The State of Sonora is located in
Northwestern Mexico. It is bordered by the United States (State of Arizona) to the North;
the State of Chihuahua to the East; the Gulf of California to the Southwest; the State of
Sinaloa to the Southeast; and the State of Baja California to the Northwest. Pinacate
National Park is located at aproximately 45 kilometers Northeast from Puerto Peñasco in
the cost of Sonora.
BACKGROUND
According to surveys done in the
area, the great Sonoran desert appeared in the Holozoic era, about ten thousand years ago,
when climate changed from rainy and damp, due to the closeness of the ice masses of North
America, to warmer and drier. This same change caused the appearance of a portion of land
called the Southern Shield, which forms part of the 2000 sq. kilometers of desert and
mountainous area of the "Pinacate" we presently know.
DESCRIPTION
This impressive place is located
in the great Sonoran Desert, whose dunes extend toward the State of Arizona. "The
Pinacate" is a precious jewel which presently is an ecological reserve. This majestic
area comprises mountains and volcanoes, dunes and washes, and seasonal lands which survive
just on scarcely any water. Furthermore, this area is rich in archaeological findings of
the so-called San Dieguito culture that inhabited the region approximately 12 thousand
years ago. Contrary to what could be thought, there is a great wealth of wild animal and
plant species at "El Pinacate", despite that rainfall is scarce and
unpredictible. Different types of cacti and other plants dominate the landscape, in which
animals live hidden under the sand dunes and the soil. Therefore, once you have visited
this spot, you will always want to come back and why not? ... spend several nights
together with the inhabitants of a unique place in Mexico. It is worthwhile mentioning
that American astronauts visited the "Pinacate" before going to the Moon with
the purpose of getting acquainted with situations similar to those they could encounter on
Earth's satellite, since the "Pinacate's" landscapes have a tremendous
resemblance to those of the Moon.
ACTIVITIES
The most majestic and beautiful
volcanic cones which you can climb to observe the craters and use as outlooks to enjoy the
magnificent panorama are located in its 28,600 hectares of land. You can also enjoy
different colors and tones produced by vegetation contrasting against sunlight.
RECOMMENDATIONS
For this tour, it is necessary to
take an experienced guide along, since the desert should be carefully crossed by already
existing trails. It must be pointed out that the area is uninhabited and any problem which
might arise must be solved by visitors themselves. Therefore, it is recommended to take
sufficient water along and to use a double-traction vehicle, as well as to have a supply
of basic spare parts, tools and plenty of gas.
