January 26 – 27, 2026
I arrived in Ajo, AZ, on Jan. 25th and stayed at Ajo Heights RV. Lovely sunrise on the 26th. I reached out to Stephanie from Lopez to see when she would be in Ajo, and she was already there! So we got together and toured the area around Ajo. The original mine began in 1750 when the indigenous people allowed the Spanish miners to begin testing the area. They continued with minor activities until the early 1900’s when they began to create a massive copper pit-mine, The Big Pit. The town of Ajo developed a central plaza and railroad to support the growing work force. The mine was very successful until the early 1980’s due to the low value of copper, high expenses, and numerous strikes. The site is now known for its massive tailings, some of the largest in the US, and now considered historical and artsy. There were also several other people from Lopez in Ajo who spend the winter there, and they included me in dinner. What fun!
The next day I explored the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and an International Dark Sky Park. The Organ Pipe Cactus is a unique species of cactus and the National Monument is the only place where it grows wild. The OPCNM is a great example of the Sonoran Desert with lots of Saguaro cactus and 26 species of cactus and scenic drives through mountains. It is in the southern part of Arizona, right next to the Mexican border.
Look at the videos below to see the extent of the pit. And then picture that the original pit had been MOUNTAINS – so it was a HUGE amount of rocks and soil removed and piled all around. The second video shows the long pile of tailings – they were all around the area.
This photo was taken in 1956. you can see the whole Big Pit and the buildings in the front are the reduction works. Until 1950 the concentrates were sent to a smelter in Douglas AZ. The railroad thru Ajo was an important helper.
Hover over any photo (below) to see the caption. Click on any photo below and you can scroll back and forth thru them. Use the arrows at the bottom of each photo.
