Camelback Mountain is a mountain of 2,704-foot elevation in Phoenix, Arizona. The name is derived from its shape, which resembles the two humps and head of a bactrian camel. A period of missing time amounting to almost a billion and a half years is represented by the division between the two rock formations which comprise the mountain. The higher part of the peak is Precambrian age granite, around 1700 million years old (almost 1/8 of the age of the Universe.) The head of the camel is Tertiary age sandstone, approximately 30 million years old. This mountain is a hiking destination for both locals and visitors to the Valley. It is located in the Camelback Mountain Echo Canyon Recreation Area between the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix and the town of Paradise Valley. The peak lends its name to a major east-west street in the Phoenix area called Camelback Road that starts in Salt River and goes about 34 miles west past the West Valley suburbs of Goodyear and Litchfield Park. It starts again past the White Tanks. Serious efforts to protect Camelback Mountain as a natural area began in the early 1910's. In the late nineteenth century Camelback Mountain was set aside for an Native American reservation. Half a century later nearly all of the area was sold to private interests. Federal and state authorities attempted to stop development above the one thousand and six hundred feet level. They failed to halt development and in 1963 efforts to arrange a land exchange failed in the Arizona State legislature. It wasn't until 1965 that Senator Barry Goldwater took up the cause, helping to secure the higher elevations as a city park for Phoenix in 1968. Camelback Mountain has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride.[1]
Additional photographs
 As viewed from a Sky Harbor Airport hotel. |
 As viewed from Camelback Road. |
 Typical residence on Camelback Mountain. |
 Landscaped vegetation found on Camelback Mountain. |
At night mountain lions can often be found resting in caves within the mountain's side.
References
- ^ Phoenix Points of Pride. Retrieved on October 18, 2006.
External links
- Phoenix Parks & Recreation Department Website
- Phoenix Parks
- Camelback Hiking Pictures and Reviews
- Camelback Mountain is at coordinates Coordinates:
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| Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa • Arizona Center • Ben Avery Shooting Facility • Camelback Mountain • Cricket Pavilion • Deer Valley Rock Art Center • Desert Botanical Garden • Encanto Park • Heard Museum • The Herberger Theater Center • Historic Heritage Square • Ro Ho En (Japanese Friendship Garden) • Mystery Castle • Orpheum Theatre • Papago Park/Hole-In-The-Rock • Thomas J. Pappas School • Patriots Square Park • Phoenix Art Museum • Phoenix Mountains Park and Recreation Area • Phoenix Zoo • Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park • Shemer Art Center and Museum • South Mountain Park • St. Mary's Basilica • Symphony Hall • Telephone Pioneers of America Park • Tovrea Castle and Carraro Cactus Garden • US Airways Center • Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza • Wrigley Mansion |
