Ironwood Forest National Monument

About

Ironwood Forest National Monument spreads across nearly 190,000 acres of Sonoran Desert northwest of Tucson and takes its name from the ironwood trees that grow across it. Ragged Top Mountain is its rugged centerpiece, and the monument shelters the last native population of desert bighorn sheep in the Tucson basin. Regular visits need no fees or permits, but there are no developed facilities either, so bring water and everything else you'll need. Some roads are rough enough to call for high clearance or four-wheel drive. The monument holds many rock art sites and three areas listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Some land inside it is state trust land, and recreating there needs a separate Arizona permit.