Sierra de Órganos National Park (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

: ''Parque Nacional Sierra de Órganos'') is a

national park A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, located in the northwest corner of the municipality of

Sombrerete Sombrerete () is a town and Municipalities of Zacatecas, municipality located in the northwest region of the Mexico, Mexican state of Zacatecas. It was founded in 1555 by Spanish conquistador Juan de Tolosa as a mining center. Due to the wealth th ...

in the state of

Zacatecas Zacatecas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Zacatecas, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 31 states of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Zacatecas, 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas City, Zacatec ...

, near the border with

Durango Durango, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Durango, is one of the 31 states which make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in the northwest portion of the country. With a population of 1,832,650 ...

. The park is known for its diverse aridland ecosystem and towering rock formations of the

Sierra Madre Occidental The Sierra Madre Occidental is a major mountain range system of the North American Cordillera, that runs northwest–southeast through northwestern and western Mexico, and along the Gulf of California. The Sierra Madre is part of the American C ...

, which are reminiscent of organ pipe cacti or the pipes of the

musical instrument A musical instrument is a device created or adapted to make Music, musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can be considered a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. A person ...

, from which the park takes its name. In addition to

conifer forest A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological functio ...

s in the highlands and xerophilous scrub in the lowlands, Sierra de Órganos is a refuge for several species of animals endemic to the region and others in danger of extinction. It is a popular area for recreation, including hiking and cycling, and for its scenery and landscapes.

History

Sierra de Órganos National Park was created by federal decree on November 27, 2000. It is administered by Mexico's

Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (in Spanish: ''Secretaría del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, SEMARNAT'') is Mexico's environment ministry. Its head, the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources, is a member ...

Geography and climate

The park covers a total area of on the northwestern edge of

in the municipality of

, approximately northwest of the city of Sombrerete along Highway 45, which connects Zacatecas with the neighboring municipality of

Vicente Guerrero Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña (; baptized 10 August 1782 – 14 February 1831) was a Mexican military officer from 1810–1821 and a statesman who became the nation's second president in 1829. He was one of the leading generals who fought ag ...

. The park is about northeast of the town of

Villa Insurgentes Villa Insurgentes, better known as (El Calabazal) is a town located in the municipality of Sombrerete (in the state of Zacatecas). There are 2,837 inhabitants; it is 2150 meters in elevation. The area around Villa Insurgentes has a small popula ...

, and east of the city of

. A dirt road about 10 km in length provides access to the park from Highway 45. Sierra de Órganos is nestled within the

mountain range, in an area that corresponds to the physiographic province of the

Mexican Plateau The Central Mexican Plateau, also known as the Mexican Altiplano (), is a large arid-to-semiarid plateau that occupies much of northern and central Mexico. Averaging above sea level, it extends from the United States border in the north to the T ...

. The topography is uneven, with elevations ranging from above sea level. This gives rise to dramatic ridges and steep peaks that form small plateaus, often with very prominent, nearly vertical cliff faces. Small valleys surrounding the peaks afford scenic views of the rock formations from below. The climate of the region is semi-arid; most precipitation occurs in the winter, and only scarcely in the summer. Temperatures can vary from warm to hot during the day and cool to cold at night.

Flora and fauna

The park is a refuge for a great diversity of wildlife, including some plant and animal species which are locally endemic. Flora is characteristic of mixed pine-oak forests in the mountains, dominated by trees including the

Pinus cembroides ''Pinus cembroides'', also known as pinyon pine, Mexican pinyon, Mexican nut pine, and Mexican stone pine, is a pine in the pinyon pine group. It is a small pine growing to about with a trunk diameter of up to . It is native to western North Am ...

and encino, and of scrubby, arid grasslands at lower elevations. Other plants in the park include palms,

fern The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...

s, huizache,

maguey Maguey may refer to various American plants: * Genus ''Agave'', especially ** Species ''Agave americana ''Agave americana'', commonly known as the century plant, maguey, or American aloe, is a flowering plant species belonging to the family Asp ...

, nopal peach, nopal cork,

oregano Oregano (, ; ''Origanum vulgare'') is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It was native to the Mediterranean region, but widely naturalised elsewhere in the temperate climate, temperate Northern Hemisphere. Oregano is a ...

manzanita Manzanita is a common name for many species of the genus '' Arctostaphylos''. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees present in the chaparral biome of western North America, where they occur from Southern British Columbia and Washington to O ...

, gatuña, jarilla,

sotol Sotol is a distilled spirit made from the plants of the genus ''Dasylirion'', which grow in the Chihuahuan desert of northern Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona, and west and central Texas. Sotol liquor is known as the state spirit of Chihuahua; how ...

, biznaga, guayabillo, capulín, tepozán, horse's brush, and wild

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classifie ...

