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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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
3.5
30 reviews
Excellent
13
Very good
7
Average
2
Poor
4
Terrible
4
BradW
Sellersburg, IN23 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
AZ 238 route. Nice drive and beautiful scenery. The BLM needs to spend Few thousand dollars to put up historic markers and trail markers so you know when you are approaching them and then mark where they are with nice descrption of their history.
Written January 19, 2024
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.
@JT3AZ
Phoenix, Arizona4,938 contributions
Mar 2014 • Family
Most people hear "desert" and think of something like the Sahara where it is just sand and sand dunes. The Sonoran Desert, located southwest of Phoenix, is quite the opposite; even in the hottest, driest part of the summer, it is very green and lots of creatures to be seen. The terrain is flat areas with deep, dry washes, with groups of mountains dotted here and there. The desert is full of reptiles like snakes, Gila Monsters, lizards; mammals like mule deer, coyotes, foxes; birds like hawks, buzzards; plants like the Saguaro & Cholla cactus, lots of flowers. It is a very ALIVE place. It is beautiful to hike and explore; you'll find many different ecosystems throughout this HUGE 487,000 acres of national monument (better described as a national park in case you were envisioning a concrete/or manmade literal monument).
Every year tourists get themselves into trouble by not coming prepared for the elements- the desert gets very hot, it is remote, and your cellular phone won't always have signal. >Drink plenty of water before arriving. >Carry plenty of water (turn back when it is 1/2 gone). >Leave a note on your car where you are going and who is with you. >Know your physical limitations. A little preparation can save your life in an emergency or keep you out of trouble.
You will see signs warning about illegal immigration and smuggling- heed them, it is Arizona. My feeling is, after talking to local law enforcement, that NORTH of AZ-238 (Dead Cow Rd) is very safe- I have no problem taking my family there. I would be extremely cautious everywhere SOUTH of Interstate 8 (there is also a huge law enforcement presence here) and cautious within a few miles NORTH of Interstate 8. I have been approached by illegals asking for water, no big deal. The smugglers will usually keep their distance and not bother anyone. Always be alert though.
You can go hiking, ATV-ing, 4-wheel driving and camping here- just about anything outdoors. I’m sure a lot of these areas have had few if any people walk through them. Also, there is no "Park Office" or anywhere to buy drinks nearby. Your choice would be Maricopa to the east or Gila Bend to the southwest; both cities have fast food choices, gas stations- Gila Bend has several motels. If possible, avoid June thru September (110+ degree daily temps) - Feb thru April is my favorite time to hike. I love to locate prehistoric petroglyphs (rock carvings).
Every year tourists get themselves into trouble by not coming prepared for the elements- the desert gets very hot, it is remote, and your cellular phone won't always have signal. >Drink plenty of water before arriving. >Carry plenty of water (turn back when it is 1/2 gone). >Leave a note on your car where you are going and who is with you. >Know your physical limitations. A little preparation can save your life in an emergency or keep you out of trouble.
You will see signs warning about illegal immigration and smuggling- heed them, it is Arizona. My feeling is, after talking to local law enforcement, that NORTH of AZ-238 (Dead Cow Rd) is very safe- I have no problem taking my family there. I would be extremely cautious everywhere SOUTH of Interstate 8 (there is also a huge law enforcement presence here) and cautious within a few miles NORTH of Interstate 8. I have been approached by illegals asking for water, no big deal. The smugglers will usually keep their distance and not bother anyone. Always be alert though.
You can go hiking, ATV-ing, 4-wheel driving and camping here- just about anything outdoors. I’m sure a lot of these areas have had few if any people walk through them. Also, there is no "Park Office" or anywhere to buy drinks nearby. Your choice would be Maricopa to the east or Gila Bend to the southwest; both cities have fast food choices, gas stations- Gila Bend has several motels. If possible, avoid June thru September (110+ degree daily temps) - Feb thru April is my favorite time to hike. I love to locate prehistoric petroglyphs (rock carvings).
Written July 5, 2014
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.
cindi h
phoenix2 contributions
Mar 2013 • Family
most of the reviews here are for the arizona-sonora desert museum out side of tucson, az. The sonoran desert national monument is south west of phoenix. It is a wonderful area but travelers should know there is not a visitor center or any place to buy water.
Written March 9, 2013
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.
SJCA_Cruiser
San Jose, CA52 contributions
Dec 2011
The Sonoran Desert National Monument is a great place to explore the desert. There are a couple of easy hiking trails that takes you through some magnificent cacti areas. I was there in the winter but I’ll look forward to visiting in the spring when all the cactus are in bloom. If you’re traveling down Interstate 10, you can take a side trip to see this place and it’s not even out of your way because of the way the Interstate 10 runs north and south, then east and west.
Written February 26, 2012
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.
AdventurousByNature
Denver, CO28 contributions
Sep 2013 • Solo
You might think that the sonoran desert is dry and empty but after hiking through this monument I saw how verdant and full of life it is. For solitude and stark beauty this is the place to go. I first tried to take the Table Top trail in the southern section of the monument, but the road was washed out. You need 4-wheel drive to get in there. But there is another section, about 20 miles to the west of Maricopa on SR238. After you pass the sign at the side of the road showing the boundary of the monument, go about 5 more miles in and look for a gate in the fence on the right. There's a BLM plaque there. It's closed to vehicles but not foot traffic. You have to open the gate or climb through the fence to get in. This is a beautiful little 3-hour hike that follows the hills to the west and the turns off into a valley. As you start going uphill there is more vegetation and at the top of the valley there is a nice view. The peace and quiet is palpable. There are other trails going further into the wilderness area if you have more time. Be sure to take plenty of water. The area is completely undeveloped and miles from any services.
Written September 28, 2013
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.
Gingerop
Mackinaw City, MI144 contributions
Feb 2012 • Friends
This was not my first visit to the Sonora Desert Monument but every time I visit I learn and see more. Anyone visiting this area should not miss this marvelous attraction. It is a great place for families to visit and experience the desert and animal and plant life peculiar to the desert.
Written February 18, 2012
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.
phil52_10
Maidstone, UK867 contributions
Sep 2018 • Couples
We were travelling from Sedona to Tucson and as usual took the scenic route rather than the interstate. It is difficult to find a sign as the monument stretches for miles and is easier to see on a map. However, it is still an interesting drive if it is your first time. We hit a rainstorm that resulted in flash flood warnings. We passed over one flooded area and for miles because the surrounding ground is low, water was building everywhere. The flooding aside, if you travel through a desert area you expect to see desert vegetation, still far more scenic than interstates 10 or 17.
Written October 14, 2018
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, ID33 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.
Gayathri K
Scottsdale, AZ18 contributions
Feb 2019 • Family
We were absolutely disappointed with the place. There are more breathtaking views of the desert when you drive from Phoenix to many places. This was an underwhelming drive with little or no views of how the Sonaran desert really is. Please avoid and go to some other national park.
Written February 10, 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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