White Mountains (Arizona)

The White Mountains in eastern Arizona are a forested mountain range on the Colorado Plateau, known for higher elevations, cooler summers and winter snowfall that support recreation such as hiking, fishing and skiing.

The range contains alpine and subalpine zones at its highest summits and hosts developed recreation sites including ski areas and trail systems; lakes and rivers in the area are used for angling and boating. The landscape includes extensive conifer forests within national forest lands and reservation territory.

The mountains were formed by tectonic uplift and volcanic activity and are a distinct physiographic region within eastern Arizona. Public forest lands and tribal lands manage access and recreation in different parts of the range.

The White Mountains are located in eastern Arizona near the border with New Mexico, east of the town of Show Low and encompassing parts of Navajo and Apache counties; they are several hours’ drive from Phoenix.

• Highest peak: Mount Baldy reaches roughly 11,400 feet in elevation and is the highest point in the Arizona White Mountains, making the area a summer refuge from lower-elevation heat and a winter ski destination.

What to See #

• Mount Baldy: Mount Baldy (also called Mount Baldy in the White Mountains) is the range's highest peak, with an elevation of approximately 11,400 feet and alpine terrain at higher elevations.
• Sunrise Park Resort: Sunrise Park Resort, a commercial ski area on the southern slopes of the range offering downhill skiing and winter recreation.
• Public lands and reservation areas: Public lands of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests and parts of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation that cover much of the range and provide trails, campgrounds and fishing lakes.