Kofa Mountains
The Kofa Mountains (Yavapai: Wi:kasayeo) of Yuma and La Paz counties in Arizona is the central mountain range of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. The range lies about 60 miles northeast of Yuma in the southwestern part of the state. Kofa Wilderness takes up 547,719 acres of the refuge, making it the second largest wilderness area in Arizona.[1] The equally extensive Castle Dome Mountains comprise the southern refuge border; the western end of the Tank Mountains are in the southeast of the wildlife refuge, and the New Water Wilderness in the New Water Mountains ends the extension of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge to the north. Scenic "King Valley" is south of the Kofa Mountains between the Castle Dome Mountains.
These mountains are home to a number of endemic or rare species including the Kofa Mountain Barberry Berberis harrisoniana. In addition, it contains the only native California fan palms in the state of Arizona located high up in Palm Canyon. These are relicts of the ice age when the range of California fan palms was much larger than its isolated groves today.
The Kofa Mountains are a northwest-southeast range with an extension northwards meeting the New Water Mountains. There are three major peaks in the high region: two in the west: Signal Peak at 4,877 feet (1,487 m) and Squaw Peak at 4,416 feet (1,346 m), and Polaris Mountain at 3,624 feet (1,105 m) in the south.
The closest community to the Kofa Mountains is Quartzsite, 30 miles northwest on Interstate 10. Access roads to the range depart a north-south stretch of US 95, five miles to the west. There are a number of winter homes in King Valley.[2]
The wildlife refuge and the Kofa Mountains are arid and rugged volcanic remnant mountains of Tertiary age. They are home to one of the larger Desert Bighorn Sheep ranges. The wildlife refuge and the mountains are some of the hottest areas in the southwest Sonoran Desert.
Origin of name
The Kofa Mountains are named for the rich King of Arizona gold mine, discovered in King Valley in 1896. The mine used to stamp its property "K of A" and is commonly known as the Kofa Mine. The old mine and its surroundings are private property.[2] The Kofa, Arizona post office was established June 5, 1900 and was discontinued August 27, 1928.[3] Some of the old buildings are still in use as winter homes.
Gallery
- Berberis harrisoniana, the Kofa Mountain Barberry
- Berberis harrisoniana
- Prickly pear blossoms
- The desert in bloom
- Kofa Mountains
See also
- List of mountain ranges of Yuma County, Arizona
- List of mountain ranges of Arizona
- List of LCRV Wilderness Areas (Colorado River)
- Category: Yuma Desert
References
External links
- Kofa Wilderness on Wilderness Connect
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- t
- e
(Yavapai County)
- Boundary Cone
- Fortification Hill
- Mount Wilson
- Mount Union
- Castle Dome
- Carr Peak
- Miller Peak
- Aubrey Peak
- Hualapai Peak
- Lime Peak
- Mae West Peaks
- Four Peaks
- Mount Ord
- East End
- McDowell Peak
- Mount McDowell
- Thompson Peak
- Mount Ballard (Arizona)
- Camelback Mountain
- Mummy Mountain
- Piestewa Peak
- South Mountains
- Sunnyslope Mountain
- Ibex Peak
- Agassiz Peak
- Doyle Peak
- Fremont Peak
- Mount Bigelow
- Mount Lemmon
- Pusch Ridge
- Thimble Peak
- Mount Hopkins
- Mount Wrightson
- Mount Turnbull
- Mistake Peak
- Granite Mountain
- Black Dome
- Sentinel Peak
- Tumamoc Hill
- Apache Peak
- Black Mesa (Navajo County)
- Escudilla Mountain
- Mount Baldy
- Agathla Peak
- Agua Caliente Mountains
- Agua Dulce Mountains
- Antelope Hill
- Aquarius Mountains
- Artillery Mountains
- Atascosa Mountains
- Aubrey Hills
- Baboquivari Peak
- Balakai Mesa
- Beaver Dam Mountains
- Belmont Mountains
- Bill Williams Mountain
- Bitsihuitsos Butte
- Black Hills (Greenlee County)
- Black Mesa (Apache-Navajo Counties)
- Black Mesa (Warm Springs)
- Black Mountain (Maricopa County)
- Black Mountain (Pima County)
- Blackjack Mountains
- Bryan Mountains
- Buckskin Mountain (Arizona-Utah)
- Buckskin Mountains (La Paz County)
- Bush Head
- Cabeza Prieta Mountains
- Canelo Hills
- Carrizo Mountains
- Cerro Colorado Mountains
- Chocolate Mountains
- Copper Mountains
- Coyote Mountains
- Date Creek Mountains
- Dome Rock Mountains
- Dos Cabezas Mountains
- Etoi Ki
- Excalibur
- Galiuro Mountains
- Gavilan Peak
- Gila Bend Mountains
- Gila Mountains (Graham County)
- Gila Mountains (Yuma County)
- Goldfield Mountains
- Grand Wash Cliffs
- Granite Mountains
- Granite Wash Mountains
- Growler Mountains
- Gu Achi Peak
- Guadalupe Mountains
- Harcuvar Mountains
- Harquahala Mountains
- House Mountain
- Hunts Mesa
- Isis Temple
- John the Baptist Mountains
- Juniper Mesa
- Kaibab Plateau
- Kofa Mountains
- Laguna Mountains
- Las Guijas Mountains
- Lime Mountain (Maricopa County}
- Little Harquahala Mountains
- Little Rincon Mountains
- Lukachukai Mountains
- Madrean Sky Islands
- Mescal Mountains
- Mineral Mountains
- Moccasin Mountains
- Mohave Mountains
- Mohawk Mountains
- Mount Trumbull
- Muggins Mountains
- Mustang Mountains
- Navajo Mountain
- The Needles
- New River Mountains
- New Water Mountains
- Newton Butte
- Painted Rock Mountains
- Pajarito Mountains
- Patagonia Mountains
- Peacock Mountains
- Picacho Peak
- Picketpost Mountain
- Pinnacle Peak
- Poachie Range
- Poston Butte
- Rawhide Mountains
- Sacaton Mountains
- San Luis Mountains
- Santa Maria Mountains
- Sevenmile Mountains
- Sierra San Antonio
- Sierra Estrella
- Sierra Madre Occidental
- Sierra Pinta
- Silver Bell Mountains
- Squaw Tits
- Sugarloaf Mountain
- Sunset Mountains
- Swisshelm Mountains
- Tempe Butte
- Temple Butte
- Tinajas Altas Mountains
- Tordillo Mountain
- Tortolita Mountains
- Trigo Mountains
- Tule Mountains
- Tumacacori Mountains
- Virgin Mountains
- Vulcan's Throne
- Vulture Mountains
- Waterman Mountains
- Weaver Mountains
- West Silver Bell Mountains
- White Tank Mountains
- Wickenburg Mountains