Highest Point

2791 meters

Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona: the Geology and life zones of a Madrean Sky Island

Natural landscapes have distinctive personalities. Each is the product of the interplay of geology, climate, vegetation, time, and often, human activities. The landscapes that form the Santa Catalina Mountains of southeastern Arizona give that range a unique personality like no other in the American Southwest.

The Vegetation of a Desert Mountain Range as Conditioned By Climatic Factors

The southern half of the state of Arizona. may be briefly characterized as a relatively level plain studded with numerous hills and mountains. The plain rises from elevations of a few hundred feet along the Colorado River to as much as 4,500 and 5,000 feet near the New Mexican boundary. The lower elevations follow the Gila, Salt, San Pedro, and other rivers, while the higher plains surround the loftier mountains of the southeastern portion of the State.