. Fauna is typical of the region as a whole. Species often observed in the park include the

hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores and live Solitary animal, solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are precociality, able to fend for themselves ...

raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the North American, northern or common raccoon (also spelled racoon) to distinguish it from Procyonina, other species of raccoon, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest ...

gray fox The gray fox (''Urocyon cinereoargenteus''), or grey fox, is an omnivorous mammal of the family Canidae, widespread throughout North America and Central America. This species and its only congener (biology), congener, the diminutive island fox ...

cougar The cougar (''Puma concolor'') (, ''Help:Pronunciation respelling key, KOO-gər''), also called puma, mountain lion, catamount and panther is a large small cat native to the Americas. It inhabits North America, North, Central America, Cent ...

coyote The coyote (''Canis latrans''), also known as the American jackal, prairie wolf, or brush wolf, is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the Wolf, gray wolf, and slightly smaller than the c ...

collared peccary The collared peccary (''Dicotyles tajacu'') is a peccary, a species of artiodactyl (even-toed) mammal in the family Peccary, Tayassuidae found in North America, North, Central America, Central, and South America. It is the only member of the gen ...

opossum Opossums () are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia () endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 126 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered North A ...

badger Badgers are medium-sized short-legged omnivores in the superfamily Musteloidea. Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by their squat bodies and adaptions for fossorial activity rather than by the ...

red lynx The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the wildcat, bay lynx, or red lynx, is one of the four wikt:extant, extant species within the medium-sized wild Felidae, cat genus ''Lynx''. Native to North America, it ranges from southern Canada t ...

white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known Common name, commonly as the whitetail and the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized species of deer native to North America, North, Central America, Central and South America. It is the ...

mourning dove The mourning dove (''Zenaida macroura'') is a member of the dove Family (biology), family, Columbidae. The bird is also known as the American mourning dove, the rain dove, the chueybird, colloquially as the turtle dove, and it was once known a ...

, white-winged dove,

scaled quail The scaled quail (''Callipepla squamata''), also commonly called blue quail or cottontop, is a species of the New World quail family. It is a bluish gray bird found in the arid regions of the Southwestern United States to Central Mexico. This spe ...

, common calandria, and

peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known simply as the peregrine, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family (biology), family Falconidae renowned for its speed. A large, Corvus (genus), cro ...

. The

cacomixtle The cacomistle (; ''Bassariscus sumichrasti''), also spelled cacomixtle, is a primarily nocturnal, arboreal, omnivorous member of the carnivoran family Procyonidae (coatis, kinkajous and raccoons). Depending on the location, its preferred habi ...

, a small

procyonid Procyonidae ( ) is a New World family (biology), family of the order (biology), order Carnivora. It includes the Procyon (genus), raccoons, ringtails, cacomistles, coatis, kinkajous, olingos, and olinguitos. Procyonids inhabit a wide range of e ...

mammal, and the

kit fox The kit fox (''Vulpes macrotis'') is a fox species that inhabits arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern and central Mexico. These foxes are the smallest of the four species of ''Vulpes'' occurring in North Amer ...

are endemic to and threatened in the area. The biodiversity of the park faces many threats from the outside world. Several growing human settlements are very close to the park, many of which are dedicated to agriculture and livestock ranching and have caused serious deterioration of surrounding natural ecosystems in certain areas. The exploitation of local sand mines is also an issue. Despite these threats, many of the region's original ecosystems remain largely intact. File: Peregrine Falcon in flight.jpg, Peregrine falcon ''(

Falco peregrinus The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known simply as the peregrine, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family (biology), family Falconidae renowned for its speed. A large, Corvus (genus), cro ...

)'' File: Crotalus molossus molossus CDC.png, Black-tail rattlesnake ''(

Crotalus molossus The black-tailed rattlesnake (''Crotalus molossus'') is a venomous pit viper species found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Four subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. Taxonomy A 2012 r ...

)'' File: Chrysaetos La Cañada 20120114 1.jpg, Golden eagle ''(

Aquila chrysaetos The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds of p ...

)'' File: San Joaquin Kit fox B-40-13 08 20 1993.jpg, Kit fox ''(

Vulpes macrotis The kit fox (''Vulpes macrotis'') is a fox species that inhabits arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern and central Mexico. These foxes are the smallest of the four species of ''Vulpes'' occurring in North Amer ...

)'' File: Collared peccary02 - melbourne zoo.jpg, Collared peccary ''( Pecari tajacu)'' File: Bobcat-Texas-9110.jpg, Bobcat ''(

Lynx rufus The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the wildcat, bay lynx, or red lynx, is one of the four extant species within the medium-sized wild cat genus ''Lynx''. Native to North America, it ranges from southern Canada through most of the con ...

)'' File:Cougar sitting.jpg, Cougar ''(

Puma concolor The cougar (''Puma concolor'') (, '' KOO-gər''), also called puma, mountain lion, catamount and panther is a large small cat native to the Americas. It inhabits North, Central and South America, making it the most widely distributed wil ...

)'' File:Howl (cropped).jpg, Coyote ''(

Canis latrans The coyote (''Canis latrans''), also known as the American jackal, prairie wolf, or brush wolf, is a species of canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the gray wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely relat ...

