Twin Peaks Campground

This park is fantastic. The spaces are a little closer together than we usually like, but they’re offset so it feels more open. We chose space 59 so we could run our generator at 8-10AM and 4-6PM. The diversity of cactus here is simply stunning and other-worldly. It was a bit windy to sit out at night but we enjoyed the Palo Verde Trail (dog friendly) hike to the visitor’s center. The 21 mile loop drive was also very informative and enjoyable. The Pipe Organ Cactus National Monument is worth the visit. We’d definitely come back.

Twin Peaks campground is the main campground in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Mysteries of Sonoran Desert life are slowly revealed and abundantly displayed at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. This International Biosphere Reserve is an ecorich collection of plants and animals that have adapted to living throughout this surprisingly diverse geological landscape. Scenic drives, wilderness hikes and camping can lead to unraveling the mysteries that await your discovery.

We almost didn't come here because of the proximity to the border but after speaking with a couple of people we decided to check it out and are we glad we did. The spots are completely level concrete pads with a picnic table and grill. Cell and internet on Verizon are 4G/4bar. The views are outstanding and it's quiet and private. There are no hookups at the sites but water is available at spigots at almost every other site. There is a dump and potable water, one of the nicest we've seen. There is a no generator section, a tent only section, and a general RV section so you can take your pick. There are great trails for hiking and biking and Rocky Point is 80 miles south of the border crossing which is only a few miles away. Regarding safety: Border Patrol is regularly seen and I was not the least bit concerned to hike alone anywhere. Safety is a non-issue. There were regular evening programs on local/nature topics. The town of Ajo, 34 miles away is the closest city with services like groceries, laundry, car wash and gas/diesel. This is a real gem and a must see.

This campground is fantastic. Although it looks huge on the map, the sites are actually decently spaced and sized. There's plenty to do in the park, and the organ pipe cactus are pretty cool looking!

Our ONLY problem with the campground was the generator hours. 8-10am, and 4-6pm. Both times we'd rather be out exploring, but occasionally had to sit home and make sure we could run the generator. Luckily, we're installing solar so it won't be an issue for long, but just be aware the hours are pretty restrictive!

Verizon coverage was surprisingly great!

The park has recently reopened and though this is our first visit, we understand that you can now get into areas that have been closed for years. We attended a morning talk by the park superintendent, Brent Range, and learned about the changes they've made to improve security, and the planned changes for additional trails and facilities. He was fantastic -- when have you ever met a park superintendent before? -- and spent more than an hour answering questions about the logistics and politics of running a park. Our only "concern" is that planned improvements could vastly increase the popularity of this beautiful, peaceful place.

The facilities are as described by the other reviewers -- large, level pads surrounded by lots of beautiful desert plants, water easily available throughout the park, good cell service, separate tent and generator sections, a good dump station. There's a trailhead for some great hiking trails, a one-mile trail around the perimeter of the campground for dog walkers and runners, and a nice 1.3 mile trail down to the visitor center. Gas and a visit to Mexico are available in Lukeville, 5 miles away, and grocery and other provisions are available in Ajo, about 30 miles.

One tip that we learned from the locals -- leave your vehicle hood propped open at night and stick a charged solar garden lamp in there to scare away the packrats. They don't seem to be a huge problem but have been in the past.

Why we chose here? To visit the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument park

Location: 4 miles south of Why, AZ on highway 85. Close to the Mexican border.

Sites: 34 Tent sites, 46 RV no generator sites, 128 RV generator sites (25 x 36-40’)

Facilities: Restrooms with solar showers, Dump site with fresh water. All RV sites have concrete pads and are pull throughs, gardens in between sites and a water tap close to each site. The campground is well laid out and really nice.

Groceries: Shop before you come.

Reservations: No, first come first serve. As you enter the campground, a ranger at the booth will check your NP pass and allocate you a site and take your money.

Cell Coverage / WiFi: Verizon - good

Price Paid: $12 per night, $8 entrance fee or National Parks Pass

Date of visit: 10 March 2015

Other:
- Generators can be used in generator sites 8-10am, 4-6pm, Maximum stay 21 consecutive days with a 28 day yearly total.
- A number of scenic drives and walking trails from 1 mile to 3 miles, one is 8 miles.
- Unfortunately the campsites are back to front, so the sun shines on the front of your RV; an awning does not give you shade.

So, we just stayed here longer than any CG thus far on our trip...the fact that it was January, and Organ Pipe was warm certainly played a big part, but so did this awesome park and CG. Sites are thoughtfully designed - enough separation and your own little garden really. Water spigots nearby. Dump station on site. Solar heated showers in the bathrooms that were generally cold however...no big deal as the temps were so warm outside. There are CG rows for those w/o generators, which we appreciated. Ranger programs every evening mere steps away; park vans take you to hiking trailheads. You can get to and from Ajo in 1/2 day to resupply as needed. If you aren't in a rush, plan on sitting back, relaxing and enjoying this place for a while. We have AT&T and the closest tower was in Mexico, so we made sure we had that as part of our "plan". (We actually didn't call until we got the dreaded text from AT&T telling us we'd spent $$$$$$ already ... but I called AT&T and with minimal pleading they back dated us on the plan and we were good to go) Once we did, we got about 3 bars regularly, but didn't use it for too much, just quick emails or news updates.

An excellent National Park/Monument campground. The sites and campground roads are paved and very well maintained. The Rangers and Camp Hosts are very friendly and helpful. The various programs and Ranger-led hikes are worthwhile. The Monumnet offers many wonderful hikes for all levels and many roads for sightseeing. We appreciate the "no reservations" policy as this frees us up from the tyranny of campground reservations. The sites are un-serviced but there are water spigots throughout the campground. Generator hours are 8 to 10 and 4 to 6 which means things don't get too obnoxious. There is a "no generator" section. The dump station is convenient to use. All the sites are pull through, most will accommodate any size of rig. There were signs cautioning you to be careful about migrants and smugglers but those people want to avoid detection and you will not see them. We felt perfectly safe (if anything, due to the presence of 400 Border Patrol Agents in the area, this is probably one of the safest campgrounds in the U.S.!) Verizon signal is excellent in the campground, we had no problem streaming video in HD!

This national park is being rediscovered after years of partial closure, and the park staff are trying to catch up by providing a really excellent experience. Sites are concrete and mostly level, surrounded by natural desert plants. All the sites face south, which puts your entry door facing west, so it can get hot in the afternoon as the sun sets. A sun shade and awning are helpful.

Bathrooms were very clean, the campground water was good, and the campground was generally very well maintained. No hookups but there are showers, fresh water spigots, and gray water dump points, as well as two regular dump stations. Lots of snowbird stay for the 14 day max in the peak winter season.

There is a generator-free section and a tents-only section too. Lots of birds visit the campground and perch or nest in the cactus.

The only negative we experienced was a few visitors with barking dogs. Our neighbors alerted the campground host after a few days of listening to the dogs barking. Since there's a large law enforcement presence here (due to proximity with the border), the dog owners got visited by two armed officers wearing bulletproof vests (although they were very polite).

A National Parks "Senior" or "Access" pass reduces the campsite rate by 50% -- a real bargain.

I don't have much to add to what others have said about this womderful campground. We love that there is a non generator section. The sites are all large pull through concrete driveways with a 3 foot wide "patio" so you don't have to step into gravel. The sites are spacious with lots of desert plants. This park offers many great programs throughout the day, including a nighttime star program. One of the best things is that they offer a hiker shuttle to a couple of trailhead do you can leave your vehicle at camp then hike back to camp from the trail head. Looking forward to staying here much longer next year when we have a Senior Pass. 😉