Graham.A scenic road named the Swift Trail (Hwy 366) leads into these unique mountains and provides access to campgrounds, Forest trails, and fishing at Riggs … It seems like many people take a bushwhacky trail to the west of our start point. Mt. Please enable JavaScript on your browser to best view this site. Email us! 4) SAFFORD, ARIZONA – Mount Graham. Shortly after checking in at the Quality Inn & Suites Safford , we went for dinner at a Mexican restaurant that has been serving the … The road leading to Mount Graham outlined on Google Maps is slightly misaligned, hence the orange line on my attached map being a tiny ibt off (I think this is true, since my GPS track lined up with the satelite imagery, just not the white line on terrain mode), but it's clear enough that the road leads easily to the summit. With a gradient of 5.5 percent, you will start at 3,249 and peak out just over 9,000 feet in just over 20.1 miles. The road left the forest and the slopes of Mount Graham opened into wide meadows and expansive views of the surrounding Arizona desert below. To the southwest of Safford is 10,000 foot-high Mt. Arizona 366 travels from US 191 west through the Coronado National Forest up to the top of Mt. Located about 100 minutes from Tucson, Graham is the challenging hill climb in all of Arizona to most locals. Graham is an awesome … Safford is situated about three hours east of Phoenix in Graham County. The road starts to get a bit less well-maintained and it helped the hike feel more of a hike than a road walk. There are three very large telescopes, including the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope & the Large Binocular Telescope. David Capo Though the fire was extinguished, work will continue to make sure the affected areas are stabilized. Mount Graham 10,720, AZ | HikeArizona Graham (elevation 10, 720) and the alpine forest atop the Pinaleño Mountains, about a 3 hour drive east of Tucson. The neat thing about Mount Graham is that you can drive all the way to the top! The Vatican Observatory Research Group (VORG) operates the 1.8m Alice P. Lennon Telescope with its Thomas J. Bannan Astrophysics Facility, known together as the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT), at the Mount Graham International Observatory (MGIO) in southeastern Arizona where sky … Swift Trail Scenic Drive starts in the desert valley and climbs For more things to do in Graham County, visit our Graham County page. MOUNT GRAHAM – For those wanting to escape the heat for Memorial Day weekend but don’t want to travel too far, the Forest Service has opened three campgrounds on Mount Graham. Willcox is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. Virtual workshop only - please join via Zoom Link, Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, 85712, The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, © 2010 - 2020 Southern Arizona Guide, LLC Design by Devil Dog Productions, LLC, Making Lemonade | The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, Art in the Park – Exuberance: An Artistic Botanical Experience, First Sunday of the month Antique Vintage Fair, SculptureTucson & TBG to Unveil New Exhibit, International E- Conference on Nutrition and Food Science, Helping You Navigate Social Security Disability Benefits During COVID-19. Mount Graham (called in Nnee biyati' (Western Apache) Dził Nchaa Sí'an - ′Big Seated Mountain′) is a mountain in Graham County, Arizona, United States, approximately 70 miles (110 km) northeast of Tucson. The Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity has sued the U.S. The city is home to the stunning Mount Graham, which reaches well over 10,000ft. At the top are some of the most powerful telescopes on earth. The road to Mt. Mt. Distance from Tucson, AZ Malmstrom A F B, MT Distance from Tucson, AZ Manhattan, MT Distance from Tucson, AZ Marion, MT Distance from Tucson, AZ Martin City, MT Distance from Tucson, AZ Martinsdale, MT Distance from Tucson, AZ Marysville, MT Distance from Tucson, AZ Mc Allister, MT Distance from Tucson, AZ Mc Leod, MT Distance from Tucson… Here too is the Mt. It is the highest elevation in Graham County, Coronado National Forest and the Pinaleño MountainsIt is also the southernmost peak and land area in the continenta… Best Tucson Road Biking Climbs: Mount Graham is the most challenging hill climb in Arizona. 