One week vacation next week arriving in Phoenix at night and driving to Tucson the next day for the remainder of the trip. Would it be feasible to drive from Phoenix to Tucson via Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and maybe stop at Kitt Peal NO. It would be a long day but is this doable? If we did this drive where in Phoenix should we stay on our first night to get a good start in the morning? Also, should we be renting a midsized SUV rather than a sedan for POCNM and Tucson-we enjoy hiking?

Yes it is doabe. Best place to stay would be close to the highway headed to OPC.

Given that saguaro and opc are ubiquitous around Tucson I don’t know if I’d do that trip but OPCNM is on your gotta see list then go for it.

I see no particular reason to rent an SUV vs a sedan. Pick the vehicle that suits you best.

Organ Pipe cactus don’t grow naturally anywhere near Tucson. They occur naturally in the US in the National Monument and the western parts of the TohonoOʼodhamReservation only.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/organ-pipe-cactus.htm

Frankly Kitt Peak was in its heyday in the 70s, there’s not much going on there anymore (the night lights of Tucson are almost blinding from there now ruining its value). There are overpriced evening programs you could try to align your trip with.

Adding that if driving east out of the TO reservation to Tucson (your intended route) there is a permanent immigration checkpoint where everyone is stopped and interviewed. So if you are foreign be sure to be able to prove immigration status before attempting this route.

https://www.google.com/maps/search/C...oASAFQAw%3D%3D

There are other checkpoints like this coming into Tucson from the south or southeast.