Whitlock Valley
Encyclopedia
The Whitlock Valley is a small valley in southeast Arizona
, USA
, lying between three mountain ranges. The valley lies on the south perimeter region of the White Mountains
in eastern Arizona, and lies south of the west-flowing Gila River
, and the region transitions south into Cochise County
and three large valleys, with some scattered dry lake
s. The valley is endorheic
, with a small dry lake called Parks Lake, and merges southwest into the north of the San Simon Valley, where the San Simon River has its origins in the flatlands, and surrounding perimeter mountains. The valley was named after Captain James H. Whitlock who commanded during the Battle of Mount Gray
in 1864 which was fought near the valley.
. The Whitlock Valley drains south from the range, and merges into the north of the San Simon Valley, where the San Simon River forms a playa, flatland region, then continues northwest to the Gila River. A water divide
creates Parks Lake at the south of the Whitlock Valley.
, a north-south stretch, only about 8 mi wide. The north Peloncillo's form the border between Graham County, northwest, and Greenlee County to the east, (extreme southeast county).
In the Parks Lake region, can be found a sedge
, Scirpus pungens
, (Schoenoplectus pungens), as well as other lakebed, and marsh plants. Parks Lake is located at 32.5678°N 109.3031°W.
and southwest New Mexico
called the Madrean Sky Islands
; the valley is a northeast drainage to the San Simon Valley
, but only in the Whitlock Valley southern region, and the neighboring mountains east and west. The south of the valley forms a water divide to the northeast region of San Simon Creek.
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Parks Lake
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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...
, lying between three mountain ranges. The valley lies on the south perimeter region of 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...
in eastern Arizona, and lies south of the west-flowing 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:...
, and the region transitions south into Cochise County
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 three large valleys, with some scattered dry lake
Dry lake
Dry lakes are ephemeral lakebeds, or a remnant of an endorheic lake. Such flats consist of fine-grained sediments infused with alkali salts. Dry lakes are also referred to as alkali flats, sabkhas, playas or mud flats...
s. The valley is endorheic
Endorheic
An endorheic basin is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans...
, with a small dry lake called Parks Lake, and merges southwest into the north of the San Simon Valley, where the San Simon River has its origins in the flatlands, and surrounding perimeter mountains. The valley was named after Captain James H. Whitlock who commanded during the Battle of Mount Gray
Battle of Mount Gray
The Battle of Mount Gray was a little known engagement of the Apache Wars fought at the foothills of Gray Mountain, then known as Mount Gray on April 7, 1864...
in 1864 which was fought near the valley.
Regional endorheic valley
The west-flowing Gila River is forced into a NW-West-SW excursion by the small range of the Black Hills (Greenlee County)Black Hills (Greenlee County)
The Black Hills of Greenlee County are a 20 mi long mountain range of the extreme northeast Sonoran Desert bordering the south of the White Mountains of eastern Arizona's transition zone....
. The Whitlock Valley drains south from the range, and merges into the north of the San Simon Valley, where the San Simon River forms a playa, flatland region, then continues northwest to the Gila River. A water divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
creates Parks Lake at the south of the Whitlock Valley.
Whitlock Valley
Whitlock Valley is a mostly north-south 22-mile (35 km) long valley, bordered on the west by the small north-south Whitlock Mountains. The east of the valley is bordered by the north region of the Peloncillo Mountains (Cochise County)Peloncillo Mountains (Cochise County)
The Peloncillo Mountains of Cochise County, , is a mountain range in northeast Cochise County, Arizona. A northern north-south stretch of the range extends to the southern region of Greenlee County on the northeast, and a southeast region of Graham County on the northwest...
, a north-south stretch, only about 8 mi wide. The north Peloncillo's form the border between Graham County, northwest, and Greenlee County to the east, (extreme southeast county).
Parks Lake and Whitlock Cienega
Parks Lake is the low point of Whitlock Valley in the south. The southern Whitlock Mountains are to the west, and on the southeast foothills of the Whitlock's lie Whitlock Cienega, at 32°33′10"N 109°20′7"W.In the Parks Lake region, can be found a sedge
Cyperaceae
Cyperaceae are a family of monocotyledonous graminoid flowering plants known as sedges, which superficially resemble grasses or rushes. The family is large, with some 5,500 species described in about 109 genera. These species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group...
, Scirpus pungens
Scirpus pungens
Schoenoplectus pungens is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family known by the common name Common Three-Square. It is a herbaceous emergent plant that is native to the Americas, Europe, Australasia, and elsewhere....
, (Schoenoplectus pungens), as well as other lakebed, and marsh plants. Parks Lake is located at 32.5678°N 109.3031°W.
Madrean Sky Islands region
The valley lies in a region of southeast ArizonaArizona
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...
and southwest New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
called the Madrean Sky Islands
Madrean sky islands
The Madrean Sky Islands are enclaves of Madrean pine-oak woodlands, found at higher elevations in a complex of small mountain ranges in southern and southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northwestern Mexico. The sky islands are surrounded at lower elevations by the Sonoran and...
; the valley is a northeast drainage to the San Simon Valley
San Simon Valley
The San Simon Valley is a broad valley east of the Chiricahua Mountains, in the northeast corner of Cochise County, Arizona and southeastern Graham County, with a small portion near Antelope Pass in Hidalgo County of southwestern New Mexico. The valley trends generally north-south but in its...
, but only in the Whitlock Valley southern region, and the neighboring mountains east and west. The south of the valley forms a water divide to the northeast region of San Simon Creek.
See also
- List of valleys of Arizona
- Peloncillo Mountains (Cochise County)Peloncillo Mountains (Cochise County)The Peloncillo Mountains of Cochise County, , is a mountain range in northeast Cochise County, Arizona. A northern north-south stretch of the range extends to the southern region of Greenlee County on the northeast, and a southeast region of Graham County on the northwest...
- San Simon ValleySan Simon ValleyThe San Simon Valley is a broad valley east of the Chiricahua Mountains, in the northeast corner of Cochise County, Arizona and southeastern Graham County, with a small portion near Antelope Pass in Hidalgo County of southwestern New Mexico. The valley trends generally north-south but in its...
External links
Whitlock Cienega----
Parks Lake
- University of Arizona Herbarium, Scirpus pungens.
- Parks Lake, Graham County, trails.com; Elevation, 3510 ft, (coordinates)
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