesville, OK932 contributions
Jan. 2022 • Friends
Followed the gps and got to see a lot of highway 238 and I8. Not much signage for directions. Finally turned off I8 at freedom road and found some inroads to this 500,000 acre area.
Written January 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fiamma11
Vienna, VA4,906 contributions
Jun. 2021
The Sonoran Desert is breathtakingly beautiful. Plenty of open space, gorgeous area for hiking and for photography and even for driving. I really love this area and am always happy to return.
Written December 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kerrith K
Green Bay, WI43 contributions
Jan. 2021 • Couples
Can’t describe just how spectacular the scenery is here. Very nice hiking. Need to bring the grandkids!
Written January 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex
1 contribution
Dec. 2020 • Couples
If you’re going to Arizona for the first time and have any inclination to experience the great outdoors without other people around you, this is the place to go. This is real camping. Forget about facilities and massive RVs just meters from you. Find your own little spot on the side of the road and take a nice walk into the desert. There are plenty of areas with little vegetation, so you don’t have to worry about disturbing the plant life as long as you’re careful. The nights can get cold so be sure to bring layers. For the optimal experience rent a truck and sleep in the bed so you can watch the stars at night. Do your research and find the best time of year for stargazing in that area. If you plan on going in the winter then at least camp when the moon isn’t bright.
Oh and I felt very safe there. The only thing I heard/saw at night was a van driving on the road which looked like they were coming back from a hike. Even during the day it was completely silent.
Drive at least a mile or two past other campers so you don’t disturb each other.
Oh and I felt very safe there. The only thing I heard/saw at night was a van driving on the road which looked like they were coming back from a hike. Even during the day it was completely silent.
Drive at least a mile or two past other campers so you don’t disturb each other.
Written December 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robby G C
Toronto, Canada78,235 contributions
Feb. 2020
What a great place for driving at the Sonora Desert National Monument,off highway 8 Maricopa.
We had to drive and I went to take pictures. It was beautiful!
We enjoyed the Sonoran Desert National Monument.
I liked the many mountains. Wow!
A must see!
We had to drive and I went to take pictures. It was beautiful!
We enjoyed the Sonoran Desert National Monument.
I liked the many mountains. Wow!
A must see!
Written November 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roxy
2 contributions
Apr. 2020
Agree with prior post. LITERALLY NOTHING TO SEE. Drive forever looking for something interesting, nothing, barren, UN-notable desert. Terrible roads, and resulted in a flat tire, as we looked for something of interest. Warning, no cell coverage either! While fixing the flat tire, we saw illegals crossing the area with guns in plain sight. Very scary! Stay away from this area, we can not fathom how this is called a national monument. We watched the news tonight, and saw police saying to stay away from this area, it is called the vekol wash drug highway, would have been nice to know before we were put in jeopardy. Organ Pipe is a little farther, but a real national monument, and is spectacular.
Written July 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
elizabethrG5649QD
Viroqua, WI11 contributions
Dec. 2019 • Couples
My husband and I bought a National Parks Pass when we recently visited AZ and tried to visit as many parks and monuments as we could. This one is easily accessible from Phoenix but doesn’t have a welcome center or any staff like you may be used to at other parks. We got off the interstate and went up the rough gravel road for a few miles but it was very hard on our little rental car so we did not feel we could make it all the way to the trailhead. It feels very remote and desolate out there but we loved seeing the variety of cactus. We decided to stay near the area at a casino as we wanted to go back out at night and check out the stars. There is a sign as you enter the park letting you know that there is illegal immigrant activity in the area- indeed, we saw some weird stuff, I’m not exactly certain what, but it wasn’t a place I’d take my kids to in the middle of the night to stargaze.
Written December 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HopiStar
Ruhrgebiet23 contributions
Jul. 2019 • Couples
Don’t get me wrong. We are into preservation and national monuments and places to see which are not so highly frequented. Actually we’ve also been at Organ Pipe during this trip and we loved it. But also Sonoran Desert doesn’t come close. There’s not much to see. We’ve been driving through this area in the past before it became a national monument and nothing has changed. I think the wording national monument isn’t right here. It could just be a protected area or preservation side. If you are into scenery like this make the extra miles and go to Organ Pipe.
Written July 26, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sally Thoe Downs
Albuquerque, NM5,173 contributions
Mar. 2019 • Couples
My hubby and I were driving from Phoenix towards south and decided to check out the Sonoran Desert Preserve. About 20 miles to the west of Maricopa on SR238, we drove on and after passing the sign at the side of the road showing the boundary of the monument, we drove about 5 more miles in and we saw a gate in the fence on the right. There was a BLM plaque. It was closed to vehicles but not to foot traffic. We opened the gate to get in.
We spent 3 hours walking on the trail that followed the hills to the west and it turned off into a valley. As we started going uphill more vegetation opened up, and at the top of the valley the view was beautifully. Spring is a time when flowers bloom and with the forest of Saguaro cactus spreading on the slopes, the peace and quiet is appeciable!
We spent 3 hours walking on the trail that followed the hills to the west and it turned off into a valley. As we started going uphill more vegetation opened up, and at the top of the valley the view was beautifully. Spring is a time when flowers bloom and with the forest of Saguaro cactus spreading on the slopes, the peace and quiet is appeciable!
Written April 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tyler
Boise, ID34 contributions
Mar. 2019 • Family
I don't want to sound rude..but there is nothing to see. We are in the phx area for a few days and thought we should try to get out and see some nature stuff. yeah. We drove forever and found nothing. 1- Apple maps doesnt know the way.. Its literally just some land on the side of the HWY. No Major entrance, no landmarks, not even a Hwy sign indicating where its at. Look again the cactus are cool, But we've see that stuff pretty much everywhere in the area. Sorry we were disappointed. wasted like 4 hours.
Written March 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Claim your listingSONORAN DESERT NATIONAL MONUMENT - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
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