)''

Recreation

Sierra de Órganos is frequented by nature lovers as well as extreme sports enthusiasts, as the steep peaks and slopes lend themselves to

rock climbing Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending climbing routes, routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in c ...

Hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...

and

cycling Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...

are also popular in the park. While some areas are suitable for

camping Camping is a form of outdoor recreation or outdoor education involving overnight stays with a basic temporary shelter such as a tent. Camping can also include a recreational vehicle, sheltered cabins, a permanent tent, a shelter such as a Bivy bag ...

, most of the park lacks basic services and provisions such as drinking water; these must be obtained in nearby villages. Access to the park requires paying a fee of 20

Mexican peso The Mexican peso (Currency symbol, symbol: $; ISO 4217, currency code: MXN; also abbreviated Mex$ to distinguish it from peso, other peso-denominated currencies; referred to as the peso, Mexican peso, or colloquially varo) is the official curre ...

s per visitor.

Filming location

The park's scenic landscapes have been used as filming locations by American and Mexican directors, especially for

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

films in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Some of those films are: *

The Tall Men (film) ''The Tall Men'' is a 1955 American Western film, directed by Raoul Walsh, and starring Clark Gable, Jane Russell, and Robert Ryan. The 20th Century Fox DeLuxe Color film was produced by William A. Bacher and William B. Hawks. Sydney Boehm and ...

These Thousand Hills ''These Thousand Hills'' is a 1959 American Western film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Don Murray, Richard Egan, Lee Remick, Stuart Whitman and Patricia Owens. The screenplay was written by Alfred Hayes. It is based on the novel ...

* La Cucaracha (1959 film) *

Geronimo (1962 film) ''Geronimo'' is a 1962 American Western film made by Levy-Gardner-Laven and released by United Artists, starring Chuck Connors in the title role. The film was directed by Arnold Laven from a screenplay by Pat Fielder, filming took place in ...

* Rage (1966 film) *

The War Wagon ''The War Wagon'' is a 1967 American Western heist film directed by Burt Kennedy and starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas. Released by Universal Pictures, it was produced by Marvin Schwartz and adapted by Clair Huffaker from his own novel. Th ...

The Scalphunters ''The Scalphunters'' is a 1968 American Western film starring Burt Lancaster, Ossie Davis and Telly Savalas. The film was directed by Sydney Pollack, with the score written by Elmer Bernstein. Davis was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Su ...

Guns for San Sebastian ''Guns for San Sebastian'' () is a 1968 French Western film based on the 1962 novel ''A Wall for San Sebastian'', written by Rev. Fr. William Barnaby "Barby" Faherty, S.J. The film is directed by Frenchman Henri Verneuil, and stars Anthony Qu ...

The Undefeated (1969 film) ''The Undefeated'' is a 1969 American Western (genre), Western and American Civil War, Civil War-era film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring John Wayne and Rock Hudson. The film portrays events surrounding the Second French interventi ...

Big Jake ''Big Jake'' is a 1971 American Technicolor Western (genre), Western film starring John Wayne, Richard Boone and Maureen O'Hara. The picture was the final film for George Sherman in a directing career of more than 30 years, and Maureen O'Hara' ...

The Train Robbers ''The Train Robbers'' is a 1973 American Western film written and directed by Burt Kennedy and starring John Wayne, Ann-Margret, Rod Taylor, Ben Johnson, and Ricardo Montalbán. Filming took place in Sierra de Órganos National Park in the ...

Caveman (film) ''Caveman'' is a 1981 slapstick comedy film written and directed by Carl Gottlieb and starring Ringo Starr, Dennis Quaid, Shelley Long and Barbara Bach. The film is set during prehistory and revolves around the rivalries between cavemen. Plot ...

Revenge (1990 film) ''Revenge'' is a 1990 American romantic thriller film directed by Tony Scott and starring Kevin Costner, Anthony Quinn, Madeleine Stowe, Miguel Ferrer and Sally Kirkland. Some scenes were filmed in Mexico. The film is a production of New Wor ...

* The Cisco Kid (1994 film) *

Wagons East ''Wagons East'' (sometimes styled as ''Wagons East!'') is a 1994 American Western adventure comedy film directed by Peter Markle, written by Matthew Carlson, and starring John Candy, Richard Lewis, John C. McGinley, Ellen Greene, Robert Picard ...

One Man's Hero ''One Man's Hero'' is a 1999 historical war drama film directed by Lance Hool and starring Tom Berenger, Joaquim de Almeida and Daniela Romo. The film has the distinction of being the last film released by Orion Pictures' arthouse division Or ...

References

External links

Decree of the Sierra de Órganos National ParkFilms with Sierra de Organos as a location
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sierra de Organos National Park National parks of Mexico Protected areas of the Sierra Madre Occidental Landforms of Zacatecas Natural history of Zacatecas Tourist attractions in Zacatecas Tourism in Mexico Protected areas established in 2000 2000 establishments in Mexico Important Bird Areas of Mexico Protected areas of Zacatecas