520-260-8293 . We parked at the head of a forest road, at an official trailhead for an unrelated trail. The Graham County Chamber of Commerce hosted our stay in Safford, a small city situated in the Gila Valley and to the northeast of Mount Graham and the Pinaleno Mountains. Starting past the locked gate along the road that would serve as the Mount Graham route. The road was added to the state highway system in 1961-62. Tours can be arranged through the Discovery Park Visitors Center in Safford. Professional wrestler Ted Dibiase lived his formative years in Willcox, as did singer Tanya Tucker. The logging will assist in restoring habitat for the Mount Graham Red Squirrel along with fuels reduction as a precaution for future wildfires in … Telephone from Safford Vicinity: (928) 428-2739 Telephone from Tucson: (520) 621-8650 Fax: (928) 428-2854 There's a nice picnic area about 8 miles up this road from Rt. Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope The Large Binocular Telescope [world's largest until a bigger one in chile is built; this one is truly … Graham and the Pinaleño mountain range. Mount Graham Safford/Mount Graham. Graham International Observatory. My site is free to use, but consider sending me a few bucks to help keep it running. Here you will find some of the best campgrounds & picnic areas in all of Southern Arizona. This is a 9.8 mile out-and-back hike with 1700 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 3-5 hours to complete. 191 a few miles south of Safford. JAVASCRIPT IS DISABLED. A short, easy bushwhack leads to the true summit. Dzil Nchaa Si An , otherwise known by the local natives as ‘Big Seated Mountain’ because of its distinctive profile, is an … Graham is the fourth highest mountain in Arizona after the San Francisco Peaks, Mt. Lemmon Road Conditions Managed by Pima County (520) 547-7510. The views got nicer, and my spirits rose for the hike. The three great road-bike climbs in the Tucson area are Mount Graham, Mount Lemmon, and Kitt Peak. Mt. Graham, a 10,000-foot peak in the Pinaleño Mountains, is home to a University of Arizona observatory, a telescope owned by the Vatican, an abandoned church camp, and 14 privately owned summer cabins — all of which threaten the Mt. Graham is as steep, narrow, and winding as you're likely to find in the United States. Mt. Located about 90 minutes from Tucson, Graham is THE MOST challenging hill climb in all of Arizona. Sierra Vista Ranger District 4070 South Avenida Saracino Hereford, AZ 85615 (520) 378-0311. Graham (elevation 10, 720) and the alpine forest atop the Pinaleño Mountains, about a 3 hour drive east of Tucson. We weren't feeling any of that nonsense, and depsite my general distate for hiking roads, Matt and I both agreed just following the road would suit us fine. Graham – Arizona’s most challenging climb ride. For more ideas on what to do this Summer, see our Cool things to do in Summer page. Find More Hikes in Tucson + Southeastern Arizona Above all, though, it is the single most sacred site of the Apache Nation. Tucson, AZ 85750 (520) 749-8700. TUCSON, Ariz.— The Center for Biological Diversity and Maricopa Audubon sued the U.S. Contact Us Arizona 366 is a winding road, with sharp curves and no guardrails. jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com. We have not been up there since, but will update this page when we do. Hiking info for Mount Graham, located in Coronado National Forest, Arizona. The mountain reaches 10,724 feet (3,269 m) in height. This page is about doing all three in a day, on May 24, 2014. The Frye Fire covered more than 48,000 acres of land near Mount Graham, and is part a greater cycle of renewal in the region which helps cultivate new plant life over time. Find More Hikes in Tucson + Southeastern Arizona. The Mount Graham … However, for the San Carlos Apache tribal members Mount Graham… You’ve been successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel.The squirrel is found in the higher elevations of a southeastern Arizona mountain, where it has lived for thousands of years.The Center for Biological Diversity says that … This recreation area is the home of the Coronado's most extensive mountain range, the Pinaleños, and topped by the highest