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Coronado National Forest
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| Montezuma Canyon, Coronado National Forest (Dave Bly_Arizona Office of Tourism) |
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The Spanish explorer Don Francisco Vasques de Coronado and his expedition entered southern Arizona from Mexico in 1540 in search of gold. But instead of the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, which legend said existed somewhere to the north, the trail blazers found nothing but a vast country of grassy hills, cactus, lizards, and scattered, rugged mountain ranges. These mountains are the real treasure houses of Arizona. They rise like islands in a sea of desert. Their heights pierce the rain and snow clouds, capturing the snow and rain that are the life blood of cities, industry, and agriculture. In the arid Southwest, water from the highlands makes possible a wide range of activities in a land that would otherwise be barren.
The twelve mountain range units of the Coronado total 1.7 million acres of public land, and offer an unusual range of vegetative types and climates. In only one hour, a visitor can drive from the hot, arid desert to the cool pines. Elevations range from 3,000 feet to 10,720 feet. The forest is exceptionally rich in diversity of flora and fauna.
The Coronado and all National Forests are dedicated to the perpetual production of wood, water, forage, recreation, and wildlife.
Details mentioned in this article were accurate at the time of publication
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