Mazatzal Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Mazatzal Mountains are a mountain range in south central Arizona
, about 30–45 miles northeast of Phoenix
and the Phoenix metropolitan area
. The origin of the name remains obscure but one possibility is that it is from the Aztec
language meaning "place of the deer". The crest of the Mazatzals forms the county line between Maricopa County
and Gila County
. SR 87, the Beeline Highway traverses the Mazatzals on its way to Payson
. The highest peak is Mazatzal Peak at 7903 feet (2,409 m). They also include the Four Peaks
, a prominent mountain and landmark of the eastern Phoenix area.
The Mazatzal Wilderness Area protects 252500 acres (1,021.8 km²) of the Tonto
and Coconino National Forest
s. Established in 1940 and expanded to its present size in 1984, elevations range from 2100 feet (640.1 m) at Sheep Bridge in the southwest to 7903 feet (2,408.8 m) on Mazatzal Peak.
The eastern side of the wilderness consists of brush or pine-covered mountains, sometimes broken by narrow, vertical-walled canyons. On its west side below the steep brush-covered foothills, the Verde River
flows through the Sonoran Desert
. The Verde was designated by the U.S Congress as Arizona's only Wild and Scenic River in 1984.
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...
, about 30–45 miles northeast of Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
and the Phoenix metropolitan area
Phoenix Metropolitan Area
The Phoenix metropolitan area, often referred to as The Valley of the Sun, is a metropolitan area, centered on the city of Phoenix, that includes much of the central part of the US state of Arizona...
. The origin of the name remains obscure but one possibility is that it is from the Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
language meaning "place of the deer". The crest of the Mazatzals forms the county line between Maricopa County
Maricopa County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*73.0% White*5.0% Black*2.1% Native American*3.5% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.5% Two or more races*12.7% Other races*29.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
and Gila County
Gila County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*76.8% White*0.4% Black*14.8% Native American*0.5% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.0% Two or more races*5.4% Other races*17.9% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. SR 87, the Beeline Highway traverses the Mazatzals on its way to Payson
Payson, Arizona
- History :Payson considers its founding year as 1882, at which time it was known as Green Valley or Union Park. On March 3, 1884, the town officially established a post office. Postmaster Frank C. Hise recommended that the town be named after a man named Levi Joseph Payson. Senator Payson was very...
. The highest peak is Mazatzal Peak at 7903 feet (2,409 m). They also include the Four Peaks
Four Peaks
Four Peaks , at in altitude, is a prominent landmark on the eastern skyline of Phoenix, part of the Mazatzal Mountains. It is located in the Tonto National Forest east-northeast of Phoenix, in the Four Peaks Wilderness...
, a prominent mountain and landmark of the eastern Phoenix area.
The Mazatzal Wilderness Area protects 252500 acres (1,021.8 km²) of the Tonto
Tonto National Forest
The Tonto National Forest, encompassing 2,873,200 acres , is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the fifth largest national forest in the United States. The Tonto National Forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet in the Sonoran Desert to 7,400 feet...
and Coconino National Forest
Coconino National Forest
The Coconino National Forest is a 1.856-million acre United States National Forest located in northern Arizona in the vicinity of Flagstaff. Originally established in 1898 as the "San Francisco Mountains National Forest Reserve", the area was designated a U.S...
s. Established in 1940 and expanded to its present size in 1984, elevations range from 2100 feet (640.1 m) at Sheep Bridge in the southwest to 7903 feet (2,408.8 m) on Mazatzal Peak.
The eastern side of the wilderness consists of brush or pine-covered mountains, sometimes broken by narrow, vertical-walled canyons. On its west side below the steep brush-covered foothills, the Verde River
Verde River
The Verde River is the north and northwestern watershed of the Salt River–Verde River Watershed that co-join and enter the Gila River at Phoenix, Arizona, located in the U.S. state of Arizona...
flows through 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...
. The Verde was designated by the U.S Congress as Arizona's only Wild and Scenic River in 1984.
Sources and external links
- Mazatzal Wilderness Hikes at HikeArizona.COM
- Mazatzal Wilderness Area at USFS
- Mazatzal Wilderness Area at wilderness.net
- GEOLOGY OF THE MAZATZAL MOUNTAINS, CENTRAL ARIZONA
- Mazatzal Mountains & Wilderness Area Hiking