Historic Bates Well Ranch

Historic Bates Well Ranch is a site located within the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument near Ajo Arizona. All the other areas I show are also within the Monument. While 4WD is not required, good clearance is a must. All of the sites are located down unpaved roads, and most of them are many miles from the paved roads.
The Gray family ranched in this area for a significant portion of the mid 1900s. Three of the four family ranch homes remain standing in various states of disrepair / ruin, and I was able to visit two of them. There are also many watering sites throughout the monument, and I visit a few that remain accessible; there are many more.
One of the ranch homes and many watering sites are currently off limits; less because they are near the international border, and more because traveling to them would require driving the road along the border fence. DO NOT drive the road along the border fence!
I did not visit all the accessible sites associated with the ranch; the ones I skipped were because there didn't appear to be anything remaining.
Along with the ranching history, the Monument also has an extensive mining history, and there are plenty of hikes and drives that lead to mining related relics. Maybe that's a video for another day....
I hope you find this video enjoyable, and thanks for watching!

[@danrichardson3190]

I am a 350 year old desert wombat, I love these videos. Keep 'em coming. As a kid I used to play in desert scrub brush just like in your video.

[@Colichemarde]

My wife and I just stumbled upon your site and really enjoy seeing the desert landscape. We live in rural Michigan with wall-to-wall pine trees. It's interesting seeing something different. We also enjoy the historical background and information. Keep up the good work.

[@justwanderinround4113]

Thank you for the kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed, and I'm doing my best to keep it interesting.

[@mikearzabal]

it must have been a paradise in those days, god bless them.

[@jeffreymorgan8044]

Good job on the video 😊

[@justwanderinround4113]

@@jeffreymorgan8044 Thank you! And thanks for watching!

[@bmepdoc9675]

For clarification. The Bates Well Ranch lies within the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument property and was built in 1935 as a working ranch, which is certainly not a significant portion of the 1900's. Robert L. Gray, Sr., is historically significant locally as a cattleman who with his sons, Henry, Jack, and Robert Jr., strongly influenced the cultural landscape of the monument with no less than fifteen properties devoted to nothing but cattle-raising. Sonoran Desert cattle-raising is certainly of vital importance to Arizona history. The period of productivity for the property dates from roughly 1913-to-1942. Thanks for the upload.

[@justwanderinround4113]

Thanks for clarifying; I edited my description.

[@albertlira7443]

Those are some neat places

[@justwanderinround4113]

Yes, very cool to visit. Thanks for watching!

[@albertlira7443]

@justwanderinround4113 no problem! Been here since day one and I'll always be here

[@wendyshick6689]

Hello new subscriber here I was catching up on all your videos the other day I find your channel very interesting and I love exploring😊👍

[@justwanderinround4113]

Thank you! I'm glad you find it interesting.

[@staciemiller1339]

I am new to the channel. I love Arizona and find your videos very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

[@justwanderinround4113]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@martinwingfield7739]

So glad your last video got the audience it deserved . . .

[@justwanderinround4113]

Thank you! I was pleasantly surprised. Thanks for watching!

[@markjenkins2860]

NEATO!

[@colinl9018]

Interesting. 'Ol Henry was a tough old cookie living out in the desert in pretty basic conditions. Doesn't appear to be much feed around for stock.

[@justwanderinround4113]

Yes he was...thanks for watching!

[@JohnDouma-sq7vf]

Poor animals no food 😢😮

[@januarioqueiroz3122]

Their spirits are still around these places