Shown here is a map showing the Greater Phoenix, Az area. As you can see it is quite vast. There are so many small cities that surround the actual Phoenix city limits. Growth is happening in all quadrants. Mostly either to the East Valley or the West Valley.
The most amazing thing to me the first time I flew into Phoenix was the mountains. I was expecting a flat desert. For the most part Phoenix is a very flat city with no rolling hills throughout the city limits. But there are beautiful mountains surrounding the area.
Phoenix, Az – The Valley of the Sun
Phoenix sits in a very large valley with mountain ranges on all sides. Within the city itself are only two predominant ranges – Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak with a predominance of more than 1,000 feet. However, to the far west side of the Valley, west of Peoria and Glendale are the White Tank Mountains with summits above 3,000 feet.
South of Phoenix the Sierra Estrella dominates the skyline and is often the backdrop for Phoenix downtown postcards, however the peaks are only around 3,200 feet. Also, in the South are the South Mountains, which is a small range with a high point of 2,690 feet.
The South Mountains were a landmark for me from my first home location in Chandler, AZ, but had me directionally confused for a long time. From Chandler, these mountains were not South, but West of me. Once I got that straight, navigation became simpler.
More Mountains in the Greater Phoenix Area
Actually, south of Chandler is the San Tan Mountains, a small range. The high point is 3,104 feet. My current home in Queen Creek sits 500 feet up the side of the San Tan Mountains and the mountain looms behind and to the west of me. We have beautiful sunsets beyond those mountains.
Superstition Mountains
To the East of where I am now in Queen Creek is the majestic Superstition Range. These mountains are also east of Apache Junction and form the far eastern edge of the Phoenix Metropolitan area. The view of these mountains from Mesa/Apache Junction and Queen Creek is spectacular. They are the only summits that surpass 5,000 feet and Superstition Peak is the highest point surrounding Phoenix. From my front porch, I have a panoramic view of the Superstitions and in the winter can sometimes see snow on the peaks.
The Goldfield Mountains are a small jagged range north of Mesa and Apache Junction. These summits are mainly between 2,000-3,400 feet. And then there are the Usery Mountains. This small group of mountains are between the Goldfield Mountains and the McDowells, north of Mesa and east of Scottsdale. The high point is 2,959 feet.
And there are still more. The McDowell Mountains form the eastern boundary for Scottsdale and on the other side of them lies the city of Fountain Hills. The summit is between 3,900 –4,060 feet. McDowell Peak looks like the highest Peak from Phoenix. On the north end of the range lies Pinnacle Peak.
Pinnacle and Piestewa Peaks
Pinnacle Peak was a principal go-to place with all visitors. There was an indoor/outdoor cowboy steak restaurant there with music and stars for a great dinner night out. I’m not sure if it still exists or not. The last time I was up that way, homes were being built up the mountain and I haven’t heard much about it lately.
Piestewa Peak has an interesting story. This peak was originally called Squaw Peak. It was getting a bit of negative feedback because of the name. In 2008, an Arizona US soldier was killed. She was the first Native American woman to be killed in our military. Her name was Lori Piestewa. The peak was renamed in honor of her and to quell the dissent about the Squaw Peak name.
Water in Greater Phoenix, AZ area
Also in addition to many mountains in this desert area, there is also an amazing amount of water. The ones that I am most familiar with are in the Superstition Mountains. They are man-made reservoir-type lakes in a chain off Roosevelt Dam. They are Apache Lake, Canyon Lake, and Saguaro Lake.
These three lakes are easily accessible from the East Valley and offer a great water recreational area for swimming and boating. On Canyon Lake, there is a great steamboat tourist trip called the Dolly Steamboat. It goes down through the canyons of Canyon Lake displaying the petrified trees in the walls of the canyon and occasionally the long-horned sheep that roam the area. At the turn-around point of the trip, there is a giant saguaro that resembles a candelabra. Those on the tour are treated to a short musical tribute.
Just beyond Canyon Lake and just before Apache Lake, there is a small pony express town called Tortilla Flats. There is a tourist restaurant there with great hamburgers and also Mexican food.
The barstools are saddles and there is a great photo surprise in the women’s restroom. And next door to the restaurant is a small general store for ice cream cones. The special flavor is Prickly Pear Gelato.
Greater Phoenix, Az area more golf courses per capita
The Phoenix area has more golf courses per capita than any other city in the United States. I looked for a number and the closest I found was “200-plus golf courses”. With clear skies most of the year, Phoenix is the ultimate destination for a golf trip.
It is therefore no wonder that my little retirement house and my first home here in the Phoenix area were in a Golf Course Resort community. This home was in a community called Sunbird Golf Resort in Chandler, Arizona. Both houses were on golf course fairways. Sunbird was a retirement community 55+ or older, complete with an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, and a wonderful community clubhouse. There was a great assortment of planned activities daily.
Sunbird Golf Resort
My biggest problem living there was that I was “working from home” 40 hours a week. I missed much of the planned activity, but I would sneak out for a couple of hours once a week to play tennis with the Women’s Tennis Club. I had hoped to also play golf, but my working hours and the course watering schedule didn’t make that possible. But I did also manage Line Dancing classes one evening a week and an occasional Saturday night dance. There was also a great chorus made up of the residents. They put on two annual concerts that were wonderful. The leaders were retired music teachers.
Early in 2001, after a very busy year modifying our computer systems for the four-digit year 2000, IVIS, the company I worked for went through a major reduction of force. I was laid off. At age 66, I decided it was time to retire, however, some financial adjustments had to be made.
The house was really bigger than what I needed, and I was also having a neighbor problem over my dog. She was a very friendly dog, but she was a big black Labrador. And she would bark a couple of times every time I let her out but not more than a couple of woofs, however, my neighbor did not like dogs. The neighbor kept reporting the dog to the Home Owner’s Association and I would get fined. I decided enough was enough all things considered and decided I wanted a home out in the country without nearby neighbors who complained.
Greater Phoenix, Az area – far east valley – Queen Creek, Az
The town of Queen Creek was east of Chandler. It was very much a rancher town. There was no supermarkets or other major shopping. There was a small business corner downtown and there was land for sale on the side of the San Tan Mountain. The land was $25,000/acre. I found a 5-acre plot, sub-divided it between myself and my son, and then put a manufactured house on my 2-1/2 acres. We brought in the electricity, but there was no city water. I put in a 2,500-gallon water tank and now have water delivered every two weeks. Water was supposed to be brought to the street. That was 20 years ago. Still waiting.
And so here I am on the side of my mountain, very happy, with horses and dogs and even a pet rabbit. It is quiet most of the time, but the downtown has flourished. We now have two large shopping areas, even a movie theater and I’ve lost count of the supermarkets. We also have two super Walmart. One downtown and one only three miles from my house. People have followed me out to this area and it is now a booming town, but I still have my acres insulating me from complaining the neighbors.
My homes here in Arizona have all been in the East Valley.
