Whetstone Mountains

Last updated
Whetstone Mountains
Whetstone Mountains, AZ.jpg
Highest point
PeakApache Peak
Elevation 7,711 ft (2,350 m)
Dimensions
Length14 mi (23 km)N-S
Width9 mi (14 km)E-W
Geography
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
RegionNorthwestern Chihuahuan Desert
Municipalities Benson and Sierra Vista
Range coordinates 31°48′41″N110°25′07″W / 31.8114757°N 110.4186871°W / 31.8114757; -110.4186871
Borders on San Pedro River, San Pedro Valley, I-10, Mule Mountains and Huachuca Mountains

The Whetstone Mountains is a mountain range in Cochise County, southeastern Arizona. [1]

Contents

Geography

Whetstone Mountains Whetstone Mountains AZ.jpg
Whetstone Mountains

The range is located south of Interstate 10, between the Santa Rita Mountains to the west, and the Dragoon Mountains to the east. Higher elevations of the major ranges in the region are in the Madrean Sky Islands ecoregion, with sky island habitats.

Located within the Coronado National Forest, the Whetstone Mountains are in its Sierra Vista Recreation Area, with access via hiking trails. [2]

Kartchner Caverns State Park is in the eastern foothills of the Whetstone Mountains, on Arizona State Route 90. The trailhead for the Foothills Loop Trail is in the park.

Foothills Loop Trail in the Whetstone Mountains foothills Foothills Loop Trail, Whetstone Mountains.JPG
Foothills Loop Trail in the Whetstone Mountains foothills

Peaks

Peaks in the range include:

History

Across the Whetstone Mountains Arizona - Whetstone Mountains through Yuma - NARA - 23933827 (cropped).jpg
Across the Whetstone Mountains

At Iron Springs, within the Whetstones is where Wyatt Earp fought in a gunfight during the Earp Vendetta Ride, 1882.[ citation needed ]

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Apache Peak, at 7,714 feet (2,351 m), is the highest peak in the Whetstone Mountains in Cochise County, Arizona. The summit, located in the Coronado National Forest, is a popular local hiking destination. It is located near the Kartchner Caverns State Park, the city of Benson, Interstate 10, and Arizona State Route 90.

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The Pinal Mountains are a mountain range located in Gila County, Arizona. They have a maximum elevation of 7,848 ft (2,392 m) at Pinal Peak and a prominence of over 4,000 ft (1,200 m). The closest city is the Globe, Arizona/Miami, Arizona area, which is just a few miles north of the mountain range. The mountains are located within the Tonto National Forest, and their recreational facilities are maintained by the USDA's United States Forest Service. The San Carlos Indian Reservation is very close to the mountain range, with its boundaries being just a few miles east/northeast of the range. The mountains are covered with Ponderosa Pine and white fir and experience cooler weather than the Globe/Miami area, so that they are a popular recreation area in the summer. The maintained facilities include a maintained dirt road that goes all the way to the summit of Pinal Peak, a campsite and recreational area, many hiking trails, as well as some radio towers near both Pinal and Signal peaks. The mountain range covers an area of 45,760 acres.

References

  1. Bulletin – United States Geological Survey By Geological Survey (U.S.) Published by The Survey., 1909 Item notes: no. 380 Original from Harvard University
  2. Coronado National Forest: Sierra Vista Recreation Area