Butler Valley (Arizona)
Encyclopedia
Butler Valley is a valley of the Maria fold and thrust belt
in western Arizona
, USA
. It lies east of the Colorado River
, and is south of the west-flowing Bill Williams River
.
Drainage. Cunningham Wash drains the valley southwest to meet with the Bouse. The valley also turns somewhat southwest to the north of the Harcuvar Mountains
, where Cunningham Pass holds the 30-mile route, unimproved major access road to Alamo Lake State Park
; the route traverses the Butler Valley in the northeast, then skirts the northeast of the Buckskin's to meet the south side of Alamo Lake.
The northeast third of the valley drains northeast from a water divide
, then north to Alamo Lake only 10 mi distant; Cunningham Wash drains to the southwest. At the northeast end of the Buckskin Mountains
, a basin forms attached to Butler Valley on the valley's northeast, and with the Black Mountains (Yavapai County) bordered northeast; southeast is another up-drainage basin attached to the northeast of the McMullen Valley, the Aguila Valley to the southeast, and at the southwest of the small range, the Date Creek Mountains
.
region are, from north to south:
Some of the thirty landforms in the fold-and-thrust-belt listed in a circular path around these three ranges are: 1. NE, Alamo Lake State Park
, NE Buckskin Mtns; 2. Access roads from U.S. Route 93
, northwest, dirt, and southwest, Arizona State Route 71 terminating at Aguila, Arizona
, at the northeast of the Harquahala's; 3. Southeast of the Harquahalas, three mountain ranges, and the Hassayampa and Harquahala Plains-(Harquahala Valley); 4. The southwest and west perimeter of the three ranges is the Bouse Wash
Drainage; the drainage is in the Ranegras Plain, but two small ranges, and the Bouse Hills abut the perimeter as well; 5. The northwest abuts the Cactus Plain
and the Cactus Plain Wilderness; 6. The northwest also has the Buckskin Mountains extending into a western section at the confluence of the Colorado and Bill Williams Rivers. Buckskin Mountain State Park
is located here. 7. The Bill Williams River
downstream from Alamo Lake State Park
is the northern border of the three ranges, as well as the de facto border of fold-and-thrust-belt. The river is also a dividing line between the Mojave Desert
north and northwest, and the Sonoran Desert
, south and southeast; in California, the Colorado Desert
subsection of the Sonoran Desert lies southwest.
Maria Fold and Thrust Belt
The Maria fold and thrust belt is a portion of the North American Cordillera orogen in which geological structures accommodate roughly north-south to northwest-southeast vergent Mesozoic age crustal shortening. This lies in contrast to the remainder of the Cordillera, in which shortening is...
in western Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, USA
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
. It lies east of the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
, and is south of the west-flowing Bill Williams River
Bill Williams River
The Bill Williams River is a river in western-central Arizona in Mohave County; the river proper is the northern border of La Paz County which it drains in the north, as well as areas of far western Yavapai County...
.
Description of valley and region
Butler Valley is one of the two valleys in a (major) three-mountain range, two-valley sequence. Other minor ranges are on the perimeters, but thirty landforms are part of the region. The valley drains southwesterly into the northwest flowing Bouse WashBouse Wash
Bouse Wash is one of the larger eastern-bank dry washes that enter the Colorado River in western Arizona.Bouse Wash is located on the north end of the La Posa Plain and drains into the area along the Colorado River occupied by the Colorado River Indian Reservation, south of Parker, Arizona...
Drainage. Cunningham Wash drains the valley southwest to meet with the Bouse. The valley also turns somewhat southwest to the north of the Harcuvar Mountains
Harcuvar Mountains
The Harcuvar Mountains are a narrow mountain range in western-central Arizona, USA. The range lies just east of the north-south Colorado River, and south of the east-west, west-flowing Bill Williams River, from Alamo Lake....
, where Cunningham Pass holds the 30-mile route, unimproved major access road to Alamo Lake State Park
Alamo Lake State Park
Alamo Lake State Park is a state park of Arizona, USA, centered around Alamo Lake, a flood control and recreational reservoir. The park is located in western Arizona about north of Wenden. It is accessed via dirt road off either U.S. Route 60 to the south or U.S. Route 93 to the east...
; the route traverses the Butler Valley in the northeast, then skirts the northeast of the Buckskin's to meet the south side of Alamo Lake.
The northeast third of the valley drains northeast from a water divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
, then north to Alamo Lake only 10 mi distant; Cunningham Wash drains to the southwest. At the northeast end of the Buckskin Mountains
Buckskin Mountains
The Buckskin Mountains are a mountain range in western-central Arizona, USA. The range lies just east of the north-south Colorado River, and borders south of the east-west, west-flowing Bill Williams River....
