20 Attractions to Explore Near Blue Jay Peak

A small picturesque lake, 11 acres in size, set in alpine forest and meadow. Its cold waters are stocked during the summer with rainbow, brown and brook trout, and anglers report that the fishing is usually good. It is an iconic attraction in this area and also a good camping location.

Ash Creek Falls is one of the finest falls in California. It is set far back in Ash Creek Canyon as the waterfall makes a huge scene, gushing over the cliff in a strong freefall. The water hits a rocky area and creates a a big shower. The waterfall is 330 feet high and is a combination of Mud Creek Falls and Whitney Falls. It does not have as much volume as Mud Creek Falls, but it has plenty of power.

Mount Graham is the highest of the peaks that breach the 10,000-foot barrier, while nearby Hawk Peak is home to the Mount Graham Observatory, its buildings visible from below and even from vantage points on distant peaks. It is the highest elevation in Graham County, Coronado National Forest and the Pinaleño Mountains. It is also the southernmost peak and land area in the continental United States above 10,000 feet. A good trekking destination and also there are so many things to do.

Frye Mesa Reservoir is an excellent place to camp out for a night or spend a day escaping the southern Arizona heat. This Reservoir contains both Apache and Gila trout, making it one of the only places to legally catch Gila trout in Arizona. Frye Mesa offers spectacular views of the Gila River Valley below and the rocky peak above.

Heliograph Peak is a subsidiary summit of Mount Graham in the Pinaleño Mountains. There is a good forest road to the top, and the peak is probably the best in the range for summit views, given that Mount Graham itself is off-limits and wooded, and the other high peaks are usually wooded too.

The Cluff Ranch Ponds are located in the Cluff Ranch Wildlife Area at the base of the Pinaleno Mountains in southeastern Arizona. The town of Pima is 5 miles away, and the city of Safford is 7 miles away. The facilities are maintained by the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

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.

Ladybug Peak is a mountain in the Sierra Nevada in United States. This is a popular trail for hiking, mountain biking, and snowshoeing, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. There are so many things to see and do here.

The The Gila Valley Arizona Temple is the 132nd dedicated temple in operation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

This is the research arm for the Department of Astronomy at The University of Arizona. MGIO consists of three telescopes: the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, the Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter (Radio) Telescope of the Arizona Radio Observatory, and the Large Binocular Telescope, the world's most powerful telescope. Public tours of the MGIO are conducted by the Eastern Arizona College's (EAC) Discovery Park Campus between mid-April and mid-October.

Roper Lake State Park is located 6 miles south of Safford in Graham County in southeast Arizona and sits at the base of Mt. Graham. It surrounds around 32-acre Roper Lake and it includes a boat ramp, a beach for swimming, a picnic area, a campground, cabins, and a hot spring. The lake is stocked with bass and trout, and boats are limited to small electric motors. This beautiful park is in a beautiful location surrounded by the sky island Pinaleño Mountains range, including Mount Graham.

Dankworth Pond is 150 acres of land surrounding a 15-acre pond. The park was once a fish hatchery for raising catfish. It has picnic ramadas, trails, and so more.

The 76,317-acre Galiuro Wilderness encompasses the mid to upper slopes of the mountains as they rise from golden grasslands, through dense thickets of evergreen oak, to stands of ponderosa pine. The mountains support vegetation varying from semidesert grasslands through pinion, juniper, oak, and brush to mixed conifers and even aspens in the higher elevations. A variety of wildlife can be found in the Galiuro Wilderness, including large mammals.

San Simon River is an ephemeral river, or stream running through the San Simon Valley in Graham and Cochise County, Arizona and Hidalgo County, New Mexico. Its mouth is at its confluence with the Gila River at Safford in Graham County.

The San Simon Valley is a broad valley east of the Chiricahua Mountains, in the northeast corner of Cochise County, Arizona and southeastern Graham County, with a small portion near Antelope Pass in Hidalgo County of southwestern New Mexico. The valley trends generally north–south but in its northern portion trends northwest–southeast.

The Redfield Canyon Wilderness (6,600 acres) is in southeastern Arizona. It is a narrow red-walled chasm suitable for hiking during the spring and fall seasons. Tall cliffs pocked with eroded caves and strewn with boulders, Redfield Canyon offers the visitor a variety of recreational opportunities. It became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System established by the Wilderness Act of 1964.

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 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.

The Muleshoe Ranch was established in 1878 by Henry Black and his family in Northeastern Stephens County along the banks of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. This ranch is home to horned Hereford and Angus cattle. Wildlife on the ranch includes whitetail deer, wild turkey and Bobwhite quail. Currently, the ranch is owned and operated by the 5th generation.

The 23,000-acre Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area includes four perennial waterways, the Gila and San Francisco rivers and Bonita and Eagle creeks. This region is a very special riparian ecosystem abounding with plant and animal diversity. Impressive Gila Conglomerate cliffs tower more than 1,000 feet above the Gila River, and bighorn sheep are commonly spotted. Bonita Creek, a key tributary of the Gila River, is lined with large cottonwoods, sycamores, and willows.