Coyote Mountains Wilderness (Arizona)
Encyclopedia
The 5080 acres Coyote Mountains Wilderness of Arizona is part of the Coyote Mountains of southern Arizona
in the center of Pima County
. The wilderness lies about 40 mi southwest of Tucson
, in the northwest of the Altar Valley
. Kitt Peak
is 4 mi WSW.
of the Baboquivari Mountains. The three ranges are located at the northwest of the Altar Valley
.
The Coyote Mountains are a small range only about 7 mi long, and merge into lower elevation hills. The north of the wilderness and mountains descend quickly into the south of the Aguirre Valley. The northeast, east, and southeast of the wilderness and the Coyote Mountains descend quickly into the Altar Valley.
and surrounding peaks form a separate landform between the Quinlin Mountains and the Coyotes. The Quinlin's are a linear range, northwest by southeast. From Kitt Peak and northeastwards, the mountains and hills separate into individual units. The Coyote Mountains Wilderness is the largest, and tallest unit in the northeast of the small Coyote Mountains range, which is only about 7 mi long.
cactus. Some oak woodlands are present.
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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...
in the center of Pima County
Pima County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.3% White*3.5% Black*3.3% Native American*2.6% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.7% Two or more races*12.4% Other races*34.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. The wilderness lies about 40 mi southwest of Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, in the northwest of the Altar Valley
Altar Valley
The Altar Valley is a 45-mile long north-south valley, trending slightly northeast from Sasabe, Arizona on the Mexico border to the Avra Valley, Arizona west of the Tucson Mountains...
. Kitt Peak
Kitt Peak
Kitt Peak is a mountain in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is the location of the Kitt Peak National Observatory. The radio telescope at the Observatory is one of ten dishes comprising the Very Long Baseline Array ....
is 4 mi WSW.
Description
The Coyote Mountains Wilderness makes up much of the center and northeast of the Coyote Mountains. The Coyote's are separated from the Quinlin Mountains abutting southwest; both ranges anchor the northern end of the north-south, massifMassif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
of the Baboquivari Mountains. The three ranges are located at the northwest of the Altar Valley
Altar Valley
The Altar Valley is a 45-mile long north-south valley, trending slightly northeast from Sasabe, Arizona on the Mexico border to the Avra Valley, Arizona west of the Tucson Mountains...
.
The Coyote Mountains are a small range only about 7 mi long, and merge into lower elevation hills. The north of the wilderness and mountains descend quickly into the south of the Aguirre Valley. The northeast, east, and southeast of the wilderness and the Coyote Mountains descend quickly into the Altar Valley.
Kitt Peak
Kitt PeakKitt Peak
Kitt Peak is a mountain in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is the location of the Kitt Peak National Observatory. The radio telescope at the Observatory is one of ten dishes comprising the Very Long Baseline Array ....
and surrounding peaks form a separate landform between the Quinlin Mountains and the Coyotes. The Quinlin's are a linear range, northwest by southeast. From Kitt Peak and northeastwards, the mountains and hills separate into individual units. The Coyote Mountains Wilderness is the largest, and tallest unit in the northeast of the small Coyote Mountains range, which is only about 7 mi long.
Flora and fauna
Some of the common flora in the Coyote Mountains and wilderness are the paloverde tree, and the saguaroSaguaro
The saguaro is a large, tree-sized cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in the U.S. state of Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, a small part of Baja California in the San Felipe Desert and an extremely small area of California, U.S...
cactus. Some oak woodlands are present.
See also
- List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
- List of Arizona Wilderness Areas
- Wilderness ActWilderness ActThe Wilderness Act of 1964 was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected some 9 million acres of federal land. The result of a long effort to protect federal wilderness, the Wilderness Act was signed...
External links
BLM- Coyote Mountains Wilderness Area, BLM, blm.gov–(note: 40 mi southwest of Tucson)
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