AZ-Mt.+Graham--Wet+Canyon

Also, see Mt. Graham
 * =Birding in Arizona=

Graham County
=Mt. Graham= =Wet Canyon= Coronado National Forest Safford, Arizona 85546 Mt. Graham webpage Wet Canyon Picnic Area webpage

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Mt. Graham--Wet Canyon
Coordinates: 32.65119, -109.813 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Mt. Graham--Wet Canyon
Wet Canyon Picnic Area is tucked away along the side of the Swift Trail where a small stream tumbles off the mountain down a series of rocky little waterfalls. Only 3 sites are available here because of the intimate nature of the area, but if you’re lucky enough to find a site vacant you should have no trouble enjoying yourself in this picturesque little hideaway. Each site is terraced into the mountainside in the shade of spreading Arizona alder and walnut trees that help add to the area’s unique atmosphere. As you might suspect, such a mountainside oasis attracts more than picnickers. A number of colorful songbirds are usually on hand here to keep visitors reaching for their binoculars, if they remembered to bring them. In the fall, the leaves of the deciduous trees in the area turn to amber and gold, and in winter, snow can sometimes be found among the rocks along the creek. If you do come in the winter, remember to watch for snow and ice on the road, especially if there has been a recent storm. Bear Warning: To avoid putting a bear’s life in danger and risking the loss of some of your own property as well, please dispose of all garbage in the bear-proof containers provided. Also, remember to keep all food out of reach and out of sight of these curious and powerful animals.

Directions: From Safford drive south 8 miles on US-191 to AZ-366. Turn right (southwest) onto AZ-366 and drive 10 miles to the Wet Canyon Picnic Area. From Wet Canyon Picnic Area webpage

About Mt. Graham
The Pinaleno Mountains are the most dominant mountain feature in southeastern Arizona, the towering range rising over 7,000 feet over the Gila River Valley and the cities of Safford, Thatcher, and Pima in Graham County. Mount Graham is the highest of the peaks that breach the 10,000-foot barrier, while nearby Hawk Peak is home to the Mount Graham Observatory, its buildings visible from below and even from vantage points on distant peaks. The whole range is often informally referred to as "Mount Graham".

The mountain is named for Lt. Col. James Duncan Graham of the United States Army Corps of Topographical Engineers, the name being given to the mountain in 1846 by his friend, Lt. William Emory. At the time, the mountain was part of Mexico. In 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War, but the treaty gave the United States jurisdiction to lands north of the Gila River, not south. In 1854, the Gadsden Purchase extended the United States jurisdiction to its current-day boundary. Graham County is named after its most notable feature, the county being formed in 1881. Not surprisingly, Mount Graham is the highest point in Graham County, and somewhat surprisingly, it is also the most prominent mountain in Arizona, its 6,320 feet of prominence beating out Mount Humphreys near Flagstaff. Most people don't need the math to underscore the visual impressiveness of the mountain, as viewed from points around Safford. It is a huge, magnificent mountain. From Mt. Graham webpage

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media type="custom" key="29253213" || L935977 US US-AZ US-AZ-009 32.65119 -109.813 Mt. Graham--Wet Canyon