, a basin forms attached to Butler Valley on the valley's northeast, and with the Black Mountains (Yavapai County) bordered northeast; southeast is another up-drainage basin attached to the northeast of the McMullen Valley, the Aguila Valley to the southeast, and at the southwest of the small range, the Date Creek Mountains
Date Creek Mountains
The Date Creek Mountains are a short, arid range in southwest Yavapai County, Arizona. Congress is on its southeast foothills, and Wickenburg lies southeast.-Description and area:...
.
3 major thrust-faulted ranges
The major mountain ranges that are thrusted northwesterlly in the Maria fold and thrust beltMaria Fold and Thrust Belt
The Maria fold and thrust belt is a portion of the North American Cordillera orogen in which geological structures accommodate roughly north-south to northwest-southeast vergent Mesozoic age crustal shortening. This lies in contrast to the remainder of the Cordillera, in which shortening is...
region are, from north to south:
- Buckskin MountainsBuckskin MountainsThe Buckskin Mountains are a mountain range in western-central Arizona, USA. The range lies just east of the north-south Colorado River, and borders south of the east-west, west-flowing Bill Williams River....
- Butler Valley
- Harcuvar MountainsHarcuvar MountainsThe Harcuvar Mountains are a narrow mountain range in western-central Arizona, USA. The range lies just east of the north-south Colorado River, and south of the east-west, west-flowing Bill Williams River, from Alamo Lake....
- McMullen Valley
- Harquahala MountainsHarquahala MountainsThe Harquahala Mountains are the highest mountain range in southwestern Arizona, USA and are located southwest of the towns of Aguila and Wenden. The name originated from a local Native American people "Aha qua hala" which meant "water there is high up". The range is oriented from northeast to...
Some of the thirty landforms in the fold-and-thrust-belt listed in a circular path around these three ranges are: 1. NE, Alamo Lake State Park
Alamo Lake State Park
Alamo Lake State Park is a state park of Arizona, USA, centered around Alamo Lake, a flood control and recreational reservoir. The park is located in western Arizona about north of Wenden. It is accessed via dirt road off either U.S. Route 60 to the south or U.S. Route 93 to the east...
, NE Buckskin Mtns; 2. Access roads from U.S. Route 93
U.S. Route 93 in Arizona
In the U.S. state of Arizona, U.S. Route 93 is a U.S. Highway that begins in Wickenburg and heads north to the Nevada border at the Mike O'Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge....
, northwest, dirt, and southwest, Arizona State Route 71 terminating at Aguila, Arizona
Aguila, Arizona
Aguila is a CDP in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 60 approximately 20 miles west of Wickenburg, or at approximately 50000 N. 510th Ave. Major economic activities include cantaloupe farming and formerly included mining. It uses the same street numbering system...
, at the northeast of the Harquahala's; 3. Southeast of the Harquahalas, three mountain ranges, and the Hassayampa and Harquahala Plains-(Harquahala Valley); 4. The southwest and west perimeter of the three ranges is the Bouse Wash
Bouse Wash
Bouse Wash is one of the larger eastern-bank dry washes that enter the Colorado River in western Arizona.Bouse Wash is located on the north end of the La Posa Plain and drains into the area along the Colorado River occupied by the Colorado River Indian Reservation, south of Parker, Arizona...
Drainage; the drainage is in the Ranegras Plain, but two small ranges, and the Bouse Hills abut the perimeter as well; 5. The northwest abuts the Cactus Plain
Cactus Plain
The Cactus Plain is a plain east of Parker, Arizona and the Parker Valley within the Lower Colorado River Valley.The Cactus Plain is adjacent to the Bouse Wash on the south, which drains northwest-west into the Colorado River...
and the Cactus Plain Wilderness; 6. The northwest also has the Buckskin Mountains extending into a western section at the confluence of the Colorado and Bill Williams Rivers. Buckskin Mountain State Park
Buckskin Mountain State Park
Buckskin Mountain State Park is a state park located near Parker, Arizona, USA. A second developed area of the park is known as the River Island Unit or River Island State Park. Both park areas have shoreline on the Colorado River and views of the Buckskin Mountains...
is located here. 7. The Bill Williams River
Bill Williams River
The Bill Williams River is a river in western-central Arizona in Mohave County; the river proper is the northern border of La Paz County which it drains in the north, as well as areas of far western Yavapai County...
downstream from Alamo Lake State Park
Alamo Lake State Park
Alamo Lake State Park is a state park of Arizona, USA, centered around Alamo Lake, a flood control and recreational reservoir. The park is located in western Arizona about north of Wenden. It is accessed via dirt road off either U.S. Route 60 to the south or U.S. Route 93 to the east...
is the northern border of the three ranges, as well as the de facto border of fold-and-thrust-belt. The river is also a dividing line between the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
north and northwest, and the Sonoran Desert
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the northwest Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It is one of the largest and hottest...
, south and southeast; in California, the Colorado Desert
Colorado Desert
California's Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert, which extends across southwest North America. The Colorado Desert region encompasses approximately , reaching from the Mexican border in the south to the higher-elevation Mojave Desert in the north and from the Colorado River in...
subsection of the Sonoran Desert lies southwest.