Avra Valley
Encyclopedia
The Avra Valley is a 50 mile (80 km) long northwest-southeast valley, bordering the west of Tucson, Arizona
. The Tucson Mountains
are at the valley's center-east, with suburbs ranging east of the Tucson Mountains and trending northwest to the Avra Valley's northeast. This entire northwest stretch from Tucson contains the northwest trending Interstate 10
, the route to Casa Grande
and Phoenix
. The northeast of the valley contains Marana
on I-10, the Pinal Airpark
, an aircraft storage park, and other communities along I-10.
The center-(west) of the valley is at Cocoraque Butte, 32.22119°N 111.34205°W, extended northeast from the Roskruge Mountains. Cocoraque Butte's height is 2758 feet (841 m).
s. From the northwest, the mountains are the West Silver Bell
's, Silver Bell Mountains
, Waterman
's, and then in the southwest the Roskruge Mountains. South of the Roskruge, Arizona Route 86 enters the valley from the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona to the west. Robles Junction, Arizona
is also in the southwest, at the junction of the valley going southwest to Sasabe
, the Altar Valley
. Robles Junction is also at the northwest of the mountain range on Avra Valley's southern border, the Sierrita's.
The north of the Avra Valley narrows at the Silver Bell Mountains and Marana to the east. The region merges into the wider flatlands associated with the floodplain regions of the northwestern Santa Cruz River where it begins to merge with the Gila River
.
, mostly on Tucson's southeast in the Rincon Mountains
has a smaller section made up of much of the Tucson Mountains
. The National Park is famous for the Saguaro
, Carnegiea gigantea.
a subregion, and part of the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona which have major lands west of the Baboquivari Mountains and Altar Valley
west and southwest.
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. The Tucson Mountains
Tucson Mountains
The Tucson Mountains are a minor mountain range west of Tucson, Arizona. The Tucson Mountains, including Wasson Peak, are one of four notable mountain ranges surrounding the Tucson valley...
are at the valley's center-east, with suburbs ranging east of the Tucson Mountains and trending northwest to the Avra Valley's northeast. This entire northwest stretch from Tucson contains the northwest trending Interstate 10
Interstate 10 in Arizona
In the U.S. state of Arizona, Interstate 10, the major east–west Interstate Highway in the southern United States, runs east from California, enters Arizona and continues through Phoenix and Tucson and exits at the border with New Mexico.-Route description:...
, the route to Casa Grande
Casa Grande, Arizona
Casa Grande is a city in Pinal County, approximately halfway between Phoenix and Tucson in the U.S. state of Arizona. According to 2010 Census, the population of the city is 48,571...
and Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. The northeast of the valley contains Marana
Marana, Arizona
Marana is a town in Pima County, Arizona, located northwest of Tucson, with a small portion in Pinal County. According to the 2010 census, the population of the town is 34,961...
on I-10, the Pinal Airpark
Pinal Airpark
Pinal Airpark is a county-owned, public-use airport located seven nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Marana, in Pinal County, Arizona, United States....
, an aircraft storage park, and other communities along I-10.
The center-(west) of the valley is at Cocoraque Butte, 32.22119°N 111.34205°W, extended northeast from the Roskruge Mountains. Cocoraque Butte's height is 2758 feet (841 m).
Description
Avra Valley is a narrow valley, only about 10 mi wide in some locations, and bordered completely on the west by low elevation, arid mountain rangeMountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
s. From the northwest, the mountains are the West Silver Bell
West Silver Bell Mountains
The West Silver Bell Mountains are a small 10 mile long mountain range of south-central Arizona, United States. The range lies in the north-central arid Sonoran Desert; the Madrean Sky Islands region of southeast Arizona, around Tucson is adjacent to the southeast.The range lies 25 mi west of...
's, Silver Bell Mountains
Silver Bell Mountains
The Silver Bell Mountains are an arid north-northwest x southeast trending small mountain range in north-central Pima County, Arizona. The range lies west of Marana, Arizona, located on Interstate-10, northwest of Tucson....
, Waterman
Waterman Mountains
The Waterman Mountains are a low mountainous landform in Pima County, United States. Numerous flora and fauna species are found in the Waterman Mountains, in the Pinyon-juniper woodland plant community. Notable among the tree species is the Elephant tree which species exhibits a contorted...
's, and then in the southwest the Roskruge Mountains. South of the Roskruge, Arizona Route 86 enters the valley from the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona to the west. Robles Junction, Arizona
Robles Junction, Arizona
Robles Junction is an unincorporated community in Pima County, Arizona, United States. Robles Junction is located at the intersection of Arizona State Route 86 and Arizona State Route 286 southwest of Tucson....
is also in the southwest, at the junction of the valley going southwest to Sasabe
Sasabe, Arizona
Sasabe is a small unincorporated border community in the Altar Valley of southern Pima County, Arizona, United States. It hosts a little-used United States–Mexico border crossing...
, the Altar Valley
Altar Valley
The Altar Valley is a 45-mile long north-south valley, trending slightly northeast from Sasabe, Arizona on the Mexico border to the Avra Valley, Arizona west of the Tucson Mountains...
. Robles Junction is also at the northwest of the mountain range on Avra Valley's southern border, the Sierrita's.
The north of the Avra Valley narrows at the Silver Bell Mountains and Marana to the east. The region merges into the wider flatlands associated with the floodplain regions of the northwestern Santa Cruz River where it begins to merge with the Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
.
Saguaro National Park
The Saguaro National ParkSaguaro National Park
Saguaro National Park, located in southern Arizona, is part of the United States National Park System.-Overview:The park is divided into two sections, called districts, lying approximately east and west of the center of the city of Tucson, Arizona. The total area in 2010 was of which is...
, mostly on Tucson's southeast in the Rincon Mountains
Rincon Mountains
The Rincon Mountains are a significant mountain range east of Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, in the United States. The Rincon Mountains are one of five mountain ranges surrounding the Tucson valley...
has a smaller section made up of much of the Tucson Mountains
Tucson Mountains
The Tucson Mountains are a minor mountain range west of Tucson, Arizona. The Tucson Mountains, including Wasson Peak, are one of four notable mountain ranges surrounding the Tucson valley...
. The National Park is famous for the Saguaro
Saguaro
The saguaro is a large, tree-sized cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in the U.S. state of Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, a small part of Baja California in the San Felipe Desert and an extremely small area of California, U.S...
, Carnegiea gigantea.
San Xavier Mission
The southeast corner of the Avra Valley contains the San Xavier Mission. The mission is located in the western portion of the San Xavier Indian ReservationSan Xavier Indian Reservation
The San Xavier Indian Reservation is located near Tucson, Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. It is the smaller eastern section of the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation, the homeland of the tribe known as the Tohono O'odham Nation....
a subregion, and part of the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona which have major lands west of the Baboquivari Mountains and Altar Valley
Altar Valley
The Altar Valley is a 45-mile long north-south valley, trending slightly northeast from Sasabe, Arizona on the Mexico border to the Avra Valley, Arizona west of the Tucson Mountains...
west and southwest.