The Hieroglyphic Mountains are a mountain range located in central Arizona . The Hieroglyphics roughly straddle the border between Maricopa and Yavapai counties and form an effective physical barrier northwest of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area . Due to their proximity to Phoenix and its environs, the mountains offer a number of outdoor recreational activities.
14-543: White Picacho is a summit with an elevation of 4,285 feet (1,306 m) in the Hieroglyphic Mountains in Yavapai County, Arizona . The White Picacho pegmatite district is a historic mining district located in southern Yavapai and northern Maricopa counties. The mines of the district are located to the southwest of White Picacho and adjacent Red Picacho peaks some seven miles east of Wickenburg . The district
28-474: Is noted for production of niobium , feldspar , tantalum , tungsten , beryllium , mica , bismuth , lithium , lead , gold , zinc , vanadium , molybdenum and rare-earth elements . Hieroglyphic Mountains The Hieroglyphic Mountains were named in an apparent confusion between Egyptian hieroglyphs and the petroglyphs found in the area. Early human settlement in the Hieroglyphic mountains
42-516: Is sparse at best. Existing petroglyphs indicate that the area had been settled, or at least visited, by Native Americans prior to the 19th century. A gold strike on the Colorado River near Yuma in 1862 created local interest in prospecting, and the Hieroglyphics were among many of the local mountain ranges visited by prospectors during this time period, but the ruggedness of the terrain and
56-542: Is the primary waterway in the region, passing through the southeastern portion of the range. The Buckhorn Mountains are a smaller range located within the Hieroglyphics, and contain the range's highest points including Crater Benchmark, 4,565 feet (1,391 m) in elevation. Other mountains located within the range are: The range is bounded, roughly, by the Agua Fria River to the east, the Bradshaw Mountains to
70-797: The Bradshaws ranges from interior chaparral and montane conifer forest, to plains and desert grassland , and Sonoran desert scrub . Many species of trees are found in the Bradshaws, including Piñon , Alligator Juniper , Ponderosa pine , Blue Spruce , Quaking Aspen , White fir , and Douglas fir . As well, much wildlife is present, including javelina , mountain lion , bobcat , black bear , mule deer , porcupine , fox , skunk , abert's squirrel , rock squirrel , wild turkey , many species of reptiles and amphibians, and many species of birds. Several creeks have been dammed to form reservoirs , including Lynx Lake , Goldwater Lake , Lake Marapai , Hassayampa Lake , Horsethief Lake , and Cedar Tank . Gold
84-534: The Silver Mountain Range. The first known settlements in the Bradshaws were a group of Yavapai people , called the Kwevkapaya who built forts and mined copper from around AD 1100 to 1600. They called the mountains Wi:kañacha , meaning "rough, black range of rocks" The Walker Party found gold, and within a few years, the Bradshaws were filling up with settlers mining for gold, silver, and copper. By
98-457: The adjacent land were purchased by Frank Murphy for the construction of a health resort . The resort was completed in 1896 and the newly renamed Castle Hot Springs were heavily advertised to potential clients. During the resort's heyday in the 1920s it was extremely popular and was visited by celebrities such as Zane Grey , as well as famous families such as the Rockefeller family . The resort
112-585: The early part of the 20th century, most of the towns that had sprung up were little more than ghost towns . Located approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Prescott, Arizona , between the Agua Fria River on the east, and the Hassayampa River on the west, the range is 40 miles (64 km) long, and almost 25 miles (40 km) wide. The Bradshaw Mountains consist primarily of Precambrian granite , gneiss and schist . The biotic community of
126-525: The mountain range, creating Lake Pleasant . The lake was primarily used as an agricultural storage facility, but with the creation of the Central Arizona Project in 1973 the lake became a permanent water storage facility and an important recreational center. The dam was replaced in 1993, increasing the size of the lake. The Hieroglyphic Mountains run primarily east to west along the border between Maricopa and Yavapai counties. The Agua Fria River
140-507: The mountains. The group named the spring Castle Springs for the castellated appearance of the surrounding mountains. While most sources credit Craig with the discovery, some sources claim that the springs were first discovered by a gold miner in 1874. Ongoing fighting between the US Army and the Yavapai tribes would discourage further development of the area until the 1880s when the springs and
154-796: The north, and the Wickenburg Mountains to the west, or the Hassayampa River if the Wickenburg Mountains are considered a part of the Hieroglyphics range. The range is home to the Hells Canyon Wilderness , a wilderness area maintained by the Bureau of Land Reclamation . Bradshaw Mountains The Bradshaw Mountains are a mountain range in central Arizona , United States, named for brothers Isaac and William D. Bradshaw after their deaths, having been formerly known in English as
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#1733085337279168-400: The scarcity of water largely discouraged permanent settlement. In the early 19th century, local Yavapai Indians had discovered a natural hot spring in the mountains, treating the location as a sort of "demilitarized zone" where all were welcome to come and treat their wounds. The springs were discovered by US Army Colonel Charles Craig in 1867 while pursuing a group of Yavapais through
182-469: Was also used by the United States military as a rehabilitation center from 1943–1944 to treat injured veterans of World War II . Future president John F. Kennedy spent 3 months at the resort during this time period to recover from his wounds. The resort continued to be popular until it was heavily damaged in a fire in 1976. In 1928 a dam was constructed on the Agua Fria River where it passes through
196-718: Was first discovered in the Bradshaws in 1863, over $ 2,000,000 worth being taken from just the Crown King Mine. Copper and silver were also mined in the early part of the 20th century. Within Mount Union lies the Poland Junction silver mine. Its adit, now sealed, may be accessed from Poland Junction , near Walker . There are over 40 ghost towns in the Bradshaw Mountains, including Crown King , Bumble Bee , Goodwin , Bradshaw City , Alexandra and Cleator . Much of
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