20 Attractions to Explore Near Needle's Eye Wilderness

Coolidge Dam is a concrete multiple dome and buttress dam located on the Gila River in Arizona, United States. It was opened in the 1930s to provide irrigation water for the surrounding region. The dam is 249 feet tall and 580 feet long and impounds the waters of the Gila River to form San Carlos Reservoir.

San Carlos is one of eight lakes with desert surroundings created by damming rivers in the hills around Phoenix, and like the others, it has quite a dramatic setting. The lake is located within the 3,000-square-mile San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, and is thus subject to tribal regulations.Jet-skiing, water skiing, and boating are also allowed.

San Carlos Lake was formed by the construction of the Coolidge Dam and is rimmed by 158 miles (254 km) of shoreline. The lake is located within the 3,000-square-mile San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. Because of irrigation needs, the water level at the lake sometimes is low enough to kill its self-sustaining fish, but during wet years, the water can overtop Coolidge Dam. Since construction of the dam, the lake has been nearly empty at least 20 times, and has been full only three times.

Pinal Mountains are a mountain range located in Gila County, Arizona. They have a maximum elevation of 7,848 ft at Pinal Peak and a prominence of over 4,000 ft. The mountains are covered with Ponderosa Pine and white fir and experience cooler weather than the Globe/Miami area, so that they are a popular recreation area in the summer. The maintained facilities include a maintained dirt road that goes all the way to the summit of Pinal Peak, a campsite and recreational area, many hiking trails.

Ice House CCC is a campground located near the city of Globe. The campground is maintained by US National Forest.This site serves as a trailhead for the Pinal Mountain Trail System. Trails accessible from the site are Sixshooter and Telephone trails which link to several other non-motorized trail opportunities. Nearby Pinal Creek offers a shady riparian area surrounded by chaparral.

Besh-Ba-Gowah is a 200-room prehistoric Salado masonry pueblo located atop a broad ridge overlooking Pinal Creek. The site is situated one mile southwest from Globe, Arizona and surrounded by a small city park and adjacent museum with excavated items including prehistoric pottery, stone and woven artifacts. The site is operated by the city as Besh Ba Gowah Archaeological Park and Museum.

Besh-Ba-Gowah is a 200-room prehistoric Salado masonry pueblo located atop a broad ridge overlooking Pinal Creek. This beautiful Museum offers a chance to explore the ruins and artifacts of the Salado Indians who inhabited the area from A.D. 1225 to A.D.1400. Its architecture consists of multi-storied, masonry room block clusters connected by long, narrow corridors or elongated plazas.

Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness is a 19,410 acres wilderness area located in the U.S. State of Arizona.The wilderness includes the 11-mile long Aravaipa Canyon, the surrounding tablelands and nine side canyons. The Nature Conservancy's Aravaipa Canyon Preserve protects 7,000 acres of private land and is contiguous with the BLM wilderness area. A permit and fee are required to enter Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness. Use is limited to 50 people per day.

Round Mountain Park is located at the end of South St. from Highway 60. Round Mountain is home to 5 different hiking loops. From beginner to expert, there is something for everyone, from a leisurely walk or jog, to long distance and rocky terrain that will challenge even the most accomplished hikers.

Lake Takalai is a reservoir in Arizona and has an elevation of 817 metres. It is situated nearby to Elgo Dam, and northeast of Sevenmile Wash. It is one of the iconic attraction in this area and also there are so many things to see and do.

The Gila County Historical Society is located in Globe, AZ, the county seat of Gila County, Arizona. The Society archives and displays many items related to the history of the area, which includes some of the Old West's most dynamic episodes. Our museum is free and open to the public.

Mount Turnbull is the highest point in the Santa Teresa Mountains in western Graham County, Arizona. The summit has an elevation of 8,284 feet and a prominence of 3,562 feet. It is the highest point in the Santa Teresa Mountains and the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. A recreational permit is required for access to reservation land.

Aravaipa Creek lies within the Basin and Range region of southern Arizona, emerging from the Pinaleno, Santa Teresa, and Galiuro mountains at an elevation of about 3,000 feet.This Creek flows year-round, an unusual phenomenon in the Arizona desert. Nurtured by this abundant water, large sycamore, ash, cottonwood, and willow trees flourish along the stream, flanked by other riparian vegetation.

The White Canyon Wilderness in Arizona, is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. A very large escarpment known as the "Rincon" is a prominent landmark in the southern end of the wilderness. Vegetation in the area includes chaparral variety as well as saguaro cactus typical of the Sonoran Desert that support a variety of wildlife such as black bears and mountain lions.

The Haunted Canyon Trail is in the eastern Superstion Wilderness near the BP Pinto Valley Mine east of Superior, Arizona. More than half the trail is outside the wilderness area but that's the most scenic half. This is a popular backpacking route with an overnight stay at Tony Ranch Cabin.

The Sevenmile Mountains are a mountain range in central Gila County in the U.S. state of Arizona. The range has a maximum elevation of 6,629 ft and a prominence of 989 ft. The high point and the northwestern tip of the range is in the Tonto National Forest and is open to free range hiking. The southern end of the range that is inside the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation should only be hiked with permission from the Reservation.

Queen Creek Canyon is found above the small town of Superior, AZ, about an hour's drive (depending where you start) east of the metro Phoenix area.Queen Creek and its many volcanic towers is the home of central Arizona sport climbing and bouldering. The rock is volcanic tuff and the routes go from deep-pocket pulling down to tiny-edge crimping, depending on the area.

The Santa Teresa Mountains are a mountain range located within the Coronado National Forest and partly within the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, in western Graham County, Arizona. The highpoint of the range located in the Coronado National Forest section is 7,481 ft, however the high point of the entire range is Mt. Turnbull at 8,282 ft elevation and is located on the reservation.

Picketpost Mountain is a stunning mountain that rises nearly 2,000 feet from the town of Superior. It resides in a very scenic part of the state between the Superstition Mountains and other beautiful ranges. It itself is not part of any specific range, but is nearly entirely surrounded by other ranges. The view across the valley from Superior of Apache Leap Ridge is incredible.

This is Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden is located in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. Founded in 1924 as a desert plant research facility and “living museum”, the arboretum is located in the Sonoran Desert on 392 acres Over 2600 species of arid land plants from around the world grow at the arboretum.