The San Simon Valley is a broad valley

Valley

In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...

 east of the Chiricahua Mountains

Chiricahua Mountains

The Chiricahua Mountains are a mountain range in southeastern Arizona which are part of the Basin and Range province of the southwest, and part of the Coronado National Forest...

, in the northeast corner of Cochise County, Arizona

Cochise County, Arizona

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*78.5% White*4.2% Black*1.2% Native American*1.9% Asian*0.3% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.0% Two or more races*9.6% Other races*32.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

 and southeastern Graham County

Graham County, Arizona

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.1% White*1.8% Black*14.4% Native American*0.5% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.8% Two or more races*8.3% Other races*30.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

, with a small portion near Antelope Pass in Hidalgo County

Hidalgo County, New Mexico

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.3% White*0.6% Black*0.8% Native American*0.5% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.8% Two or more races*11.0% Other races*56.6% Hispanic or Latino...

 of southwestern New Mexico

Southwestern New Mexico

Southwestern New Mexico is a region of the U.S. state of New Mexico commonly defined by Hidalgo County, Grant County, Catron County, Luna County, Doña Ana County, Sierra County, and Socorro County. Some important towns there are Lordsburg, Silver City, Deming, Las Cruces, Truth or Consequences,...

. The valley trends generally north-south but in its northern portion trends northwest-southeast. The San Simon Valley separates the Chiricahua Mountains, Dos Cabezas Mountains

Dos Cabezas Mountains

The Dos Cabezas Mountains are a mountain range in southeasternmost Arizona, USA. The Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness lies east of Willcox, Arizona and south of Bowie, Arizona in Cochise County...

 and Pinaleno Mountains on the west from the Peloncillo Mountains and the smaller Whitlock Mountains to the east.

Geography

At the northern end of the valley, the ephemeral

Ephemeral

Ephemeral things are transitory, existing only briefly. Typically the term is used to describe objects found in nature, although it can describe a wide range of things....

 San Simon River-(creek) flows northwest through the valley to Safford

Safford, Arizona

- History :Safford was founded by Joshua Eaton Bailey, Hiram Kennedy and Edward Tuttle, who came from Gila Bend, in southwestern Arizona. They left Gila Bend in the winter of 1873-74; their work on canals and dams having been destroyed by high water the previous summer...

 in Graham County

Graham County, Arizona

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.1% White*1.8% Black*14.4% Native American*0.5% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.8% Two or more races*8.3% Other races*30.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

 where it enters the Gila River

Gila River

The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...

. At its southern end the valley merges into the separate San Bernardino Valley

San Bernardino Valley (Arizona)

The San Bernardino Valley of Arizona is a northeast by southwest trending valley in extreme southeast Cochise County, Arizona.The north end of the valley merges into the northwest by southeast trending San Simon Valley; both merge in western Hidaldgo County, New Mexico...

 which trends southwest-northeast. The junction of the two valleys is at the height of land between Squaw Mountain and Pasamore Crater just south of the town of Apache. Interstate 10

Interstate 10 in Arizona

In the U.S. state of Arizona, Interstate 10, the major east–west Interstate Highway in the southern United States, runs east from California, enters Arizona and continues through Phoenix and Tucson and exits at the border with New Mexico.-Route description:...

 crosses the valley east-west. U.S. Route 191

U.S. Route 191

U.S. Route 191 is a spur of U.S. Route 91 that has two branches. The southern branch runs for 1,465 miles from Douglas, Arizona on the Mexican border to the southern part of Yellowstone National Park. The northern branch runs for 440 miles from the northern part of Yellowstone National Park to...

, runs north from I-10 to Safford. The White Mountains

White Mountains (Arizona)

The White Mountains of Arizona are a mountain range and mountainous region in the eastern part of the state, near the border with New Mexico; it is a continuation from the west of the Arizona transition zone–Mogollon Rim, with the Rim ending in western New Mexico...

 lie north of the northern end of the valley.

Culture

The San Simon Valley is noted for the ceramics of native American Indians called the Roosevelt Red Ware

Roosevelt Red Ware

Roosevelt Red Ware, also known as Salado Red Ware and Salado Polychrome, is a late prehistoric pottery tradition found across large portions of Arizona and New Mexico. The tradition involves the combination of red, white, and black paint in varying configurations along with compositional and...

, one type being named for a site in the valley, the Nine Mile Polychrome.

External links

• http://peloncillo.org/images/front_map.jpgDos Cabezas
  Dos Cabezas Mountains
  The Dos Cabezas Mountains are a mountain range in southeasternmost Arizona, USA. The Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness lies east of Willcox, Arizona and south of Bowie, Arizona in Cochise County...
  
   & Chiricahua Mtns
  Chiricahua Mountains
  The Chiricahua Mountains are a mountain range in southeastern Arizona which are part of the Basin and Range province of the southwest, and part of the Coronado National Forest...
  
  , west of San Simon Valley; ] (Article)