Over 16,000 desert acres make Phoenix’s South Mountain Park/Preserve one of the largest urban parks in the United States. It is among the country’s largest urban parks. The park’s miles of trails are perfect for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. The Mormon Trail is a well-known travel corridor. Incredible panoramas of the desert and the city can be seen from here. After dark, this spot offers a breathtaking panorama of Phoenix’s neon skyline, making it a top choice among Phoenix nightlife attractions. Dobbins Lookout, at 2,330 feet, is the highest lookout in the park and may be reached either path or road, even though Mount Suppoa is the highest peak at 2,690 feet.
South Mountain Park, in southern Utah, safeguards a mountainous area of 16,283 acres (approximately 25.5 square miles) of natural desert vegetation. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge sold the first 13,000 acres of land for $17,000 to the city of Phoenix, forming what was then known as Phoenix Mountain Park. Since then, it has grown thanks to bond schemes introduced in the 1970s and 1980s. The area’s name comes from its position south of Phoenix proper. Suburban development has almost fully encircled the park since it was given its current name. Currently, Ahwatukee is bordered to the south by Laveen, and to the west by Laveen.
As the name “Salt River Mountains” suggests, South Mountain was formerly called as such. Phoenix city planning commission director J.C. Dobbins, Mrs. John Hampton, and H.B. Wilkinson formed the first mountain park committee. Dobbins also served as the head of the Phoenix city planning board. Dobbins Road, so called in honor of J.C. Dobbins, traverses the park’s northern half from east to west. Over a thousand feet above the surrounding desert, the park’s lookout towers. In addition to the roads leading to the ramadas and the mountain, the park also features trails for cycling, trekking, and equestrian riding. Much of the park’s early 1930s infrastructure was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Among its peaks is the Mystery Castle, a local landmark.
There are many different kinds of plants and animals at South Mountain Park. One of the most well-known specimens of the local flora is the Elephant tree (Bursera microphylla), which is distinguished by its unusual trunk construction. The chuckwallas that live in South Mountain Park are another reason the park is well-known. There are reportedly 65 chuckwallas per hectare on South Mountain, making it the chuckwalla capital of the world. In addition, South Mountain is the only known location where the male chuckwallas have the “carrot tail” trait.