peak in southern Arizona, 10,720 foot Mt. Riggs Flat Campground and Riggs Lake are both open for use on Mount Graham. Mount Graham rises 10,711 feet from a sparsely populated patch of the Arizona desert near Safford, about 115 miles east of Tucson. Graham is an awesome alternative to Lemmon. Kitt Peak is about 2 hours. Fish and Wildlife Service today for failing to protect habitat essential to the survival and recovery of southeast Arizona’s highly endangered Mount Graham red squirrels.. Today’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson… Not much to write about the ascent since it just follows an obivous road the whole way to just below the summit. View back Close-up back toward the road after a hairpin turn, 2/3 of the way up. Book Tucson Bike Rentals. Mount Graham International Observatory 1480 W. Swift Trail Safford, AZ 85546. Additionally, the aforementioned crap trail eventually led to the road we were on anyway. The only problem is that you can’t take any larger rigs up … Climbing Mt. Hiking info for Mount Graham, located in Coronado National Forest, Arizona. Consider Mt. Looking back as we continue to Mount Graham. Telephone from Safford Vicinity: (928) 428-2739 Telephone from Tucson: (520) 621-8650 Fax: (928) 428-2854 Graham International Observatory. Here too is the Mt. Pickup rental bikes the night before! Another factor for your search, Mt Graham is 3.5 hours from Tucson, and I would never drive that mountain range after dark. Graham red squirrel. Editor's Note:10/4/19 Much of Mt. With a gradient of 5.5 percent, you will start at 3,249 and peak out just over 9,000 feet in just over 20.1 miles. Mt Lemmon is a little over an hour. This is a 9.8 mile out-and-back hike with 1700 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 3-5 hours to complete. Call/TXT/Whatsapp Us at: 520-260-8293 . Graham, with its multiple peaks, is a part of Pinaleño range. Mount Graham 10,720 is located 13 miles southwest of Safford Arizona. Santa Cruz Farmers’ Market Has It Going On! June and July are the best months to enjoy this hike. Graham is near Tucson, Arizona, in the Apache San Carlos reservation. Graham was devastated by the 2017 Frye fire. At 3200 metres it is one of the highest peaks in Arizona. Tucson Interagency Fire Center 2646 E. Commerce Center Pl. There are three telescopes on mount graham, which is near Safford AZ, about one hundred and twenty miles north east of tucson. Consider Mt. The controversies surrounding Mount Graham in Arizona in the late 80’s to present day make us think about the “age-old” debate of religion v. science. Open 7 days a week 6 AM to 11 PM. Mt Lemmon is a little over an hour. Quick Question? The road emerges from the trees after a boring forested road walk. For more information on the Pinaleno Mountaions visit the Coronado National Forest site. Looking for a cool summer getaway? We were surprised at how gorgeous the views were for the second half of the hike. Statistics I didn't have a bike computer when I did this so I'm taking the distances and elevations from John Summerson's book The Complete Guide… Mt. The Mount Graham subspecies was thought to have been extinct in the 1950s, but small numbers of squirrels were "rediscovered" in the 1970s. An Interview with an Elder of the Tohono O’Odham Nation. The Mount Graham red squirrel population was cut from 252 to just 33 squirrels in the wild after the Frye Fire destroyed much of their habitat in 2017. Graham. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,769. Mount Graham International Observatory 1480 W. Swift Trail Safford, AZ 85546. Graham Regional Medical Center - The Eastern Arizona Hospital You Can Trust! Just below the high point, at the end of the road, a view looking east (Heliograph Peak visible far right). The squirrel was added to the federal endangered species list in 1987 by the U.S. Tucson, AZ 85706 (520) 202-2700 Mt. The MGIO is a division of Steward Observatory, the research arm for the Astronomy Department at the University of Arizona. It has the greatest vertical rise of any mountain in Arizona, a significant factor in its incredible biodiversity. Thanks in advance! Here you will find some of the best campgrounds & picnic areas in all of Southern Arizona. By Jon Johnson. 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