Chiricahua Mountains | |
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Highest point | |
Peak | Chiricahua Peak |
Elevation | 9,759 ft (2,975 m) |
Coordinates | 31°50′47″N 109°17′28″W / 31.84639°N 109.29111°W |
Dimensions | |
Length | 35 mi (56 km) NW, then SW |
Width | 21 mi (34 km) (arc-shape)-N-S |
Geography | |
Chiricahua Mountains in Arizona | |
Country | United States |
State | Arizona |
Regions | |
County | Cochise |
Communities | |
Range coordinates | 31°55′47″N 109°22′56″W / 31.9298117°N 109.3822849°W |
Borders on |
The Chiricahua Mountains massif is a large mountain range in southeastern Arizona which is part of the Basin and Range province of the west and southwestern United States and northwest Mexico; the range is part of the Coronado National Forest. The highest point, Chiricahua Peak, rises 9,759 feet (2,975 m) above sea level, approximately 6,000 feet (1,800 m) above the surrounding valleys. The range takes its name from the Chiricahua Apaches native to the region.
The Chiricahua Mountains and other associated ranges, along with Sulphur Springs Valley on the west and the San Simon Valley on the east, form the eastern half of Cochise County in southeast Arizona. The Pedregosa Mountains are found at the southern end of the Chiricahua Mountains, while the Swisshelm Mountains are located to the southwest. The northwest end of the Chiricahua mountains continue as the Dos Cabezas Mountains beyond Apache Pass and the Fort Bowie National Historic Site. Access to the Chiricahua Mountains and Coronado National Forest is through Willcox from the north, Douglas from the south, and Rodeo from the east.
Part of the range lies within the 87,700-acre (35,500 ha) Chiricahua Wilderness, managed by the Coronado National Forest.[1]